Basketball
Without Franz Wagner: Magic miss the NBA Cup final
The Orlando Magic are running out of steam in the semifinals of the NBA Cup without the injured Franz Wagner. The San Antonio Spurs surprisingly secured the second final ticket.
The Orlando Magic basketball players failed in the semifinals of the NBA Cup without the injured world and European champion Franz Wagner. In the end, Orlando had to admit defeat to the New York Knicks 120:132. In the second duel for the final, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in a dramatic game 111:109 and inflicted only their second defeat on the reigning champions in the 26th game. This also ended a winning streak of 16 games for the team led by German center Isaiah Hartenstein.
The semifinals are part of the regular season, in which the Thunder remain undisputed at the top of the Western Conference with 24 wins. The final, which also takes place in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, is not included in the balance sheet. Each winning player will take home more than half a million dollars in prize money from the tournament.
Spurs with strong nerves at the free throw line
The game between San Antonio and the Thunder seemed already decided with a 16-point lead for the big favorites. But the Spurs, led by exceptional player Victor Wembanyama, who made his comeback after a month-long break, caught up before the break (46:49). In the second half neither team was able to pull away, so in the final seconds it was all about nerves at the free throw line. San Antonio had the better end there.
Injuries slow Orlando down
Orlando and New York also went head-to-head for three quarters in the first semifinal until the Knicks pulled away with a 10-0 run. Jalen Brunson played a decisive role in this, leaving his mark on the game as the best scorer and preparer with 40 points and eight assists. “He makes the game easier for everyone else,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown about his playmaker and demanded recognition in the discussion about the NBA’s most valuable player (MVP): “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do. And he definitely did that today.”
The Magic, on the other hand, were running out of strength due to Wagner’s absence, especially since Jalen Suggs, their top point scorer with 26 points, also left in the fourth quarter with hip problems. The last healthy German Magic professional, Tristan da Silva, remained without a goal and only had one rebound in twelve minutes. Compatriot Ariel Hukporti was not given any playing time by Coach Brown.
dpa
