December 7 hasn’t been kind to Magic star Franz Wagner. This past Sunday, while facing the Knicks, he went down with a lower-leg injury in the very first quarter. Wagner, the team’s leading scorer, managed just seven minutes on the floor, putting up seven points, three rebounds, one assist, and a block on 3-of-4 shooting before leaving the game.

Adding to the irony, the injury came almost exactly a year after Wagner tore his right oblique, a setback that sidelined him for about six weeks.

“No, you never want to see one of your brothers go down in that way,” said Wagner’s teammate Paolo Banchero. “Definitely was scary for the whole team to see that, but glad that it wasn’t season-ending. So, we just want to, um, continue to play well, up until whenever he’s back. And tonight was a huge win.”

The Magic delivered that win with a 117-108 victory over the Heat. Banchero started the game and contributed 18 points over 32 minutes on the floor.

Banchero is also slowly finding his rhythm after returning from a long absence due to a knee sprain. The former No. 1 overall pick missed 10 games, and although head coach Jamahl Mosley confirmed Banchero was still on a minutes restriction, the young star played over 32 minutes in tonight’s win against the Heat.

“Yeah, I’m feeling better every game. Definitely sore. So looking forward to these days to rest. Feel good though,” Banchero said, showing he’s ready to carry more of the load while Franz Wagner recovers.

Wagner, unfortunately, is sidelined after a high ankle sprain suffered in the Magic’s last game against the Knicks. He’s expected to miss the next 2-4 weeks, which lines up roughly with how long Banchero was out with his groin strain.

Wagner is likely targeting a mid-January return, coinciding with the Magic’s two-game European trip that includes a stop in his hometown of Berlin.

Nonetheless, the Magic appear well-positioned moving forward. Tonight’s win showcased Banchero stepping up. Mosley praised Banchero’s progress, saying, “I think he’s done a great job of just continuing to find a flow within the game,” highlighting the confidence the coaching staff has in him to help fill the gap left by Wagner.

Looking ahead, the Magic’s schedule eases slightly after Cup play, giving them a chance to build momentum even without Wagner. 9 of their next 14 games will be on the road, including the first West Coast trip of the season, but only five opponents currently have records above .500.

If Banchero continues playing like he did tonight, the Magic have a solid shot to rack up wins while giving Wagner the time he needs to recover.

Miami Heat controlled early minutes of the NBA Cup showdown

After Miami Heat jumped out to a 15–0 lead, it felt like Orlando was already in trouble. Miami knocked down its first seven shots, kept getting to the rim, and looked like it might blow the Magic away early.

But slowly, the game flipped. Once the Magic settled down, Desmond Bane lit the fuse with one of his trademark nights, dropping a game-high 37 points, hitting big threes.

By the 117-108 finish, Orlando had punched a ticket to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup East Semifinals.

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Miami, meanwhile, completely fell apart behind the arc. After halftime, they made just two threes, finishing a rough 8-of-33 (24.2%) from deep.

That collapse wasn’t random; teams have been slowing the Heat down lately by clogging the paint and throwing more zone looks at their league-leading pace (105.42), forcing Miami to shoot their way out.

The Heat have now lost four straight games as their transition-heavy offense continues to hit a wall.

For Orlando, it wasn’t only Bane. Wendell Carter Jr. stepped in with 14 points on 6-of-8 and 10 rebounds, giving the Magic exactly the push they needed inside. Miami’s early punch landed hard, but the Magic’s defense slowed the pace, controlled the second half, and rode their new scoring star all the way to Vegas.