Cole Anthony puts up big numbers in return to Magic lineup

Cole Anthony returned from injury on Thursday night and led the Orlando Magic in scoring for the sixth time in his last eight games.

Cole Anthony returned to the Orlando Magic lineup on Thursday night after missing three games with a right ankle sprain and immediately made his presence felt.

The former Tar Heel did everything he could to will his team to victory in a tough 110-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. That included scoring a team-high 22 points, including eight in the decisive fourth quarter, and dishing out a game-high 11 assists, which ties the career mark that he set on November 15 at Atlanta.

"“Happy to be back on the court with the fellas,” Anthony said after the game. “Unfortunately, couldn’t get that win. It would have been smooth to get three in a row. We played a pretty dang good second half and if we could have played like that in the first half, I think we win that game.”"

Anthony scored twice in a span of 23 seconds late in the fourth quarter to pull Orlando to within three points, but New Orleans took an 8-5 advantage after that to seal the game.

Anthony struggled from the three-point line, where he missed all six of his attempts, but he connected on 7-of-10 from inside the arc and was 8-for-9 at the free throw line. Perhaps, even more impressive is that Anthony turned the ball over just once in 37 minutes of play. He added five rebounds, one block, and one steal in his exciting return to the court.

It was Anthony’s fifth double-double of the season, and second with assists. He’s currently 25th in the league in scoring at 20 points per game while averaging six rebounds and 5.8 assists. He’s shooting nearly 42 percent from the floor, 35.4 percent from long-range, and 87.6 percent at the foul line.

Anthony and the Magic will be back in action on Sunday when they travel to Miami to face the Heat.