Just in case you needed a reminder that injuries are, and will forever remain, the absolute worst, the Orlando Magic have now lost Terrence Ross indefinitely to a sprained right MCL.
Here’s the details about his forthcoming recovery, per the Magic’s press release:
After further evaluation, including an MRI, Orlando Magic guard/forward Terrence Ross has been diagnosed with a sprained right medial collateral ligament (MCL) and a non-displaced fracture of his right tibial plateau, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced. Ross suffered the injury at the 4:38 mark of the second quarter during last night’s victory over Oklahoma City. He will be out indefinitely and miss a significant amount of time. His return to play will depend on how the injury heals and how he responds to treatment.
Ross, 26, has been, predictably, up and down this season season. He’s averaging a career high in assists per 36 minutes, since the Magic have bestowed more ball-handling responsibilities amongst their wings, but his three-point clip sits at a career-low 32.9 percent. He is, however, getting to the rim with the second-highest frequency of his career and in turn posting a personal-best 75 percent shooting inside three feet of the hoop, according to Basketball-Reference. It’s also worth noting that he’s averaging 9.4 points on 52.5 percent shooting, including a 41.9 percent three-point success rate, over his last 12 games.
If we assume his outside shot had turned a corner for good, this loss comes as a huge blow for the Magic, who have fallen off a cliff. They’re 1-9 over their past 10 games, during which time their top-12 offense dipped to 20th in points scored per 100 possessions. Ross has also been playing some of his best defense this season, further complicating matters.
With Jonathan Isaac on the shelf as well, look for Jonathon Simmons, Arron Afflalo and, maybe, Mario Hezonja to get more run. And also look for the Magic to continue their offensive spiral.
