![]() ![]() ![]() With Giannoulis Larentzakis getting under everyone’s skin - including Franz Wagner’s for a time - Wagner broke through with a spin move for a jam. If there was a moment where Germany made clear the team was going to push back against Greece, it came from Wagner in the second quarter. He had a few forays to the basket, including an odd-angled runner off the backboard in the second quarter. But he still was fairly conservative with his attacks. Wagner started the game with a step-back three, showing no ill effects of his injury. But going off the adrenaline, it was clear Wagner could make a huge impact. With so much on the line, Wagner still played smart. He was going to help his team win if he could. With so much on the line, the Magic could clearly see Wagner is willing to go through pain and play. As much as Magic fans fretted over their star player going through a major injury, this game was too big for him to miss.Īnd so that was the first test. He was a game-time decision before this critical game.Įven with what appeared to be a severe injury, it seemed like it would take a lot for Wagner to miss this game considering how much was on the line. Wagner suffered what appeared to be a severe ankle sprain in the third quarter of Germany’s win over Montenegro coming down from a 3-point shot. But Orlando learned a lot about their young forward. This was as big a test for Germany as it was for Wagner. It was a dream start.Īnd Germany just kept the pressure going on throughout. They made eight of their first 10 from beyond the arc to take the early lead. Germany was feeling it, making 17 of 31 three-pointers to pull off the upset. He went into his bag on several occasions, but he was comfortable shooting step-back threes, including burying one over Antetokounmpo in the midst of a 20-1 start to the third quarter for Germany. Wagner scored 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting including five 3-pointers to help Germany with the win. If anything, Wagner is putting up strong numbers and still needs the ball more. He is not just some role player or a player who took advantage of a favorable situation to put in empty stats. Wagner continues to show he belongs on the world stage among the best. But it is hard not to come away from his play this tournament and think he is not developing into something special. ![]() He is not Luka Doncic or Giannis Antetokounmpo yet. There are still a lot of things for this 21-year-old forward to work on to reach his potential. Franz Wagner continues to measure up to the best players in the world as he was critical for Germany to advance to the semifinals of EuroBasket with a win over Greece. With so many of the world’s best players playing in this showcase tournament, they wanted to see how he measured up. They wanted to see quite simply how he would respond to the pressure of an elimination game. They wanted to see his toughness to push through and help his team win. The Magic wanted to see Wagner’s skills grow in pressure games with real stakes. The answers to all those questions were on full display Wednesday as Germany stunned Greece 107-96 in the quarterfinals of EuroBasket. ![]() Why did the Orlando Magic want to see Franz Wagner play in EuroBasket? Why was it important to get him these reps in this international tournament? What more could the Magic learn in this setting that they did not learn last year during a stellar rookie season? ![]()
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