The Orlando Magic hit the road to take on the New York Knicks for a day game on Sunday afternoon. The Magic have won four of their last five games, with their one loss coming by just two points to the San Antonio Spurs. Orlando had all the confidence heading into their matchup with the Knicks.
In the first quarter on Sunday, Orlando got off to an early lead. Franz Wagner was the driving factor for that start to the game. He was 3-for-4 from the floor and made his only three-point attempt. The Michigan product had a quick seven points, and he was gearing up to have another great day. However, seven minutes into the game, Wagner went down with a leg injury.
The injury will keep Wagner out of the rest of the game, and he will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Orlando, the Magic announced.
Magic Injuries
The Magic do not know the extent of Wagner’s injury yet. The fall did not look good, as his leg twisted underneath him, but there is no need to speculate about anything. All the team knows at the moment is Wagner will not return on Sunday. With that said, a game or two off for the 24-year-old would not be a surprise.
This is not the first injury for Wagner. Earlier this year, the former first-round pick suffered a broken nose. The broken nose did not sideline him, but he will be wearing a mask until the bone fully heals.
Orlando also had to deal with an injury to Paolo Banchero. Banchero missed 10 games with a groin strain before returning to the lineup on Friday against the Miami Heat. The former first overall pick put up nine points and played just 20 minutes in the win over Miami. Banchero is active and in the lineup against New York.
Jalen Suggs is another player on Orlando who has missed time. Suggs has missed six games this year with a groin injury of his own.
The Magic have had to deal with plenty of injuries this season. Yet, the team is 14-9 and looking good as the NBA enters the winter months. Still, losing Wagner for an extended period of time would be a huge hit to the lineup.
Magic Schedule Moving Forward
Orlando heads home for a single game against the Heat on Tuesday night after the conclusion of Sunday’s game. That is when Wagner will get his re-evaluation. Not having him for the game against Miami, although not ideal, is manageable. But a difficult road trip awaits them.
The Magic will head west for four games, beginning on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets. Orlando will need all the help they can get for their upcoming road trip, but the return of Banchero will help mitigate the loss of Wagner.
Now, Wagner’s official injury diagnosis has not been announced yet. At the time of writing, the game against New York is still ongoing. Orlando is hoping for a speedy recovery, as they will need their leading scorer on the court.
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The post Magic Star Franz Wagner Exits Sunday’s Game vs. Knicks With Injury appeared first on Heavy Sports.
