ORLANDO, Fla. — The injury concerns for the Orlando Magic continue to grow with the addition of Moritz Wagner to their extensive list. The backup center, who is also the elder brother of the sidelined forward Franz Wagner, suffered a potentially serious knee injury to his left leg during the first quarter of Saturday evening’s match against the Miami Heat, which still ended with the Magic’s thrilling comeback victory of 121–114.

While the team celebrated their win, the potential long-term absence of a key player dampened the mood. Wagner’s contributions on the court had positioned him as a strong candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award. “We’re all praying for him. This victory was dedicated to Mo,” said center Goga Bitadze. “Seeing one of our brothers go down is tough. We’ve talked about the ‘next man up’ mentality, but this is a guy who truly deserves better.”

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosely began his post-game remarks with a heartfelt acknowledgment of Wagner’s situation, emphasizing that he was unable to take questions regarding the 6-foot-11 player. The team announced that Wagner would undergo a detailed evaluation the following day.

The Magic have also been dealing with the long-term absences of their top scorers, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, both sidelined due to torn obliques. Banchero missed his 25th game of the season on Saturday, while Franz Wagner missed his fifth. Adding to the team’s challenges, guard Jalen Suggs was a late scratch from the game due to an ankle injury sustained earlier in the week against Oklahoma City.

Moritz Wagner sustained his injury when his knee buckled during a drive to the basket, causing him to fall to the ground. He required assistance to leave the court and was taken directly to the locker room for evaluation.

This season, Wagner has averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds across 19.4 minutes per game, participating in all 29 games for the Magic thus far. Impressively, he only missed two games last season. “I believed he was on track to become the Sixth Man of the Year. I hope he can return and claim that title,” remarked Cole Anthony, who played a significant role in Orlando’s impressive comeback.

“I refer to him as a one-man army,” added Bitadze. “We played hard for Mo tonight. Just look at the incredible statistics he has posted this season. Sixth Man for sure!”