Magic star Paolo Banchero is expected to return to action in the second of Orlando’s back-to-back home games, Friday against Milwaukee, sources told ESPN.
Banchero has been out since Oct. 30 due to a torn oblique after a monster start to the season. The Magic host Minnesota on Thursday, and he was officially upgraded to questionable on the league’s injury report after he participated fully in Wednesday’s practice.
Banchero’s 29-point average ranked seventh in the league before his injury, and he was also averaging 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
Banchero scored a career-high 50 points in an Oct. 28 win over the Indiana Pacers, when he became the second-youngest player in NBA history to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game behind LeBron James, who accomplished the feat in 2005 against the Toronto Raptors.
The Magic (22-16) are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings despite losing both Banchero and Franz Wagner to torn oblique injuries. Wagner — headed toward an All-Star season in his own right — has been sidelined since Dec. 6.
This story originally appeared on ESPN
