The Orlando Magic hoped that Jalen Suggs would be able to suit up against the Lakers, but made a call just before tip-off that they were giving their point guard additional time to return to action.
The Magic will attempt to close out their four-game road trip following the All-Star break with an impressive 3-1 mark, but must do it with Suggs watching from the sidelines, ruled out just over 90 minutes before tip due to a back strain.
Suggs will miss his 23rd game of the season on Tuesday, having played only once on this Western swing. He sat out games against the Suns and Clippers and was listed as questionable for this visit to Staples Center to wrap up the trip.
Although back spasms were listed as the reason for his absence, the Magic altered the description of his injury to a strain on Monday night. He played 20 minutes in the 131-94 blowout of Sacramento on Thursday, hitting three 3-pointers and adding three rebounds and three assists.
The Magic ruled him out just before the double-OT win over the Suns on Saturday, didn’t play him against the Clippers on Sunday and have to see whether not being forced to travel out of the L.A. area will aid the cause in getting him back. The team will fly back to Orlando post-game but won’t take the floor again until Thursday, welcoming the Houston Rockets into Kia Center for the first home following the All-Star break. That game is listed among the five most important games for Orlando going forward.
Suggs has played in 34 of a possible 56 games this season. All his appearances have come in starts, and he’s averaging 13.9 points and career-bests of 4.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.9 steals. Because of the playing time restrictions, Suggs is averaging just 26.5 minutes per game, second-lowest of his career and below what he averaged as a rookie.
The No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft, Suggs has been an asset at both ends of the floor and has been missed when he’s been unable to suit up. The Gonzaga product has been absent for games in every month, sitting out extended periods in December due to a hip issue and in January due to a knee injury that cost him eight games.
Suggs made a full recovery following the MCL contusion and played a season-high 34:54 in a 116-108 loss against the Bucks on Feb. 11, registering 16 points and 10 assists for his second double-double. He went for 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in putting together his only triple-double on Feb. 5 in a blowout of Brooklyn.
Suggs’ 7.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.7 blocks in February all represent his best averages for any given month, and he’s shot 38.3 percent from 3-point range (18-for-47). If he can overcome this back trouble and put together a strong March, Orlando could be well-positioned to make a run at a top-six seed in order to avoid being stuck in the play-in.
The Southeast Division-leading Magic entered Tuesday’s game with the Lakers a full game behind Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 6 seed and even with the eighth-seeded Miami Heat on win percentage, owning a 4-0 head-to-head edge.
The Magic are 5-4 in February following a 6-7 first month of 2026 and have been disappointingly playing .500 ball since about Thanksgiving.
Franz Wagner, who returned for a pair of games prior to the break, was ruled out for at least the next three weeks due to ankle soreness. Point guard Jalen Suggs is listed as questionable with a back strain.
The Lakers are 16-11 at home, while the Magic are 12-15 in road games. They have an 11-8 mark against Western Conference opposition. L.A. is 11-8 against East foes.
**Vitals - How to Watch Magic at Lakers**
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**Game date, time and location:** Saturday, Feb. 21, 5:10 p.m. EST, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
**TV:** FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Magic), Spectrum Sportsnet (Lakers)
**Radio:** FM 96.9 The Game/AM 740 WYGM (Magic), ESPN LA 710 (Lakers)
**Betting Lines** (via [](https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/cle-cavaliers-%40-mia-heat/32216000)DraftKings) [https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/orl-magic-%2540-la-lakers/33688554](https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/orl-magic-%2540-la-lakers/33688554)
**Spread:** Lakers -5.5 (-108), Magic +5.5 (-112)
**Moneyline:** Lakers -205 Magic +170
**Total:** 230.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
_Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER._
**PROJECTED STARTERS**
**MAGIC**
F Tristan da Silva
F Paolo Banchero
C Wendell Carter Jr.
G Desmond Bane
G Anthony Black
**LAKERS**
F/G Marcus Smart
F LeBron James
C Deandre Ayton
G Luka Doncic
G Austin Reaves
**INJURY REPORT**
**MAGIC**
Jalen Suggs: Out - Back Strain
Franz Wagner: Out - Left High Ankle Sprain Injury Management
Alex Morales: Out - G League (Two-way)
Colin Castleton: Out - G League (Two-way)
**LAKERS**
Jaxson Hayes: Out - Right Ankle Sprain
Bronny James: Out - G League (Two-way)
Adou Thiero: Out - G League (Two-way)