Franz Wagner remains sidelined, Moritz Wagner is struggling, and the Orlando Magic have just suffered another devastating loss, indicating a completely dysfunctional season.
Moritz Wagner stood dejectedly in the corner of the court as the Orlando Magic allowed the final seconds to tick away. Following a crushing defeat, the worst in franchise history, the final buzzer served as a near-relief for the German world champion and his teammates. This memorable thrashing in Canada marked yet another low point in what has been a truly forgettable NBA season.
«It’s hard to explain, hard to swallow,» a Magic player commented after the demoralizing 87-139 loss to the Toronto Raptors. «I think anyone who watched the game knows exactly why we lost. We didn’t defend anyone and committed too many turnovers.» He added that his team was subsequently «rolled over.» With eight games remaining in the regular season, all of Orlando’s objectives are in jeopardy. The Magic are three wins shy of a direct playoff spot, with the less desirable play-in tournament looming.
In Toronto, Coach Jamahl Mosley’s team was so utterly outmatched that it raised serious concerns. Following a 0-31 run, the longest unanswered scoring streak since play-by-play statistics began being recorded in the 1997-98 season, the game was effectively decided by the second quarter. This seventh loss in eight games—with their only recent victory against the struggling Sacramento Kings—is part of a series of unfortunate events plaguing the Magic since the start of the season.
Ironically, Orlando had entered the season as a dark horse contender for the championship. The club had notably traded four (!) first-round picks to acquire a third star to complement Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, intending to make a serious run. This was after their seasons ended in the first round of the playoffs in the previous two years.
Wagner Brothers Endure Challenging Season — Tristan da Silva Offers a Glimmer of Hope
A key factor contributing to this decline is the team’s injury woes, with Franz Wagner’s absence weighing particularly heavily. The world and European champion, in the first year of his $224 million contract, played his last NBA game on February 11th. Since then, he has been sidelined, diligently recovering from an ankle sprain. He recently admitted in the Orlando Sentinel that his mid-January return for the Berlin game, just five weeks after sustaining the injury, had been premature. His older brother, Moritz Wagner, is also experiencing a mixed performance.
Following his previous injury, Moritz Wagner has struggled, seeing limited minutes and sometimes not playing at all. He is still far from the form he displayed before that setback. «Of course, it annoys you a bit,» the 28-year-old recently remarked on his reduced playing time in his podcast ‘Kannst du so nicht sagen’ (You Can’t Say That). «But over the years, you learn not to take it personally.» However, in Toronto, he delivered a respectable performance with seven points and four rebounds in twelve minutes off the bench.
From a German perspective, the real hope, beyond the vague prospect of Franz Wagner’s comeback, lies primarily with Tristan da Silva, who often starts in Wagner’s absence and is having a strong second NBA season. However, even the Munich native cannot resolve the team’s crisis single-handedly.