Moritz Wagner severely injured his left knee in the game against the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, the season-ending injury for the German has been confirmed. The team and coach reacted emotionally to the loss of the big man, who was considered a “Sixth Man of the Year” candidate.
The worst fears have come true. Moritz Wagner tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee in the game against the Miami Heat and will be out for the rest of the season. Coach Jamahl Mosley began his post-match press conference with an emotional announcement that he would not be able to answer questions about the 2.11-meter-tall Wagner.
“We’re all praying for him. This game was for Mo,” said center Goga Bitadze, who described Wagner as one of the team’s most important players. ‘It’s hard to see a brother go down like that. But as we always say, the next one has to step up.’
NBA: Absences are piling up for the Magic
Wagner, who has started all 29 of the Magic’s games this season, is averaging 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in just under 20 minutes of play. His teammate Cole Anthony praised him as a potential “Sixth Man of the Year” and still had hope: “I hope he comes back and wins this title. He deserves it.”
The injury hits the Magic at an already difficult time. With Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero already out, the team is missing its top two scorers, while Jalen Suggs also had to sit this one out. Despite the tight personnel situation, the Magic managed an impressive comeback victory against the Heat on Saturday night, but the joy of it was dampened by concerns for Wagner.