Franz Wagner had one of the best moments of his career last night vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, and the young Orlando Magic star is now getting some All-Star hype.
Following a game in which Wagner hit a game-winning three-point shot to cap off a 37-point, 11-assist performance that also included 4 steals, former NBA player Chandler Parsons seemingly guaranteed Wagner will be in San Francisco in February for the NBA All-Star Game.
“Franz Wagner is on his way to his first All-Star [Game] this year, you can book that,” Parsons said on FanDuel TV’s ‘Run It Back’ show. “This kid is an absolute stud. He’s 6’10, he can do it all, he’s one of these stars that’s low-maintenance, that he’s never gonna take a bad shot — it’s a good thing because he doesn’t really have that creation yet. He doesn’t really have that KD (Kevin Durant) kind of one-on-one, go get a bucket. He just plays the right way. He cuts, he moves, he’s taller than you think; he’s legitimately 6’10. But yeah, this team is awesome … they’re going to ruin a lot of good teams’ nights.”
“Franz Wagner is on his way to his first all-star series, you can book that. This team is awesome.” – @ChandlerParsons
“Nights like this remind you how good a young team can be. I’m sure them guys tore the city up somewhere in LA last night.” – @TeamLou23
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— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) November 22, 2024
Magic star Franz Wagner turning heads after Lakers game-winner
Although Wagner had an off game on his first night in Los Angeles vs. the Clippers, he more than rebounded vs. the Lakers on Thursday. Led by Wagner’s 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists, Orlando erased a 7-point halftime lead and won 119-118 in dramatic fashion.
Moments after Lakers star Anthony Davis missed a pair of free throws that would have given Los Angeles a four-point lead with less than 20 seconds remaining, Wagner stepped back and shot over Cam Reddish for the game-winning three with 2.5 seconds to go.
FRANZ WAGNER GAME-WINNER SINKS THE LAKERS AT HOME
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 22, 2024
The game-winner was Wagner’s fourth triple on the night, marking the third time in the last week he has made four or more threes in a game. In the first 13 games of the season, Wagner achieved the feat just once. Additionally, the German forward has now scored 29 or more points in five of the last six games.
Wagner, who signed a five-year contract estimated to total nearly $225 million over the offseason, has shined even brighter since Paolo Banchero’s injury nearly a month ago. With Banchero, the 2022 No. 1 overall pick, on fire to start the season, including going for 50 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists vs. the Indiana Pacers, Wagner naturally took a proverbial backseat.
While it took some time for Wagner to find his footing as Orlando’s No. 1 option, which also could be attributed to an illness, Wagner has shown more than capable of leading the Magic to victory.
Orlando snapped a five-game losing streak on Nov. 8 vs. the New Orleans Pelicans, with Wagner tallying 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in the blowout win. The victories kept on coming as the Magic rattled off six in a row, a streak during which Wagner averaged 29 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and shot 37% on three and 47% from the field.
With last night’s win, its seventh in two weeks, Orlando (10-7) is tied for third in the Eastern Conference. The Magic return home, where they are undefeated this season, to play the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night.
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