Cole Anthony returns from injury, torches Denver Nuggets

Cole Anthony returned to the Orlando Magic lineup on Wednesday night and torched the Denver Nuggets for a game-high 24 points.

After rehabbing from a sprained right ankle and playing in his first game in nearly two weeks, Orlando Magic point guard Cole Anthony had one of his best performances of the season against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

The rising second-year star out of North Carolina scored a game-high 24 points against Nikola Jokic and company, leading the last-place Magic to their first win in two weeks. Despite not seeing any action since a November 19 game against the Brooklyn Nets, Anthony came out onto the court and quickly knocked off any rust he may have accumulated during that time.

It couldn’t have been much, though, as the former Tar Heel hit 10-of-21 shots for the game and all three of his free throw attempts. He also pulled down eight rebounds and a team-high seven assists and turned the ball over just one time in a game-high 37 minutes of play. To say that Anthony’s return to the court was an impressive one would be an understatement.

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Anthony’s 24 points are the fifth-most that he’s scored this season, and a total that he’s hit on three occasions over the past couple of months. He’s hit the eight-rebound mark eight times this season, evidenced by his terrific average of 6.8 boards per game. He also recorded at least seven assists in a game for the seventh time this season, and he’s averaging six per game during his outstanding sophomore campaign.

Anthony is proving to be one of the best young guards in the NBA, and a player that the Orlando Magic will look to build around over the next few years. As good as Anthony is, his team simply isn’t, and they’ll likely end up with another top-5 pick in next year’s NBA Draft. Any questions at the beginning of the season about who the team’s starting point guard should be moving forward have been answered. Anthony is most definitely that guy.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on Cole Anthony and UNC basketball alumni throughout the NBA.