Magic's Vucevic out Friday with sore ankle
Fans in Orlando looking forward to a battle between Nikola Vucevic and DeMarcus Cousins will have to wait until next year, as Vucevic has been ruled out of Friday's game with a sore left ankle.
Vucevic's absence will be a big blow for the Magic, although how much Orlando wants to win down the stretch remains to be seen. The team is all but out of the playoff race, sitting 8.5 games behind eighth-place Charlotte in the Eastern Conference standings, and is currently on track for a top-five pick in June's draft.
Vucevic has been among the league's best statistical big men this season, averaging a career-high 19.7 points and 11.2 rebounds on 53 percent shooting.
Dewayne Dedmon will start in Vucevic's place at center, while Channing Frye will be back in the starting lineup at power forward.
Also out for the Magic are guards Willie Green with a sore right Achilles, Luke Ridnour (strained right hamstring), Evan Fournier (sore right hip) and Devyn Marble (detached retina in left eye).
With files from The Associated Press