ORLANDO – It was a case of good news and bad news for the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night as standout center Nikola Vucevic returned from injury, while veterans C.J. Watson and Jason Smith missed the game because of lingering ailments.
Vucevic, Orlando’s starting center the past three-plus seasons, had missed the previous three games because of a bone bruise suffered in his right knee on Nov. 4 against the Houston Rockets. The 7-footer didn’t participate in practice on Tuesday to give the knee another day of rest, but he tested it before Wednesday’s game in drills and was cleared to face the Los Angeles Lakers.