ATLANTA – The Orlando Magic’s hopes that Aaron Gordon’s back woes would be short-lived collapsed on Monday when more pain and stiffness kept him from playing against the Atlanta Hawks.
Gordon, Orlando’s second-leading scorer and rebounder, injured his back in the second half of Friday’s two-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He missed Saturday’s home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, but the improvement in his condition and how his back responded previously when he injured it back in November had the Magic hoping that he could return by Monday in Atlanta.
However, when the tightness and soreness in Gordon’s back did not relent, he was ruled out of the afternoon game against the Hawks.