The Orlando Magic welcomed Franz Wagner back to the lineup, but it hardly mattered against the Atlanta Hawks.
ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic were routed by the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, 130-101, to cap off a season sweep by their Southeast Division rivals. Below are the points of emphasis from the game.
Boos for Mosley
As the deficit continued to grow, a chorus of boos could be heard in the Kia Center. Chants could be heard calling for the job of Jamahl Mosley, and after the game, he took responsibility for their disgruntled nature.
“Rightfully so,” Mosley said about their chants. “Rightfully so. Did we put out the effort that we needed to? Did we have the energy that we needed to? Nope. And we deserve to give these fans a better product on nights like this.
“We deserve to play harder and fight from the beginning of the game, not when we're down 20.These fans deserve that. Without a doubt. You put that jersey on, that's how you need to play from the beginning of the game to the end of the game. So rightfully so. They should be disappointed.”
When asked about his team’s lack of focus and energy, Mosley placed emphasis on a simple intangible.
“You know one of the hardest things to coach? Effort. It's the hardest thing to coach,” he said.
“If at this point in the season we don't realize the importance of the games, how hard they're going to be each and every single night, then you've got to do a gut check because you're down to six games left in the season playing for a playoff spot.”
Franz Returns
After missing nearly two straight months with a left ankle injury that has given him trouble for the better part of the last four months, Magic forward Franz Wagner made his long awaited return to the lineup.
Wagner was limited to 19 minutes in his return. During his limited time on the floor, he scored 12 points on 38.5% shooting.
Wagner’s rust from the perimeter showed, as he went 0-6 from 3-point range. However, he found the paint multiple times and finished through contact.
“I mean, I feel all right,” Wagner said after the game. “It's definitely an adjustment. And it's going to be, I think, part of the process. But I feel good to be out there.
“Obviously, there's going to be some rust,” he added. “You know, I thought I tried to play really hard, you know, focus on my time and stuff like that. But, I mean, at the end of the day, we played terrible as a team.”
Wagner also addressed the frustrations emanating from the fan base and within the team.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously, we feel the frustration from the outside,” he said. “Trust me when I say that we're probably more frustrated in the locker room and trying to figure this thing out.
“But, you know, this is the NBA. I think judgment and frustration from the fans are a part of it when some of the things we talked about aren't there. So, you know, we get paid way too much money to play this game, so it's on us to figure it out.”
Join the Community
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!
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast
For additional coverage, subscribe to our Full Court Magic Podcast!