Germany’s basketball icon observes the development of the Berliner in the service of Orlando Magic with great joy.
Germany’s basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki holds it in the NBA play-in tournament with Franz Wagner and Orlando Magic. “I already believe that they will win the first game against Atlanta at home. The Hawks are very dangerous when Trae Young is hot, also have a few good defenders. But I believe that Orlando prevails,” said the 2011 NBA champion in an interview with Ran.
Orlando meets the Hawks on Wednesday (1.30 a.m.). The winner of the game secures a ticket for the play-offs and meets defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round. The loser gets a second chance and will play against the winner of the play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat on Friday (local time).
Even against the Celtics about star players Jayson Tatum, the second of the main round in the east, Nowitzki Wagner and Co. does not consider it completely no chance: “Of course this is also an incredibly heavy Matchup. But Orlando has just hit the Celtics. So why shouldn’t you go into the duel with confidence?” Towards the end of the regular season, Orlando defeated the Celtics 96:76, but Boston had spared all of his stars.
The development of Wagner, who failed with Orlando in the first season in the first play-off round on the Cleveland Cavaliers, sees the former star of the Dallas Mavericks extremely positive. “I am a huge Franz fan and absolutely believe when he still works a bit on his consistency from the litter, he becomes all-star,” said Nowitzki. Already at the end of the previous year, before Wagner failed for weeks due to an abdominal muscle injury, the 23-year-old had “played for a long time at all-star level.”
Despite everything, Nowitzki believes that in the fight for the championship of the reigning champion: “I have to say that it will be Boston again. When you are healthy, you have the best squad for me, the best players. This is the most complete team for me.”