Negative streak in NBA ended
Wagner brothers turn things around at Orlando Magic
December 24, 2023, 8:41 a.m
Shortly before Christmas, the Wagner brothers Franz and Moritz finally gave the Orlando Magic another victory. Their German NBA colleagues recorded less encouraging results. Meanwhile, superstar LeBron James is solidifying his legendary status.
The basketball world champions Franz and Moritz Wagner have achieved another victory after four defeats in a row in the NBA. On Saturday (local time) the brothers and the Orlando Magic won 117:110 (73:60) against the Indiana Pacers and stopped the team’s longest negative streak this season. With the 17th win in the 28th game of the season, the Magic defend fourth place in the Eastern Conference in the North American league.
The Magic scored 73 points in the first half and were in the lead for most of the second quarter, but with six and a half minutes to play, Indiana cut the lead to 101:102. Then the guests responded with a 9-2 run. Franz Wagner scored nine of his 24 points in the final period, Moritz Wagner scored nine points.
Dennis Schröder, however, is still not getting going with the Toronto Raptors. With 119:126 (71:55), the team from Canada lost at home against the Utah Jazz and suffered their eighth defeat in the last ten games. This leaves the Raptors out of the playoff spots. The decisive factor was the fourth quarter, which the hosts clearly lost 21:41. Schröder scored eleven points and seven assists, and in the last five games the world champion has remained well below his season average with an average of 8.6 points.
40 points from LeBron James
Things also looked less positive for two other German players shortly before Christmas: While Isaiah Hartenstein and the New York Knicks lost 111:130 to the Milwaukee Bucks led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Daniel Theis and the Los Angeles Clippers lost 108:145 Former club Boston Celtics under the wheels. Individually, however, the Germans put up good numbers.
Hartenstein, who started from the start, received the third most playing time on his team with just under 33 minutes. The center took advantage of this for 12 points and 13 rebounds. Theis scored 15 points coming off the bench, converting his two three-point attempts. In terms of width, however, the Clippers fell short of expectations; the best thrower in LA was Paul George with 21 points. Boston, for whom Theis played from 2017 to 2021 and in 2022, consolidated its top position in the league – led by Jason Tatum, who shone with 30 points the day before Christmas Eve.
After four defeats in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers were successful again, with the team around superstar LeBron James winning 129:120 (71:59) at the Oklahoma City Thunder. With 40 points, James set a personal best of the season. Thanks to eleven points in the last four and a half minutes of the game, the 38-year-old secured the Lakers their 16th success in the 30th game of the season.
The Detroit Pistons suffered their 26th defeat in a row with a score of 115:126 (56:65) at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets. In doing so, they equaled the NBA negative record held by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2010/11) and the Philadelphia 76ers (2013/14). This season, Detroit has only won twice in 29 games.