Magic SF Franz Wagner Sounds Off on 'Frustrating' Game 7 Loss

ORLANDO — Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will be replaying the team's Game 7 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers in his head for a while as the team was eliminated from the playoffs.

Wagner struggled mightily in Game 7 on Sunday, making just 1 of 15 from the field and scoring just six points in their 106-94 loss to the Cavs. The third-year forward found other ways to contribute with six rebounds and six assists, but his inability to score on a day when Paolo Banchero scored 38 points ultimately doomed an Orlando offense that shot poorly on the road.

"That's gonna stick with me all summer," Wagner said. "Yeah, hopefully I can use it as motivation and fuel the right way but yeah, obviously super frustrating."

It's hard not to feel for Wagner, who was arguably the team's second-best player all year. He also was a big part of why the Magic even made it to Game 7, scoring at least 14 points in each of the first six games of the series. He also had 34 and 26 points, respectively, in the team's Game 4 and 6 wins to tie the series. However, Game 7 was the clincher, and Wagner and the Magic didn't show up when the lights were brightest.

Wagner's Game 7 performance shouldn't erase his accomplishments from earlier in the season, but it can serve as a reminder that he and the Magic aren't where they want to be, and that it is going to take more time, energy and effort to make it further in the years to come.

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