Franz Wagner was hunting for the matchup he wanted throughout the entire game against the Washington Wizards.
That is partially a sign of respect for the man defending him in Bilal Coulibaly. The big, second-year forward has made impressive strides and is making a name for himself as a tough young defender stuck on a team without much of a defensive identity.
But Wagner could not shake him this time. The screen Goga Bitadze was setting did not create the tension the Magic hoped for. Wagner was one-on-one with the Wizards’ best defender.
Wagner was unafraid though. Coulibaly got his licks in on Wagner in this battle of two young future stars. But Wagner won more often. He exploded to the basket and finished at the rim, drawing a foul for good measure.
This was Wagner’s time. This was Wagner’s game This is Wagner’s team.
That is the reality with Paolo Banchero out for the Orlando Magic. They need their young Robin to lead this team of Teen Titans.
It has taken some time, but as this weekend’s games against the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards proved, Wagner is getting more comfortable in the role. He is beginning to understand what his team needs and how he needs to set the tone for their success.
Wagner scored 23 points in Sunday’s win over the Wizards, shooting 9 for 20 from the floor and adding seven assists for good measure. That followed a 27-point, six-assist effort in the win over the Pelicans on Friday. And that followed a 28-point, eight-rebound, six-assist effort in the loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Wagner has scored at least 20 points in the last four games. And in each of those games, he did a lot of his work early in the game, setting the tone with his aggression.
Since Banchero’s injury, Wagner is averaging 25.0 points per game and 5.3 assists per game. He is shooting 46.2 percent on 19.5 field goal attempts per game.
This is not the same Wagner who fans often feel is fading into the background and not getting enough touches or shots. This is a completely different player.
The Magic need everything they can get from him at this point. Orlando has precious few players who can create and put pressure on opposing defenses. Wagner will have the ball in his hands a lot. He is directing traffic and creating this initial tension.
He does not do it in the same way that a player like Banchero does. Wagner needs the help of a screener and he is not going to bully his way to the basket. But his impact and the Magic’s need for him to create is still the same. In Banchero’s absence, they needed Wagner to ascend to the starring role.
If the Magic are going to learn anything during this period without Banchero on the floor, it is whether Wagner can take on this role. It will make him better prepared to support and play alongside Banchero when he returns.
For now, Wagner is thriving in this role. He has learned to be more aggressive and assert control over the games. He understands now that the team will follow his energy and aggression.
There are more difficult challenges ahead – everyone can recognize the Pelicans and the Wizards are not the toughest competition. But the Magic need Wagner to lead the way right now. And so far he is stepping into this new role.
