Jamal Cain continued to see a bigger role for Orlando on Thursday, logging 25 minutes off the bench in a 117-104 loss to the Suns. He finished with five points, five rebounds and a line that showed both the opportunity he is getting and the inconsistency that can come with it.
Cain went 2-for-9 from the field, hit one of six from three-point range and made neither of his free throw attempts, but the minutes were the key takeaway. He has now logged at least 24 minutes in consecutive games, which points to a larger immediate role while Orlando works through a depleted rotation.
Why Cain's minutes are holding up
The context matters here. Paolo Banchero remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and that has helped open the door for Cain to stay involved. On Monday against Washington, he scored 10 points, so Thursday was a quieter scoring night, but the playing time still suggested Orlando trust him to absorb a bigger workload for now.
Whether Cain can turn that opportunity into more efficient production is the next question. The minutes are there, and for a team short on options, that alone keeps him relevant as Orlando looks to patch together its rotation.
