Franz Wagner secured another win in the preseason with a strong crunch time for Orlando. But the Berliner also impressed during the full 48 minutes. The Golden State Warriors unleash their youngsters and roll over a weak Blazers team.
Detroit Pistons (0-3) – Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1) 99:115 (BOXSCORE)
- Bitter evening for the Pistons, who lost Marvin Bagley III after just one minute. The center slipped badly while defending a fast break without opposition and could only leave the field with help. Nothing is known yet about the severity of the knee injury, the former No. 2 pick will get an MRI soon.
- Things didn’t go as planned for Detroit either. No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey (11, 4/12) made a few worthwhile shots to the basket, but his jumpers were all tickets. So did Cade Cunningham (10, 3/13, 8 rebounds), who missed every one of his five three-pointers. No. 13 pick Jalen Duren (5) grabbed 10 rebounds. The hosts’ top scorers were Killian Hayes (20) and Saddiq Bey (19).
- OKC, on the other hand, confirmed their good early form and ensured clear conditions with a strong third quarter (28:17). Josh Giddey (16, 4/8 threes, 9 assists) was accurate, and No. 11 pick Jalen Williams (16, 7/10, 7 rebounds) played well again. As third in the group, Lu Dort also recorded 16 points.
Orlando Magic (3-1) – Memphis Grizzlies (2-2) 109:105 (BOXSCORE)
- Things are slowly getting serious in the preseason, as you could see in this game in which both coaches played their normal rotations until the end. Franz Wagner was also on the field to the end and the German national player became the match winner straight away.
- 33 seconds before the end, the Berliner hit a three-pointer over Brandon Clarke at a score of 102:100, in return Wagner managed to steal against Grizzlies star Ja Morant (23, 8/24 FG), which was the decision. But even before that it was a strong performance by the 21-year-old, in the end there were 14 points (5/10 FG, 2/6 three), 10 rebounds and 7 assists in the box score.
- Above all, the interaction with Wendell Carter Jr. (18, 8/13 FG, 7 rebounds, 8 assists) worked splendidly again, Wagner served his Big per Alley Oop several times (Then appeared on the net based on the Magna Carta Memes from the “Wagna Carta” on). Top pick Paolo Banchero (17, 6/9, 9 rebounds) was in no way inferior to the two. Moritz Wagner, on the other hand, remained unhappy in just over eight minutes and without points (0/2 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 TO).
- Desmond Bane was the best scorer for the Grizzlies with 33 points (11/18 FG, 4/6 threes), but otherwise hardly anything went from distance (5/31 3FG). Dillon Brooks (10, 4/13) shot plenty of bricks, as did Morant (0/6 3FG).
Chicago Bulls (3-1) – Milwaukee Bucks (0-4) 127:104 (BOXSCORE)
- The Bucks are without a win this preseason, but don’t read too much into it. Chicago was also missing numerous rotation players, including available stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. Chicago, on the other hand, also rested their best players in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
- Patrick Williams (22, 9/17 FG) became the best scorer for Chicago. From the starting five, Nikola Vucevic (17, 11 rebounds) and Coby White (15) also scored in double figures. Coming off the bench, Andre Drummond (16, 9 rebounds) and Goran Dragic (13) also did well.
- Milwaukee, on the other hand, only had eight players, so it was not surprising that they ran out of breath in the second half (45:66). The hardest-working point collectors were Jordan Nwora (25, 9/17) and center Marques Bolden (21, 9/11), rookie MarJon Beauchamp (14, 6/16 FG, 1/7 3FG) had his problems from the line of three.
