ORLANDO, Fla. — Chuma Okeke and R.J. Hampton moved into the Orlando Magic’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s 111-99 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks after Mo Bamba (ankle) and Gary Harris (hamstring) were ruled out with injuries.
The starts were the first of the season for both Okeke and Hampton.
Okeke, a 2019 first-round draft pick out of Auburn, played in the Magic’s previous 22 games as a reserve entering Wednesday, averaging 6.4 points and 4 rebounds in 20.7 minutes. He missed the first six games with a hip bone bruise that forced him to miss all of training camp.
“It’s a great opportunity for him,” coach Jamahl Mosley said of Okeke. “His ability to be able to switch one through four at times. His ability to play positional defense. Offensively, his ability to step in and make shots. But just giving him that comfort level and being out there with that first unit is going to be good for him.”
Hampton, a second-year guard, has played in every game this season, averaging 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Harris was originally expected to start against the Hawks but was ruled out a few minutes before tipoff due to left hamstring tightness.
Hampton finished Wednesday with 15 points and 4 assists in 26 minutes, while Okeke had 8 points and 4 rebounds on 2-of-10 shooting 31 minutes in the Magic’s sixth consecutive loss.
The Magic’s other three starters — Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. — combined for 26 points on 12-of-38 (31.5%) shooting. Moe Wagner (19 points) and Terrence Ross (18 points) led the Magic off the bench.
Bamba left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers early in the third quarter with a right ankle sprain.
It wasn’t clear how he sprained his ankle, but Robin Lopez subbed in for Bamba with 8:18 in the third, with Bamba later being ruled out. His status is considered “day-to-day.”
Mosley said that Bamba had fully practiced on Tuesday and that he had expected him to be available on Wednesday.
Bamba was listed as questionable on the Magic’s official injury report Tuesday evening and throughout Wednesday before being ruled out two hours before tipoff.
“He’s doing OK,” Mosley said of Bamba. “They tested it out a little bit afterward and it’s a little bit more tender than expected. We’re going to go day-to-day for him.”
Bamba played in 27 (all starts) of 28 games entering Wednesday, averaging 10.3 points and 8.6 rebounds in 28.7 minutes.
The Magic remained without Jalen Suggs (fractured right thumb), Markelle Fultz (torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January), Jonathan Issac (torn ACL in left knee in August 2020), (Michael Carter-Williams (recovering from August ankle surgery) and E’Twaun Moore (left knee sprain in an October practice).
Suggs, the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft, didn’t need surgery and will be evaluated every two weeks to “gauge his progress.” Monday marked two weeks since he sustained the injury against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 29. He was wearing a splint on his injured thumb Wednesday, suggesting his return isn’t imminent.
“His evaluation is progressing,” Mosley said ahead of Wednesday’s game. “We’ll keep evaluating as he goes through the process of rehabilitation.”
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