Franz Wagner Shines in Magic's Game 4 Win vs. Cavs

Franz Wagner had a special performance for the Orlando Magic in their dominant win in Game 4 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Apr 27, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) reacts after a basket / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — When the Orlando Magic needed a player to step up in Game 3, it was Paolo Banchero who grabbed the reins and led them to their first home playoff win since 2011.

In Game 4, Banchero struggled to find the same groove, as he had five points and four turnovers in the first half. With the Magic needing someone to spur a turnaround in the second half to tie the series, it wasn't their All-Star forward leading the comeback, rather it was a player who was a core piece of the Magic's rebuild when it first began in 2021.

Franz Wagner did it all for the Magic and then some, scoring 34 points with 13 rebounds in Orlando's 112-89 win over Cleveland on Saturday at the Kia Center in Game 4 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Wagner's performance made him the third player in the last 10 years to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds with no turnovers. Banchero had just accomplished the feat on Thursday in Game 3.

With Banchero and Wagner each displaying how good they can be on the playoff stage in the last two games, Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley noted how special it is for both players to do what they did in Games 3 and 4.

"They're extremely special," Mosley said. "The beauty of two stars that can play off of each other and celebrate the other star, that's a beautiful thing. When you can watch that unfold [in] real time and watch each guy celebrate the man next to them, I thought it was fantastic,"

After trailing 50-41 heading into the second half, the Magic blitzed the Cavs in the third quarter, outscoring them 37-10 to pull ahead 88-70 heading into the fourth. Wagner was at the heart of Orlando's offensive outburst, scoring 12 points on 4 of 5 shooting. He finished the second half with 23 points on 9 of 10 shooting, including making two 3-pointers.

His brother and teammate, Moe Wagner, had seven points and four rebounds. Moe spoke highly of his younger brother's performance, describing it as one of the best he's seen him play.

"He's incredible," Moe said. "His awareness [and] his control of the game is just great. He started off great, distributing the ball and let the game come to him. He plays with great energy. He was locking up defensively. Again, I've got to drive home with him, so I'm going to keep it in check. I'm not going to exaggerate here, but that was one of the best games I've seen him play."

One of the testaments to a good team is their ability to win on days when their best player struggles. Had you told someone that Banchero would only score nine points for Orlando in Game 4, it wouldn't have been far-fetched to believe the Cavs grabbed a 3-1 series lead. Instead, Franz had the game of his life to lift Orlando past Cleveland and tie the series.

Now, the series has turned into a best of three with both teams winning two games at home. While the momentum is firmly on the Magic's side, Wagner knows the job isn't finished, especially with his team heading back to the same place where they dropped the first two games of the series.

“We’re not satisfied at all,” Franz said. “We’ve got two wins. We need two more against them. We’ve got to stay locked in.”

Orlando faces Cleveland on Tuesday in Game 5 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

• GAME 4 RECAP: The Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are all tied up after Saturday's Game 4 victory. CLICK HERE

• MOE'S ENERGY: Orlando Magic center Moe Wagner was an emotional leader in the team's Game 4 win. CLICK HERE

• MAGIC TIES FRANCHISE RECORD: The Orlando Magic's defense has been lights out in the playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers. CLICK HERE