Basketball world champion Franz Wagner continues to play big in the NBA.
With a personal season best of 32 points, the 22-year-old led his Orlando Magic to a 117:108 (55:44) home win over the New York Knicks.
Wagner also grabbed nine rebounds and recorded four turnovers. In the last five games in the North American Basketball League, he has averaged 26.8 points. “I play aggressively and make the right moves – if you do that, you also make easy throws,” Wagner said about his run.
In the final period alone, the winger scored ten points and repeatedly extended Orlando’s lead into double figures.
“The Knicks made a run in the fourth quarter, but we kept our calm,” said Wagner about his team’s performance in front of 19,587 spectators. Never before in Orlando’s team history have more spectators come to a home game.
Franz’s brother Moritz Wagner had seven points and eleven rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein scored seven points for the Knicks.
NBA: Defeat for Dennis Schröder and Co.
The Magic are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, while the Toronto Raptors around basketball world champion Dennis Schröder are further outside the playoff ranks.
The team from Canada lost 118:120 (53:68) to the leaders Boston Celtics. 32 seconds before the end of the game, Boston’s Luke Kornet scored for the decisive 118:116 lead. Schröder started the game from the bench for the second time in a row and recorded 15 points and nine assists.
Daniel Theis and the Los Angeles Clippers won 117:106 (59:54) over the Memphis Grizzlies. Theis had five points and two blocks. With eleven wins from the last 13 games, the Clippers have worked their way up to fourth place in the Western Conference.
The NBA’s surprise team remains the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second-place team in the West defeated the Denver Nuggets on the road 119:93 (54:48) and stopped the defending champion’s successful run of six wins in a row. Canadian international Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 40 points.