ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic were able to win their fourth-straight game and conclude their regular season slate of games at home with a 132-120 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, but it did not come without a scare.

Nearly midway through the third quarter, Magic forward Franz Wagner fell to the floor while clutching his left knee. Orlando committed a foul to get him off the floor, and he was able to leave under his own power but made his way to the locker room.

Several minutes later, Wagner made his way back to the court with thunderous applause from the Magic faithful inside the Kia Center that indicated a sigh of relief given that Wagner had missed the better part of four months with a nagging left ankle injury.

After the game, Wagner talked about what happened.

“Yeah, I mean, I hyperextended the leg a little bit,” Wagner said. “So not the best feeling in the world. And pretty quickly, it all felt normal.

"And I checked everything,” he added. “And I think it's important to be out there and get some confidence then and play a couple of minutes more.”

Wagner finished the game with 17 points on 7-13 shooting in 22 minutes of playing time. 

Wagner’s extended absences in recent months stemmed from a high left ankle sprain he suffered on Dec. 7 against the New York Knicks that forced him to miss 16 games before making his return for the Magic’s games in Europe against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan 15 and 18.

After the Jan. 18 loss to Memphis in London, Wagner suffered a setback with his ankle that caused him to miss the team’s next nine games. He returned just ahead of the All-Star break for a pair of home games against the Milwaukee Bucks, but another setback would force him to the sideline for the rest of February and all of March. He made his latest return to the floor on April 1.

For Wagner, dealing with long term injury struggles took a toll.

“Yeah, it's tough,” he said. “You know, injuries, they can be tough mentally. Obviously, in a competitive environment, you want to prove yourself every night. And sometimes you don't get those chances. So, I think it's just about letting the process kind of work itself out and not force it too soon. 

“And that's when I think you get the best results, and that's not always easy. That's why we have people to help us out and get us in the right mindset. And I think at this point, I'll find my way back into the rotation.”

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!

For additional coverage, subscribe to our Full Court Magic Podcast!