Whether or not the Magic will have Glen ``Big Baby’’ Davis and/or reserve point guard E’Twaun Moore when they attempt to beat the Washington Wizards for their second win in a row is yet to be seen.
As his left shoulder was being wrapped in ice on Monday, Davis said he experienced no soreness following his first practice back with the team on Sunday. Davis has missed the past three-plus weeks with a shoulder sprain suffered against the Wizards on Dec. 19.
``It felt OK, but I ain’t done any banging yet,’’ Davis said following the Magic’s shootaround on Monday morning. ``I’ll save that for the game. I don’t want to hurt it in practice. I have to think long-term. So we’ll see.’’
The Magic (13-23) could also welcome back Moore, who badly sprained his left elbow the last time the Magic were in Washington on Dec. 28. Moore had his left arm pinned on the floor in a scramble for a loose ball and originally thought he had broken his arm. Instead, he just had a sprained elbow – an injury that will require him to play with a brace on his left arm if he goes tonight against the Wizards (6-28).
``I did some contact (on Sunday) and it felt pretty good. I feel it getting better every day,’’ Moore said. ``I feel pretty good and haven’t had a lot of problems. I’m just trying to get 100 percent.’’
Al Harrington, who has yet to play this season after having four procedures on his knee over the summer, also rejoined the team in Washington, D.C. Harrington has been increasing the intensity of his workouts for the past three weeks and said he is making steady progress. He is likely still a couple of weeks away from getting into a game.
``It’s been a very tough process and this is the longest rehab I’ve ever had and I had back surgery and I’ve torn my ACL before. I was back from both of those injuries in five to six months,’’ said Harrington, who needed three procedures on his knee to clean out a Staph infection. ``This has definitely been a tough one, but now people will see me smiling a lot more and seeing me around a lot more until I’m out there playing with the guys.’’
The Magic were good in the clutch on Saturday in a 104-101 defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. J.J. Redick had a tremendous sequence by tying the game with a layup and then giving the Magic their first lead of the day with a step-back 3-pointer over Matt Barnes. Redick then preserved the win by drawing a charge from Jamal Crawford and seconds later passing out of a double team for what proved to be the game’s winning points.
That victory snapped a 10-game losing streak – all of which came with Davis on the sidelines injured. Prior to Saturday’s victory, Orlando’s last win came on Dec. 19 against Washington – the game in which Davis sprained his left shoulder in the final seconds following a hard hit from Emeka Okafor. That night Orlando had a four-game winning streak and had no clue that it would go the next three-plus weeks without winning a game.
Now, the Magic – with or without Davis tonight – hope to put together a string of victories.
``We need to get this one tonight,’’ Davis said. ``Then, maybe we can win like 16 in a row.’’
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