The Orlando Magic moved one step closer Saturday to being fully whole.
Center Nikola Vucevic returned from a six-game layoff caused by a lower-back injury and was in the Magic’s starting lineup when they hosted the Atlanta Hawks at Amway Center.
“It was very annoying just not being able to be out there with my teammates and participate in games,” Vucevic said before tipoff. “But, unfortunately, it’s a part of the job we do. Sometimes you get injured. You’ve just got to be patient, sit out and make sure it heals right. But I’m glad I’m back.”
Orlando posted a 2-4 record in the games Vucevic missed, and his absence hurt the Magic especially when they attempted to close out games Wednesday against the Washington Wizards and Friday against the Hawks.
“It’s just another guy, indeed, that they have to honor on the strong side and the weak side,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He’ll help us rebound the basketball, then also solidify our rotation where Kyle [O’Quinn] can get back to coming off the bench for us.”
With Vucevic returning, 14 of the Magic’s 15 players are healthy enough to play, although rookie swingman Devyn Marble was placed on the inactive list because a team may have no more than 13 players on its active roster.
The Magic’s lone injured player is rookie forward Aaron Gordon, who underwent surgery on Nov. 21 to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot.
The Magic have missed Gordon’s energy, rebounding and ability to defend players at multiple positions. His absence has forced Vaughn to dip deeper into his bench, which has cost the team on several occasions, including Friday night’s 87-81 loss to the Hawks.
But Gordon is expected to return this season.
He might even return before, or just after, the All-Star break in mid-February.
The 19-year-old rookie will be examined by Robert B. Anderson, the Charlotte-based surgeon who inserted a screw into Gordon’s foot.
That evaluation may occur on or around Jan. 5, which will be six weeks and three days after Gordon’s surgery.
If Anderson’s exam shows that Gordon’s foot has healed well, Gordon will be permitted to ramp up his rehabilitation regimen and begin basketball activities.
The case of superstar Kevin Durant, who suffered a specific kind of fifth-metatarsal fracture known as a Jones fracture, may offer a case-in-point.
Durant underwent surgery on Oct. 16, and he played in his first game this season on Dec. 2, which was six weeks and four days after his surgery.
To be sure, the Oklahoma City Thunder needed Durant back more urgently than the Magic will need Gordon to return. And the Magic likely will be more conservative with Gordon than the Thunder were with Durant.
Still, Durant’s timeline should be encouraging to Gordon and the Magic.
Prepping the guards
In Friday night’s loss, Victor Oladipo committed three turnovers and Elfrid Payton had two turnovers as the Hawks pressured them, especially coming off pick-and-rolls.
“You try to prepare them with a solution,” Vaughn said. “But you also want them to be able to go through the situation and try to swim their way through it as well.”
Vaughn predicted the Hawks would employ the same tactic Saturday and that other teams would do the same.
“Guys have to learn from it if they’re going to be in the game,” Vaughn said.
Schedule oddity
Saturday’s game marked the first time since Feb. 14-15, 2006, that the Magic have played the same opponent on two consecutive days.
Vaughn was asked whether he likes that scenario.
Vaughn answered, “If it’s the playoffs, I do.”
jbrobbins@tribune.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog and follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaBRobbins.