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Shams Charania, Senior NBA Insider
Magic star Paolo Banchero is expected to return to action in one of Orlando’s back-to-back home games Thursday against Minnesota or Friday against Milwaukee, sources told ESPN.
Banchero has been out since Oct. 30 due to a torn oblique after a monster start to the season. The Magic are expected to upgrade him to questionable on the injury report. Banchero participated fully in Wednesday’s practice.
Banchero’s 29-point average ranked seventh in the league before his injury, and he was also averaging 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists.
Banchero scored a career-high 50 points in an Oct. 28 win over the Indiana Pacers, when he became the second-youngest player to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game in NBA history behind LeBron James, who accomplished the feat in 2005 against the Toronto Raptors.
The Magic (22-16) are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings despite losing both Banchero and Franz Wagner to torn oblique injuries this season. Wagner — headed toward an All-Star season in his own right — has been sidelined since Dec. 6.