Orlando Magic fans have spent the last day holding their breaths, as they’ve waited for an injury update on standout third-year forward Jonathan Isaac. Word came in on the extent to which he’s banged up on Thursday afternoon, and while he managed to avoid a tear, he is expected to be on the shelf for a few months.
Isaac hurt his left knee during the first quarter of Orlando’s 122-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, and while initial reports indicated he avoided severe ligament damage, the former Florida State standout underwent an MRI on his knee on Thursday. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the diagnosis is a severe knee sprain and a bone contusion, which will lead to Isaac missing at least the next two months.
An MRI on left knee of Orlando Magic F Jonathan Isaac shows a severe sprain and bone contusion and team plans to re-evaluate his status in approximately two months, league sources tell ESPN. Good news: There was no structural damage to ACL, MCL or PCL ligaments.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 2, 2020
Soon after, the report was confirmed by the Magic, which put out a release saying that Isaac’s return to practice “will depend on how he responds to treatment and rehabilitation.”
JONATHAN ISAAC INJURY UPDATE#MagicAboveAll pic.twitter.com/wsJUo8Nof2
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) January 2, 2020
Avoiding a tear and the possibility existing that Isaac’s back for the postseason (should Orlando make it, of course) are both silver linings on a pretty dark cloud. Isaac has blossomed into one of the league’s most devastating defenders during his third year in the Association, and whenever the Magic are able to smother their opponents on that end of the floor, it’s usually because he has his fingerprints all over a game. Now, Orlando will have to hold onto its two-game cushion for the eight-seed in the Eastern Conference without one of their best players for the next few months.
