Michael Beasley expects to play against the Orlando Magic
After missing the entire second half of their previous game, third-year forward Michael Beasley is expected to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday 3
November at the Amway Center.
The 21-year old forward sustained a hip injury in their loss against the Miami Heat on Tuesday 2 November, but the 2008 second-overall pick was in their team’s practise on Wednesday morning,
although he spent most of the time stretching and riding a stationary bike.
"I'm still a little stiff, but as I move, as I stretch, it gets better. The warmer it gets the better it gets," he said before leaving the Amway Center after their practise. "Yeah, I'm feeling
pretty good. I don't want to jinx it, but I don't think that's far-fetched."
The 6ft 10in forward started out strong in his first game against his former team after being traded during the off-season, making an immediate impact with his offensive game, highlighted
by a vicious left-handed dunk off an offensive rebound in the opening period.
But after racking up 11 points, Beasley landed on the floor awkwardly at the 8:10 mark of the second period after taking an inadvertent hit from Chris Bosh, although the foul was charged
on sweet-shooting forward James Jones.
"I was trying to make a play on the ball and block his shot," Bosh said. "Then I just heard him hit the floor. He hit the floor pretty hard."
Beasley converted the layup, but he grimaced in pain for several minutes on the floor. His teammates helped him to get up, but he went down again while heading to their bench.
"I was saying to myself all sorts of expletives when he went down," Timberwolves forward Kevin Love said. "That’s one of my partners in crime on this team. I was real upset to see him go
down."
The former Kansas State standout, who spent his first two years in the league with Miami, is averaging 13.8 points and six rebounds per game this season.
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