Franz Wagner experiences a late breakdown with Orlando, while Dennis Schröder gets his first season win. Lakers superstar Luka Doncic delivers a historic show.
Basketball national player Franz Wagner could not prevent the first defeat of the Orlando Magic in the new NBA season despite a strong performance. The world and European champion scored 27 points and six rebounds in the 107:111 against the Atlanta Hawks, with the Florida team squandering a double-digit lead in the final quarter.
At one point, the Magic were ahead by twelve points but only made seven of 21 shots in the fourth period. The Hawks turned the game around and handed Orlando their first loss of the season in the second game. Wagner was his team’s top scorer, Tristan da Silva scored 15 points and collected six rebounds like Wagner.
Dennis Schröder was able to celebrate his first victory. The national team captain and the Sacramento Kings dramatically prevailed against the Utah Jazz, with Domantas Sabonis scoring the winning 105:104 with 6.4 seconds left on the clock. Schröder contributed 17 points, six of them in the hard-fought final quarter.
Superstar Luka Doncic also excelled in the second season game of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Slovenian led the Californians, who continued to be without the injured LeBron James, to a 128:110 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves with 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Doncic is thus the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points, ten rebounds and five assists in the first two games of a season.