Anthony

Black

Like many of his teammates on Sunday, Black struggled to efficiently put the ball in the basket — his 0-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc being a major reason. Yet, the third-year guard had several positive moments on the defensive end, as reflected in the five steals he collected. He never consistently put together strong performances in the opening-round loss. However, Black took notable steps forward from a production standpoint during the regular season. He’ll have fantasy value next season.

Wagner left Game 4 after playing 24 minutes with a calf injury and hasn’t played since. He’s now set to miss Game 7. The tides turned without him in the series as the Magic are in the process of blowing a 3-1 lead to the Pistons. Jamal Cain started Game 6 in Wagner’s place, but had just three points in 20 minutes while Anthony Black had eight points in 34 minutes off the bench.

During the regular season, Black was usually the replacement in the Magic starting lineup when the team was down a perimeter starter. However, that was not the case for Game 5, as Franz Wagner was out with a strained calf. Jamal Cain (five points, four rebounds and one assist), who had some good moments in Games 3 and 4 defending Cade Cunningham, received the nod but offered limited value in 45 minutes. Black, who totaled 22 points in the first four games of the series, played 39 minutes and had a good night at the office. We’ll see if Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley decides to start Black if Wagner remains out for Game 6 on Friday.

Wagner left the Magic’s Game 4 win after scoring 19 points in 24 minutes with a right calf strain and didn’t return. The 24-year-old small forward is officially questionable for Game 5 against the Pistons on Wednesday. Wagner hasn’t been ruled out, but his lack of participation in shootaround isn’t a good sign. If Wagner sits, Jamal Cain, Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva are all candidates for increased minutes.

Wagner left Game 4 after only 24 minutes and didn’t return, and Shams notes that his availability will depend on his response to treatment. Wagner’s absence opened the door for Jamal Cain to log meaningful minutes, and Cain played a vital, fourth-quarter role in the Magic’s close victory. If Wagner is unable to take the court, Cain will likely be in line for expanded run, but Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva would be candidates for extra minutes, too.

Bane is a new addition to the Magic injury report, but the good news is that he’s still considered probable to play. If he can’t go, Anthony Black is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, with Tristan da Silva’s minutes also receiving a boost.

With the rest of the Magic healthy, Black hasn’t been able to contribute as much since returning to the lineup after missing nearly a month with a core injury. However, he was able to provide some offense in this game, and he may be asked to do more on Friday. Franz Wagner appeared to injure his left leg late in the game, though it’s unclear if that will impact his status for their play-in matchup with the Hornets. If Wagner is sidelined, Black will take on extra minutes and could step into a starting role.

In his first game since March 7, Black was limited to just 15 minutes off the bench. He had no problem being aggressive on offense with 11 shot attempts and seven free throw attempts during his time on the floor. Black would have been a candidate to win the Most Improved Player award if he hadn’t missed so many games over the past month. Still, he’ll be a pivotal piece for Orlando entering the postseason now that they’re the healthiest they’ve been since the beginning of the season.

Black was ruled out for this game at first but was upgraded to questionable earlier in the day and has now officially been cleared to suit up. He’ll likely play a limited role off the bench, which will prevent him from making much of an impact on the box score. However, it is good news for Orlando with the postseason starting next week, with this being the healthiest they’ve been in a while. Jevon Carter will likely play a smaller role with Black back.

After missing Orlando’s last 16 games with a left lateral abdominal strain, Black is on track to return on Monday. If he does play, that would mean fewer minutes for Jevon Carter. That said, managers in active fantasy leagues should anticipate Black’s minutes being limited.