Bitadze (coach's decision) went unused off the bench Wednesday in the Magic's 128-122 win over the Cavaliers.
Bitadze had seen action in each of the Magic's previous four games, but his most recent two appearances had come in garbage time at the end of blowouts. With Wednesday's contest remaining competitive throughout, Bitadze failed to get off the bench while Moritz Wagner handled all the backup center minutes behind starter Wendell Carter. So long as Carter and Wagner are available, Bitadze is unlikely to be featured in the rotation.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Moving to bench
Rotowire
Bitadze will come off the bench Thursday against the Mavericks.
Bitadze drew a spot start Tuesday with Wendell Carter sidelined, but Carter has been given the green light to take the court Thursday. Bitadze has struggled to remain in the rotation over the last few months, but he could see playing time Thursday given that Jonathan Isaac (knee) is out.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Making second start of season
Rotowire
Bitadze is starting Tuesday's game against the Wizards.
Bitadze will make his return to the rotation Tuesday after falling out of favor down the stretch of February. He figures to share time at center with Moritz Wagner after Wendell Carter was a late scratch due to ankle soreness. Bitadze has started one other game this year for Orlando, totaling 14 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, three steals and two blocks in 32 minutes Jan. 11 against New Orleans.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Exits rotation Monday
Rotowire
Bitadze (coach's decision) didn't play in Monday's 114-98 loss to the Cavaliers.
Before head coach Jamahl Mosley opted to remove Bitadze from the rotation entirely Monday, the seventh-year center's role already appeared to be trending down over the last handful of games once fellow center Moritz Wagner was cleared to make his season debut. Though Bitadze offers more rim protection than Wagner, the Magic may prefer the stronger offensive skill set Wagner brings to the table when starter Wendell Carter is off the court. Unless Carter ends up missing time at some point, Bitadze looks as though he may face an uphill battle to see enough minutes on a game-by-game basis to provide much of a meaningful fantasy impact.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Retreating to bench
Rotowire
Bitadze is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against the Grizzlies.
Wendell Carter is returning from a one-game absence with a hip injury, forcing Bitadze to the second unit. Bitadze has averaged 5.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 16.2 minutes per contest over his last seven games off the bench.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Double-double in Sunday's start
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Bitadze ended Sunday's 128-118 win over the Pelicans with 14 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 13 rebounds, one assist, two blocks and three steals in 32 minutes.
With Wendell Carter (hip) ruled out, Bitadze made his first start of the season and played a season high in minutes, and he responded with his first double-double. The 26-year-old center hadn't played more than 20 minutes since Oct. 29 however, and unless Carter's injury proved to be more serious than expected, Bitadze will have a hard time following up this performance, especially with Moritz Wagner (knee) also back and looking for minutes in the frontcourt.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Starting sans Carter
Rotowire
Bitadze will start against the Pelicans on Sunday.
The 26-year-old center will enter the starting five for the first time this season due to Wendell Carter (hip) being sidelined. Over five outings this month, Bitadze has averaged 5.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 15.6 minutes per contest.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Muted performance in win
Rotowire
Bitadze contributed two points (1-2 FG) and two rebounds over 16 minutes during Sunday's 135-127 win over Indiana.
This was a quiet outing for Bitadze, and that's been the case for a while now. Over his last four appearances, the center has seen 16.9 minutes per contest with averages of 5.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Available to play Monday
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) is available for Monday's game against the Raptors.
Bitadze is set to return following a three-game absence due to a left knee strain. The big man will operate as Wendell Carter's backup at center, whereas Jonathan Isaac's playing time will be reduced with the return of Bitadze.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Questionable to face Raptors
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) is listed as questionable for Monday's game against Toronto.
Bitadze has already missed three games with a strained left knee, and his availability for Monday's game remains up in the air. While Bitadze has been sidelined, Jonathan Isaac has seen an uptick in playing time.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Out vs. Denver
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) is out for Saturday's game against the Nuggets.
Bitadze will miss a third straight game while dealing with a strained left knee, meaning Jonathan Isaac will continue to see more minutes in the frontcourt. Bitadze's next chance to play will come against the Raptors on Monday.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Iffy to face Denver
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Nuggets.
Bitadze has missed Orlando's last two games due to a strained left knee and could miss a third Saturday. If the big man remains sidelined, Jonathan Isaac will likely continue to see increased playing time. Over his last five appearances, Bitadze has averaged 4.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals across 15.8 minutes per game off the bench.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Won't play Friday
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) will not play Friday against the Hornets.
Bitadze was unable to shake his questionable tag for this contest and will miss his second straight game. For now, he can be considered questionable for the second leg of this back-to-back set Saturday against Denver.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Could return Friday
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) is listed as questionable for Friday's game against the Hornets.
Bitadze was unable to play against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday due to a left knee strain, but the seventh-year center has a chance to return Friday. Jonathan Isaac would likely see a slight downtick in minutes off the bench if Bitadze is given the green light to play.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Won't play vs. Portland
Rotowire
Bitadze (knee) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Trail Blazers.
Bitadze will sit for the second leg of the Magic's back-to-back set Tuesday due to a left knee strain, and his next opportunity to play will come Friday against the Hornets. Orlando Robinson and Jett Howard are in line for more minutes due to Bitadze, Franz Wagner (ankle) and Tristan da Silva (shoulder) all being sidelined.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Iffy for Tuesday
Rotowire
Bitadze is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Trail Blazers with a strained left knee.
Fantasy managers can expect the Magic to determine Bitadze's status closer to Tuesday's tipoff. Should the big man be unable to suit up, Orlando Robinson would have the backup center job all to himself.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Blocks two shots in loss
Rotowire
Bitadze ended with seven points (3-4 FG, 1-1 FT), six rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 17 minutes during Tuesday's 117-108 win over the Heat.
Bitadze extends his block streak to eight games, averaging 6.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.5 blocks across 17.4 minutes in that span. He has done a fine job backing up Wendell Carter and continues to be a great source of blocks and rebounds for fantasy managers.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: All-around effort in loss
Rotowire
Bitadze accumulated eight points (4-4 FG), five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 19 minutes during Wednesday's 114-112 loss to the Spurs.
Bitadze has been a big part of Orlando's defense, posting a steal and a block in each of his last five games and in seven of his last eight. Bitadze averages 6.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.3 blocks across 16.9 minutes this season, making him an elite blocks specialist with potential to contribute in the points and rebounds categories as well.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Flirts with double-double
Rotowire
Bitadze logged 10 points (5-9 FG, 0-1 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 20 minutes during Tuesday's 144-103 win over Philadelphia.
Bitadze returned to action after missing Sunday's loss to Boston due to a sore left ankle, falling one rebound short of what would have been his first double-double of the season Tuesday. Firmly established as the backup behind Wendell Carter, Bitadze has provided Orlando with a serviceable rim protector off the bench. Through 18 games, he has averaged 6.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16.9 minutes per contest.
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Magic's Goga Bitadze: Available Tuesday
Rotowire
Bitadze (ankle) is available for Tuesday's game against the 76ers.
Bitadze was a late addition to the injury report due to left ankle soreness, though he'll shed his questionable tag and suit up after missing Sunday's loss to Boston. Over his last five appearances, the backup center has averaged 6.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 16.2 minutes per contest.
