Paolo Banchero out for Friday’s game against Cavs

Orlando could be shorthanded in Friday’s matchup in Cleveland.

Paolo Banchero has looked like one of the best players in the league through the first five games. This included an impressive 50-point outing to carry the Orlando Magic to an impressive 119-115 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Magic will be without their top player as they look for revenge against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Banchero was initially listed as questionable for the matchup against Cleveland. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Bonchero is out indefinitely with a torn right oblique. He is to be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.

Through five games, the Magic have needed Banchero on the court to be good. They’ve been 9.1 points better which includes their offensive rating being 19.8 points higher with him on the floor. Without him, they’ve registered a poor 97.9 offensive rating.

This injury will likely change the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference. The Magic came into the season seeming destined for a top-six spot in the conference with a good chance of securing home-court advantage in the first round. Now, Orlando could be a team fighting for a play-in spot depending on how long this injury lasts,

Banchero is averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season on .495/.344/.644 shooting splits in 36.4 minutes per game. In the playoffs last season, he averaged 27 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4 assists on .456/.400/.755 shooting splits in 37.5 minutes per game.

The Magic could also be without their second-leading scorer, Franz Wagner, in Friday’s contest. He is listed as questionable with an illness. Wagner is averaging 17.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on .516/.393/.923 shooting splits so far this season.