Franz Wagner and Orlando Magic can still hope for the knockout round of the new NBA tournament. Dennis Schröder and the Toronto Raptors missed a surprise.
Basketball world champion Franz Wagner led the Orlando Magic to their first victory in the new NBA tournament. In the 103:97 away win against the Chicago Bulls, Wagner was his team’s best scorer with 21 points.
Brother Moritz Wagner contributed ten more points from the bench. With the victory, Orlando kept its chance of moving into the knockout phase of the still young competition.
Defeat for Schröder and the Raptors
National team captain Dennis Schröder and the Toronto Raptors narrowly missed a surprise in their first tournament game. The Canadians lost at home to the Boston Celtics, currently the best team in the league, 105:108. Schröder had a good evening and, with 23 points, was tied with his teammate Pascal Siakam as the team’s highest-scoring player.
The NBA’s 30 teams were divided into six groups of five, three per conference, for the newly created tournament. The respective group winners and the best second-place team in each conference reach the quarterfinals. The game is played local time on Tuesdays and Fridays, and all results except the final are included in the regular league season.
World champion Theis now in the Clippers jersey
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers landed a liberating blow with new signing Daniel Theis. In the first game with the German, the Californians won against the Houston Rockets with 106:100, ending a series of six defeats in a row.
Theis, who had previously been signed by the Indiana Pacers via trade, played ten minutes and scored two points. The star trio around the previously disappointing newcomer James Harden (24 points), Kawhi Leonard (26) and Paul George (23) secured the victory.
The New York Knicks led by Isaiah Hartenstein achieved a clear success away to the Washington Wizards. The Knicks prevailed 120:99, but Hartenstein remained inconspicuous offensively with three points. However, he showed his presence with eight rebounds.
Source: Stern
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