Four 30-Point Games Have Franz Wagner Pushing the Magic Back Toward Relevancy

Wagner steps into bigger role

Wagner has reached 30 points in each of his past four games. Orlando won three of those contests and lost to the Golden State Warriors in overtime. Paolo Banchero went down after the team’s second game of the season, creating more room for Wagner to lead the scoring. Last season, Wagner appeared in 34 games, many while he was not fully recovered and preparing for the playoffs.

His recent stretch shows Orlando can win when Wagner is its leading scorer. When both he and Banchero are healthy, having one of them on the court is central to the team’s identity and its route to wins.

Sweeney praises Wagner’s approach

After Wagner came close to a triple-double in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, coach Sean Sweeney praised his leadership, effort and work habits. Sweeney said Wagner was playing at an All-Star and All-NBA level over time. Wagner has averaged 24.4 points per game through the first 12 contests, his best stretch so far.

The larger assignment is also giving Wagner a chance to develop while learning Sweeney’s offense during the season. The system is intended to be more structured than the one used by former coach Jamahl Mosley.

Boston rematch comes next

Orlando is scheduled to face the Boston Celtics again after falling short against them at the Kia Center on Nov. 1. The game is set for tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. Fans can watch on NBC Sports Network.