Moritz Wagner Leaves Game With Knee Injury, Will Be Evaluated Sunday

Magic center Moritz Wagner will likely undergo medical imaging on his left knee on Sunday after leaving tonight’s game with a potentially serious injury, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

Wagner took an awkward fall less than two minutes into the first quarter, Beede writes, and needed assistance from Jonathan Isaac and Jalen Suggs to walk off the court. The team later issued a statement saying that he wouldn’t return to the game and will undergo further evaluation.

Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley hinted at the concern over the injury when he requested that reporters not ask about it during his post-game press conference, Beede tweets.

“Before you start asking me questions, Moe did what he did to his left knee,” Mosley said. “And so, he’ll be reevaluated tomorrow. So I’m going to ask that we don’t ask any more questions about that because that is a little touchy subject right now for us, for him. And I want to be able to control my emotions because of how much we care about these young men and what they’re going through. We can do another discussion about it another day, please.”

It would be a devastating blow to lose Wagner, who has helped the Magic stay afloat amid long-term injuries to his brother Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Moritz is averaging career highs of 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds through 29 games, and he posted 32 points last Sunday against New York.

Orlando has managed to remain competitive without its two best players, sitting in fourth place in the East at 18-12. That resiliency was on display tonight as they overcame Wagner’s early injury and the ejection of Wendell Carter Jr. in rallying to beat Miami after trailing by 22 points entering the fourth quarter.

Meeting with reporters, Goga Bitadze and Cole Anthony both dedicated the comeback to Wagner, Beede adds (Twitter link).

“It was for Moe,” Bitadze said. “We’re all praying for Moe.”