World champion brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner lost with Orlando in Phoenix because Kevin Durant always had an answer
Not a good start to the new year for the Orlando Magic and the Wagner brothers: The team from Florida conceded a 107:112 (58:67) defeat at the Phoenix Suns, but still remain in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Franz Wagner scored the second-most points for Orlando on New Year’s Eve (local time) with 27, while Paolo Banchero scored one more. Moritz Wagner scored five points. It was not enough to win.
Orlando trailed for long stretches of the game, but worked its way back to 87:89 in the third quarter thanks to Paolo Banchero, who added twelve points on 5 of 7 shots. When Gary Harris drained a long three at the start of the fourth quarter, Orlando took the lead again for the first time since the start of the first quarter, but the Magic were not able to hold on to it.
Beal: “We make it easy for each other “
In fact, Wagner and Co. went around five minutes without scoring and the Suns, spurred on by Durant, pulled away again with a 17:6 run. The superstar, who hit 12 out of 21 shots, was once again the best scorer on court with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists.
However, Bradley Beal, who missed a long time due to back and ankle injuries, also hit ten of 13 shots from the field and ultimately scored a convincing 25 points. Devin Booker, the third of the Suns’ star trio, who played together for only the fourth time this season, scored 21 points. “We’re very good,” said Beal. “We make it easy for each other.”
Orlando remains in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and thus in the play-off places, while Phoenix has improved to eighth place in the West with the success.
Boston: Number eleven of twelve
The Boston Celtics remain the measure of all things in the East, celebrating their eleventh win in their last twelve games with a 134-101 victory at the San Antonio Spurs.
