Strong performances by the Wagner brothers ensured a surprising win for the Orlando Magic over the Dallas Mavericks. Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are unstoppable. The NBA on Monday morning.
In a real thriller, the Orlando Magic provided another victory that was not necessarily expected. In a 110-108 victory over Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks, the NBA cellar-dweller managed to win their eleventh game of the season in their 51st game – and Franz and Moritz Wagner truly didn’t play a supporting role in the whole thing.
Top rookie Franz collected 18 points and converted a challenging basket in the final minute, hard-pressed in a reverse trap, for a 109-108 lead that Dallas ultimately could not respond to. Moritz Wagner scored 14 points in 15 minutes of action. The Magic’s best scorer was Chuma Okeke (19). Franz Wagner’s conclusion after the victory was: “If everyone touches the ball and we share it and play for each other, then we are very difficult to defend.
Doncic already at 43 triple-doubles
For the visitors from Texas, superstar Doncic did indeed increase to 43 triple-doubles in his career (34 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists), but in the final moves of the game he did not take the shot for a possible victory, but found Maxi Kleber (six points), whose three-pointer from the corner, however, did not find its way through the ring. The Mavs ultimately slipped to 29-22, while Orlando (11-40) remains alone in last place in the Eastern Conference after only its fifth home win this season as the Detroit Pistons (12-37, 115-105 over Cleveland) also won.
Isiah Hartenstein scored seven points in his Los Angeles Clippers’ 115-90 win over the Charlotte Hornets, while the German centre also collected six rebounds. With a record of 26 wins and 26 losses, the Clippers, who are still severely shorthanded, moved a little closer to Dallas in seventh place in the West.
CP3 and the impressive numbers
The Phoenix Suns remain the undisputed leaders and the best team in the league. The 115-110 at the San Antonio Spurs was their tenth win in a row and already their 40th success (9 losses) this season. Once again, playmaker Chris Paul was outstanding with 20 points, 19 assists and eight rebounds.
The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, suffered their fifth defeat in a row with a 106-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the champion Milwaukee Bucks lost 100-136 at home to the Denver Nuggets.
