The Orlando Magic took a huge step towards progressing in the NBA Playoffs with their Game 4 win over the Detroit Pistons. Franz Wagner showed great signs of adjusting to what’s required of him as well in the win. Emmet Ryan on a performance with lots to like but still room for improvement, if he’s healthy enough to get the chance.
Franz Wagner has taken his licks in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. As expected, the Orlando Magic’s series with the Detroit Pistons has been a bruising affair. It has also shown the ability of Wagner and his colleagues to pick themselves up when they take a hit.
Game 4 was one for the purist but it was one where the Magic got it done. Orlando had a rough road just to make it into the post-season. Now, they’re on the brink of progression and a winnable series in the next round. The question is how much of a role Wagner will play after picking up another injury.
The Good
We saw some big improvements from Franz Wagner both in execution and decision making in this win. His first two drives at the bucket show that. There was patience on the first to find the lane without forcing it. Likewise his brief hesitation on his second allowed him to take a step and clear a path for a finish.
The energy on the defensive end was also a marvel to watch. He was in for the kill on steal opportunities repeatedly. That aspect of his D already had plenty going for it but he found a way to maximise it without it creating other gaps for him.
A lot of this comes down to trust in his own body. While the Orlando Magic man is big by human standards, he’s been physically outmatched early in the NBA Playoffs. The Detroit Pistons battered him about a good bit but he took the hits and recovered quickly. In the Game 2 loss, those bumps were impacting his concentration but not in the home win on Monday night.
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The Bad
While the decision making from Franz Wagner has improved, there is definitely still room for improvement. The worst case probably came with a minute left in the first quarter. Wagner got flustered and made a poor call to drive into traffic. He essentially walked into a block by Isaiah Stewart.
Then there’s his outside game. Consistency from deep has been a worry for the Orlando Magic for a couple of seasons. Wagner isn’t the finest exponent of three pointers by any stretch. His decision to only go for three on three occasions, making one, seemed an over correction.
In the moment, it felt like that element was part of his adjusting to the series. This game had an odd flow as well. The Magic outplayed the Detroit Pistons in the first quarter yet trailed at the end of it. Orlando were straight up dirt in the second but didn’t fall in a hole. On balance, they were more than good for the win.
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The Injured
There’s never a good time to be missing a star player. The Orlando Magic have far too many reference points for that this season. Paolo Banchero, Anthony Black, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner all missed considerable time in the regular season due to injury.
You’d have thought they’d finally have a bit of luck with health in the NBA Playoffs. Yet Franz missed the whole fourth quarter of the Game 4 win. It was reported as right calf soreness and Wagner was apparently in good spirits after the game. Still, any time missed for the German gives the Detroit Pistons an opening to get back in the series.
Personally, I think Orlando will find a way to take care of business in one of the next two games. The question is whether they can count on having Wagner at full strength come the next stage of the postseason. To make a run at the Eastern Conference Finals, this squad needs to be able to lean into its strengths. A healthy Franz is vital to that.
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