Without Franz Wagner, the Pistons gain the upper hand, according to Michael Wilbon, poised to seize this playoff upset.
The Orlando Magic hold a 3-2 series lead over the Detroit Pistons heading into a pivotal Game 6 on Friday at the Kia Center. After dropping Game 5 on the road, Orlando has a second opportunity to secure one of the largest playoff upsets in NBA history. However, the Magic must attempt to eliminate the Eastern Conference's top seed without star forward Franz Wagner.
Wagner, the team's premier interior defender, remains sidelined with a right calf strain sustained in Game 4. His absence creates significant voids on both ends of the floor for a Magic squad that has relied on physical, defensive-minded play to dictate the series.
While Orlando remains one win away from the second round, the injury has shifted the national perspective. ESPN’s Michael Wilbon suggested that without Wagner’s presence, the Pistons are positioned to regain control and potentially win the series in seven games.
“He has to but when you're talking about missing Franz Wagner the way he limped out of the arena last night,” Wilbon said. “There was a shot showing Wagner doing that the way he was not moving. If you tell me that Franz Wagner is going to be himself and what he was early in this series, and they built a three-one lead, I would tell you Orlando is going to wind up moving on.”
“But if Wagner is not going to be available,” Wilbon added. And again, the way he lived out of there last night, it did not look like he will be, certainly not in game six. Wow, I think it swings back to Detroit. It's asking a lot of Cade Cunningham to abandon his role as a real point guard on that team, because he's got to score, probably north of 35 to give them any chance. We keep talking about secondary score, secondary score, secondary score. It's not like JB Bickerstaff can go to the pen and bring that guy in. It's got to be Cade, but if Cade's gonna play like that, he's got one, at least one more in him, and Wagner's not out there. I like Detroit to continue to move ahead.”
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