Magic’s Jonathan Isaac available to make long-awaited return vs. Celtics

After more than 2½ years, the wait for Jonathan Isaac’s NBA return to the Orlando Magic is over.

Isaac was available for Monday’s home game vs. the Boston Celtics, allowing him to play in his first NBA game since Aug. 2, 2020 — when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the NBA “bubble” at Disney World.

He was upgraded to questionable Sunday before being upgraded to available after the team’s 4 p.m. pregame walkthrough.

Isaac hasn’t played since tearing his ACL, missing the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, and half of this one — making it 904 days between his last NBA game and his return.

He hasn’t played at Amway Center since Dec. 30, 2019. His last game outside the league’s “bubble” was on Jan. 1, 2020, in Washington.

Before the injury, Isaac — the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft — was having a breakout season for the Magic. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals per game in 34 games during the 2019-20 season.

Isaac made his return to the floor before Monday.

He played three games with the organization’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, the previous two weeks, averaging 15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 assists in 17.7 minutes.

This story will be updated.

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @khobi_price.

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