Magic guard Jalen Suggs is intent on elevating his game to a level beyond anything he showed before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, a procedure that cut short his previous season.
As Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel reports, Suggs delivered one of his standout outings of the year on Thursday, putting up 23 points along with seven assists, two steals, and two blocks in a victory over the Clippers.
His play helped Orlando continue its strong stretch, pushing the Magic to a 5-1 record over their last six contests.
The Magic guard emphasized that he isn’t simply trying to return to the version of himself that existed before the injury. Instead, he’s focused on surpassing it.
“I don’t even think I’m chasing my former self,” Suggs said. “I’m reaching for who I can be – player and person. It’s great to look back at the past couple seasons, you know some of the old ways I used to defend, even before the knee, and just my movement patterns and all that.
“It’s great to be based off of but for me, it’s about how do I keep evolving in this league so I can stay present, keep improving, keep helping us climb the ranks to become one of the better teams. Me improving myself and who I am directly correlates with that.”
Although Suggs only logged 26 minutes on Thursday, that was largely due to the Magic entering the fourth quarter with a substantial lead.
Beede points out that Suggs’ playing time has been gradually building from the start of the season, starting at 16 minutes on opening night and rising to 32 minutes in Tuesday’s contest against Golden State.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley explained that Suggs’ workload is being adjusted based on how his knee reacts following each game.
Mosley praised the intensity and physical commitment the former lottery pick brings whenever he steps on the floor.
“His ability to do all of the little things, putting his body on the line for those moments, making those hustle plays,” Mosley said. “… I mean, he’s going for blocks on 7-footers coming down the lane. But those are big plays for us. It’s who he is, it’s what he does, and we need that from him.”
Magic Notes: Suggs, Banchero, Da Silva, Bane, Mosley https://t.co/GcznZ68FPm pic.twitter.com/ORON2Y9OIY
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 23, 2025
