Franz Wagner and the Orlando Magic are one win away from securing a first-round upset in the NBA playoffs.
The No. 8 Magic went up 3-1 against the No. 1 Detroit Pistons on Monday with an impressive 94-88 victory at Kia Center. Wagner helped lead the charge for Orlando with 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, five rebounds, three assists, four steals and one three-pointer.
Unfortunately, Wagner was unable to close out the game. The 6-foot-10 small forward exited the contest with a calf injury and was unable to return. He was later diagnosed with a right calf strain, casting doubt on his status for Game 5 on Wednesday.
© Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
The Magic have a chance to close out the series on the road on Wednesday. However, they will need to do so without Wagner.
Orlando announced shortly before tipoff that Wagner will not play in Game 5. He was initially tagged as questionable to play. The 24-year-old was unable to participate in morning shootaround and was ultimately unable to get cleared for the game.
With Wagner out, guys like Anthony Black, Jamal Cain and Tristan da Silva could potentially see increased minutes for head coach Jamahl Mosley on Wednesday.
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, the Magic still hold a major advantage in this series. A win in Game 5 will see them punch their ticket for the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will face the winner of the first-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.
The Cavs and the Raptors are tied 2-2, with Game 5 also scheduled on Wednesday night.
