Cole Anthony out with oblique muscle injury, leaving winless Magic even more shorthanded

The Magic are also without guards Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony suffered a right internal oblique muscle injury, the team announced on Thursday. Anthony had imaging done after the Magic's 103-92 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, and his return-to-play timetable will be determined by how his body responds to treatment and rehabilitation, per the team. 

It's unclear when exactly the injury occurred, but, during the fourth quarter in Cleveland, Anthony had his shot blocked on a drive, fell awkwardly and stayed down for the following possession:

Anthony remained in the game until the final buzzer. 

Orlando has started the season 0-5 in part because it has been shorthanded in the backcourt. Anthony missed the season opener with an illness, and Jalen Suggs has been out since spraining his right ankle in the second game. Markelle Fultz, who fractured his left big toe in late September, has not played this season, and neither has Gary Harris, who had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in early September. 

In four games, Anthony has averaged 15.5 points, 4.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 30.4 minutes. Those numbers, however, do not capture how much the Magic will miss his playmaking. In the 118 minutes that he's been off the floor, they've scored just 101.6 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com, a horrendous number. (Orlando has managed 107.3 per 100 in Anthony's 122 minutes, which is still well below average, and it has been significantly worse defensively.)

In Anthony's absence, expect to see coach Jamahl Mosley use more enormous lineups featuring the 6-foot-10 Franz Wagner at point guard. No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero, who is the same height, has also regularly initiated the offense, especially in transition. Orlando's only healthy nominal guard is the 6-foot-6 R.J. Hampton, who has logged 44 minutes so far this season.