Jonathan Isaac Had A Must-See Return Monday Night

It had been more than two years since we last saw Jonathan Isaac play for the Orlando Magic.

The Florida State product suffered a major knee injury in the NBA bubble and had spent plenty of time on the shelf nursing it.

Needless to say, plenty of people doubted his ability to contribute at a high level after such a long layoff.

However, a brief stint in the G-League might have been just what he needed to shake off the rust and get back to his best, as he was outstanding in limited action during his team’s win over the Boston Celtics.

Isaac scored 10 points on 4/7 shooting (2/3 from beyond the arc, 0/2 from the free-throw line), adding three rebounds, one assist, and two seals in just nine minutes.

THE RETURN OF JONATHAN ISAAC: 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, three rebounds, one assist, two steals, two threes, and a +7 in under 10 minutes. He looks FANTASTIC. #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/i07yMp3qSY

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 24, 2023

Isaac was physical on both ends of the floor, and didn’t hesitate to attack the basket and take shots as soon as he set foot on the hardwood.

He was playing the best basketball of his young career before suffering that injury, and he could now become a major contributor off the bench for the rebuilding Magic.

The Magic have spent most of its draft capital on big players with a huge wingspans that could allow them to play position-less basketball, and Isaac sure fits that mold.

Of course, there’s now a bit of a logjam at the frontcourt with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Bol Bol, and Isaac, but he’s by far the best defender in that group, so he should get plenty of minutes going forward once he gets his legs back under him.