Franz Wagner leads Orlando to a win vs the reigning champs, scoring 21 PTS on 8⁄13 FG in the fourth.
In 3 games, the German is averaging 21/8/6 on 50 TS%, yet is 95th percentile in EPM, his fourth such season. Not sure how many fans are aware yet that the 24 year old is the best rim scorer, defender, and one of the best playmakers at his position
Given his recent injury problems, this would make me nervous that he needs such contact to score.
Before last season, he’d played 291 out’ve 328 games, he’s one of our most reliable players actually. Hopefully his last bad injury was an aberration, because unfortunately for your worries these kinds of plays are his bread and butter. 99th percentile in rim shot creation and 16th percentile in rim shot quality per bball-index.com
Magic need that kind of scoring reliability as long as they shoot from outside like a JV highschool team
1st option Franz is a terrifying player
Last time Paolo was out for an extended period, he put up like 27/7/7 with 2 steals and a block to 2 turnovers and the Magic went 19-13.
Magic might be better with Franz as a number one
We really always have been. No knock on Paolo but I think I’m ready to say out loud what lots of people have thought for the past few years…I don’t think they’re ever really going to work together. Just feels like we will never take the step to being an actually good team with them basically playing the same role at the same time
Seattle might want an cornerstone expansion superstar…
I think Paolo is just plain better but the gap between them is small. The problem is with extremely similar playstyles and extremely similar weaknesses, when they play together it just feels clunky so it seems like only one can take charge at a time
So good.
Would love to see him take another leap
He is legit is good at everything but his 3pt shot is off. That’s his leap and we haven’t seen it yet.
God damn it. I wish Warriors picked Franz Wagner instead of Jonathon Kuminga. I felt Franz was better fit than Kuminga if they were going to keep Curry
I really don’t think the Magic were expecting him to be there, there was a lot of Sengun buzz going around for Orlando.
I do think if he didn’t get hurt pistons would have lost in the first round
everybody outside of Detroit feels like that
Im a pistons fan.
Also feel like we match up well with NYK
Me too brother
Couldve made the ECF
Fourth Quarter Franz is real and he can hurt you.
4th quarter Franz
OnlyFranzzzzz
2 offensive rebounds in 2 minutes wouldn’t have happened with MitchRob on the Knicks
Pain
How did Hart fall for that slow ass Smitty move by Franz at 0:36 lmao
He kept getting his own rebounds. That is small forward power right there.
Love those Magic unis.
Hot take - Magic are better without Pao
*The Magic are worse when Franz defers to players worse at creating than him, which has been everybody on the roster his whole career
Take what you will from a 2 game sample size, but Paolo is a positive by a decent margin for the first time in his career, which fans will tell you is a result of noticeable weight loss and a more mature shot diet. More Franz actions and assisted plays for Paolo = better results
Paolo played 1.5 games
This has been a thing longer than this season
This season, for 1.5 games, Paolo has played well. Before this season he has been inconsistent and unreliable. Are we saying the same thing or are we in disagreement?
They definitely win more, anyway.
Too hot for me! Especially when Sweeny has him playing downhill and attacking
Paolo is overrated. He is not a star. He is unreliable offensively and not a good defender.
I don’t know if the magic are better or worse with him on the floor, but I do know he has yet to do anything to prove he is a true star in their league.
And I am a life long magic fan.
So spazzy