Orlando Magic Injury Report (January 15): Will Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. play against the Knicks?
Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. will be the names in focus as the Orlando Magic head to the Big Apple and take on the New York Knicks at the Madison Square Garden on Monday. The visitors are on a three-game skid and are without some of their major contributors this season, which has seen them plummet from the top five to eighth place in the East with the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets in hot pursuit.
The Magic have been heavily reliant on Paolo Banchero to deliver as they fight to keep themselves in playoff contention with a 21-18 record.
According to ESPN's updated injury report, the Magic will miss the services of Wagner (ankle) and Carter (knee). While the forward has been ruled out, the latter is listed as questionable when ahead of the contest against the formidable Knicks outfit. Gary Harris (calf) has also been ruled out of Monday's game.
What happened to Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr.?
Franz Wagner suffered a right ankle sprain when the Magic played the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 3 losing in double OT. He has missed five games since and there is no timetable available for his return. This season, he is averaging 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, and has been the team's dependable star before going down with an injury.
Wendell Carter Jr. has dealt with a hand injury this season and has missed a sizeable chunk of games for the Magic. Now, the knee injury has seen him miss the last five games, and his status will most likely see him miss his sixth.
When will Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. return?
At present, there is no timetable for both Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr.'s return making things challenging for Orlando.
The team hopes both players will ramp up conditioning and return to them just before the All-Star Games in Indiana. Both players have been impactful for the side, and Carter has been in the headlines recently after being listed as one of the players on the trade block. When he has played this edition, Carter has propped up 8.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
How to watch the Magic vs Knicks skirmish?
The Magic and Knicks are meeting at the MSG for tip-off at 3 pm ET and the game can be watched live on Bally Sports Florida and MSG Network. Fans can also stream the game live on fuboTV. As for the players to watch out for, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson have been turning it on for the Knicks. The Magic will look for Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs to deliver in the absence of their key stars.