N.B.A
Childhood dream comes true: Wagner brothers make playoff debut
Franz (M.) and Moritz Wagner (l) qualified for the NBA playoffs with the Orlando Magic. photo
© John Raoux/AP/dpa
As children, Franz and Moritz Wagner watched the NBA playoffs in the middle of the night in their apartment in Berlin. Now the world champions themselves are on the pitch when the hottest phase begins.
For two boys from Berlin, a childhood dream comes true on Saturday around 7 p.m. German time. Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner, both basketball world champions for several years NBA professionals make their playoff debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“We grew up getting up at 3 a.m. to watch people like Damian Lillard play playoff games. Watching highlights was the first thing we did in the morning,” Franz Wagner said after the decisive win against the Milwaukee Bucks Lillard with the team this past weekend. The reward: The Orlando Magic’s first playoff participation since 2020 and the first ever in the Wagner brothers’ careers.
“The fact that we get to play against these guys and are now even in the playoffs means a lot. Of course it’s super cool to experience that with my brother. But our whole group is super close. I’m very happy for everyone here ” said the 22-year-old. The Magic have only made it into the NBA playoffs three times in the past twelve years; the last time the Florida franchise made it to the second round was in 2011.
Not a clear outsider
Even though Orlando hasn’t looked as confident and dynamic recently as it did in earlier phases of the season, with five wins and five defeats in the last ten games, including three in the final four games, the Magic are not a clear outsider against Cleveland. The hosts of the first two games on Saturday and on the German night of Tuesday (1 a.m. CEST) also achieved anything but confident finishes. The Cavaliers even suffered six defeats in the final ten matches.
And when it mattered most, the Magic were there. Only a win against the Bucks last Sunday guaranteed participation in the playoffs; a loss meant they could slip to eighth place. “We looked at it as an all-or-nothing game,” Wagner reported after the 113:88 win against Milwaukee. “Most of us here have never been to the playoffs. We’ve had 20-win seasons or something like that. It really means a lot to this group.”
After Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner is the most important player in the young team. Banchero averages 22.6 points, Wagner averages 19.7. He is also the second strongest professional on his team in terms of assists and is third in terms of rebounds. The World Cup title with Germany has noticeably increased Wagner’s self-image this season; many things appear more confident and experienced than in his first two years as an NBA professional.
Lots of fire from the bench
Moritz, his brother who is four years older, statistically does not have a comparable influence on his team’s results, but is still one of the most valuable professionals in the squad. As soon as he steps onto the pitch from the bench, there is fire. Moritz Wagner’s passion coupled with his skills, which should not be underestimated, inspire teammates and annoy opponents in a way that cannot be grasped with numbers.
The Wagner brothers now have at least four games to find their way into their playoff dream. They also receive support from Dennis Schröder. After missing the playoffs with the Brooklyn Nets, the world champion captain announced that he wanted to be the whip and contact person for his national team colleagues for a playoff game on site. “That was my wish, that I would definitely support and be there,” Schröder recently told the German Press Agency. “That’s what I agreed with them. And I want to keep my word.”