Is Jalen Suggs playing tonight against Cleveland Cavaliers? Looking at Magic's guard's status for Game 7 (May 5)

The Orlando Magic have listed guard Jalen Suggs as available for the highly anticipated elimination Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers of the Eastern Conference’s round-one matchup on Sunday.

Cleveland enters this contest averaging 112.3 points per game, ranking 21st in the league. The offense has not reached 100 points during the postseason and was limited to just 89 in Game 4.

For much of the season, Cleveland has found difficulty scoring in the paint, placing them in the lower half of the league standings.

The Magic mounted a late rally, scoring 30 points in the fourth quarter and outscoring Cleveland 13-6 in the final four minutes.

Orlando shot 39.0% from the field and 30.0% from the 3-point range but managed the ball well and dominated the rebounding battle. Three starters finished in double figures, with Paolo Banchero leading the team with 27 points.

Orlando enters this matchup averaging 110 points per game, placing them 25th in the league. The Magic have primarily excelled in the paint this season, a trend that continued as they outscored Cleveland in the painted area at home in this series.

Despite their inconsistencies, the Magic have compensated by frequently getting to the free-throw line. However, ball security has been a persistent issue throughout the season, and the Magic continue to struggle with turnovers on the road.

Maintaining low turnover rates and shooting over 50.0% are keys to postseason success. As they have dominated the offensive rebounds, maintaining that same intensity will be crucial if they hope to secure a win in Cleveland.

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What happened to Jalen Suggs?

Game 2 between the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers was disrupted unexpectedly when Jalen Suggs needed help leaving the court. Suggs suffered an apparent knee injury midway through the first quarter and headed to the locker room.

The injury occurred while he was defending; Suggs tried to intercept the ball from Donovan Mitchell, who was driving toward the basket. Mitchell suddenly changed direction toward the left elbow, the same area Suggs was coming from, catching him by surprise.

This movement led to Jalen Suggs’ knee colliding with the left leg of the Cavs star.

After the collision, Suggs collapsed to the court, visibly in pain and clutching his knee. The game paused while medical personnel attended to him, and he was eventually helped off the court.

Jalen Suggs had only played eight minutes, collecting three rebounds. Although initially diagnosed with a calf strain, Suggs made a surprising return to the court at the start of the second half and was back in action for the start of the third quarter.