Orlando Magic Rally From 20 Down in Historic Berlin Win
The Orlando Magic pulled off a thrilling 20-point comeback against Memphis in the NBA's first regular-season game ever played in Germany. German star Franz Wagner returned from injury in his homeland to help seal the 118-111 victory alongside his brother.
Basketball fans across Europe witnessed history Thursday night as the NBA brought regular-season action to Germany for the very first time, and Orlando made sure it was a game no one will forget.
The Magic trailed the Memphis Grizzlies by 20 points in the second quarter at Berlin's arena. Then Paolo Banchero and the Wagner brothers flipped the script, storming back to win 118-111 in front of fans from 62 different countries.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect for Franz Wagner, who missed more than a month with an ankle injury. He returned to action in his native Germany, scoring 18 points alongside nine rebounds while playing with his brother Moritz for the first time in over a year.
Moritz Wagner tore his ACL last December and just returned to the court this week. He added seven points in 14 minutes, making the reunion in Berlin even sweeter for the German siblings and the hometown crowd.
Banchero led Orlando with 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Anthony Black chipped in 21 points. The Magic erased their deficit with a dominant 13-0 run in the third quarter, taking an 11-point lead and never looking back.
Memphis fought hard despite missing star guard Ja Morant due to a calf injury. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 30 points and cut Orlando's lead to just three with four minutes remaining, but Franz Wagner hit a clutch three-pointer to tie the game before scoring five more points in the final 90 seconds.
The Ripple Effect
More than 250,000 people registered online trying to score tickets to this historic matchup. The NBA has come a long way since playing its first preseason game in West Germany back in 1984, when only 10 international players were on NBA rosters.
Today, a record 135 international players call the NBA home, including 71 from Europe. The league's global growth means more young players worldwide can dream of making it to the biggest basketball stage, just like the Wagner brothers did.
Both teams meet again Sunday in London, giving European fans another chance to see NBA action up close.
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Based on reporting by Sky Sports
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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