The Orlando Magic reintegrated a significant piece of their team back into the lineup during Friday’s 112-108 road loss to the Utah Jazz.
Unfortunately for the Magic, it wasn’t enough for them to secure a winning road trip, with Orlando’s comeback attempt at Vivint Arena falling short.
Big man Bol Bol was back in the rotation after not being in action for over a week and sitting out five games. He entered the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Jan. 3, resulting in missing four games, before getting cleared Monday.
Bol rejoined the team Tuesday and was available for their 109-106 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers, but was a healthy scratch for the first time this season.
Coach Jamahl Mosley said Thursday that the Magic wanted Bol to get a practice in before reinserting him into the lineup.
Bol came off the bench as a reserve Friday for the first time since late October, checking in midway through the first quarter for his first game action of 2023. Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris and Franz Wagner was the starting lineup for the fifth consecutive game.
“I’ve been feeling good so far,” Bol said Thursday. “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I feel pretty fine, honestly.”
Unlike Tuesday, the Magic didn’t pull out enough late-game heroics to pull out the win.
Trailing 88-83 entering the fourth and 101-89 with 5:56 remaining, the Magic went on a 15-4 run over the next 2 1/2 minutes to bring their deficit down to 105-104 after a Banchero steal and dunk in transition.
Mo Bamba made a hook shot over Walker Kessler to give the Magic a 106-105 lead with 1:18 remaining, Orlando’s first lead of the fourth.
Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson converted buckets on back-to-back Jazz possessions to give Utah a 109-108 lead 32.5 seconds remaining.
Orlando set up Franz Wagner for a 3-pointer but he missed, with Fultz fouling Sexton to send him to the free-throw line with 19.4 seconds left. Orlando playing the foul game. Still have two timeouts too.
Sexton missed both free throws but Kessler outrebounded Bamba for the offensive board before Banchero fouled Kessler, who made both free throws to put the Jazz up 111-108 with 11.8 seconds left.
Lauri Markkanen blocked Wagner’s 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds remaining and made a free throw to seal the win for the Jazz.
Jalen Suggs was available after being listed as questionable because of right ankle soreness. Suggs started the third in place of Harris, who left the game with a hand injury according to the Magic’s broadcast.
R.J. Hampton (G League assignment), Kevon Harris (transferred to G League as part of his two-way contract), Jonathan Isaac (G League assignment) and Chuma Okeke (left knee surgery) weren’t available.
Isaac played in his first official basketball game in 892 days on Wednesday.
He played for the organization’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, in Wednesday’s 129-117 win over the Westchester Knicks at RP Funding Center in his first game since Aug. 2, 2020 — when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Isaac had 15 points (6-of-12 shooting), five rebounds, an assist and a block in 15 minutes at Lakeland.
He’ll play with Lakeland again on Saturday while his NBA team is on a five-game road trip that ends Sunday in Denver. Lakeland hosts the Greensboro Swarm Saturday (7 p.m., Bally Sports Sun/Bally Sports+), the second night of back-to-back games against the Swarm.
