TITLE: Franz Wagner Upgraded to Questionable, Could Suit Up for Magic on Wednesday
SLUG: franz-wagner-questionable-return-magic-hawks
CONTENT:
Orlando forward Franz Wagner may rejoin the lineup Wednesday night when the Magic host the Atlanta Hawks. The 24-year-old was listed as questionable on Tuesday’s injury report after missing 47 of the past 51 games with a left high ankle sprain.
Team officials plan for Wagner to participate in pre-game warmups before deciding on his status, according to multiple reports. If cleared, he is expected to play under a minutes restriction.
Strong Opening, Lengthy Absence
Wagner averaged 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 34.5 minutes across his first 23 appearances this season, shooting 48.7% from the field, 35.4% from three and 82.3% at the foul line. His hot start helped Orlando to a 14-9 record.
The ankle injury occurred during his 24th game. After sitting out 16 contests, he returned Jan. 15 in Berlin and played again three days later in London, later conceding he rushed back to perform in front of German fans. He missed nine more games, logged two outings on Feb. 9 and 11, then suffered another setback and was ruled out indefinitely. Wednesday would mark only his 29th game of the campaign.
Coach Monitoring Workload
Head coach Jamahl Mosley said Tuesday that Wagner had progressed to 5-on-5 work and emphasized there is no minimum number of regular-season games required for him to be available in the playoffs.
Playoff Implications
The Magic enter Wednesday in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, one game behind Philadelphia, two games behind Toronto and 2.5 games behind Atlanta, while holding a half-game edge over Miami and Charlotte. A win could tighten the race for the No. 6 seed and home-court positioning in the Play-In Tournament.
If Wagner is held out, his next opportunity to play will be Friday in Dallas.
Source: Hoops Rumors
