FRANZ WAGNER

Paolo Banchero says having a healthier roster has been a big reason why the Orlando Magic are winning some games.

Nikola Jokic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining, capping his 12th triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets won their 13th in a row at home by beating the Orlando Magic 119-116 on Sunday night. Jokic connected from the top of the key, stepping back to get the shot away over Franz Wagner to finish with 17 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. “He stepped back, got the space and just shot over the top,” said Aaron Gordon, whose 25 points led the Nuggets.

Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and Admiral Schofield had 11 of his 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Orlando Magic complete a sweep of consecutive games in Boston with a 95-92 victory on Sunday.

Jalen Suggs nailed a wild 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 108-107 after blowing a 19-point lead.

Key StatsThe Hawks shot 41.9 percent from 3-point range, while the Magic knocked down just 23.5 percent of their attempts from long distance. Also, Atlanta scored 26 fast break points; Orlando had just eight. Nikola Vucevic led Orlando that night with 23 points, while Jonathon Simmons scored 19 points and Evan Fournier scored 13. Jaylen Brown scored 50 points in that contest for the C’s, while Terrence Ross led the Magic with 33 points. For more News about the Orlando Magic visit: www.orlandomagic.com For more sports coverage from NBA,NFL, to NCAA contact Julian Ojeda: julian@communitynewspapers.com

Bojan Bogdanovic, acquired by Detroit last month, sank a pair of free throws with 4.7 seconds left to seal the Pistons’ victory. Injury ReportCole Anthony (illness), Markelle Fultz (toe), Moe Wagner (sprained right midfoot), Gary Harris (left knee rehabilitation), and Jonathan Isaac (left knee rehabilitation) were unavailable for the Magic. Marvin Bagley III (sprained right knee), Alec Burks (left navicular; fracture), and Isaiah Livers (right hip soreness) were out for the Pistons. Banchero will also play against his college teammate, AJ Griffin, for the first time since they became pros. For more News about the Orlando Magic visit: www.orlandomagic.com For more sports coverage from NBA,NFL, to NCAA contact Julian Ojeda: julian@communitynewspapers.com

Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero will do a periodic diary on his season for The Associated Press.

One of the league’s most unique players right now is the Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner, an NBA All-Rookie First Team member last year. It’s quite amazing how similar he is to former Magic great Hedo Turkoglu, one of the best playmaking forwards of his era. His timing with his passing was impeccable in all three of the preseason games he appeared in. This was brought up a quite a bit last season, but it’s like a diet version of Manu Ginobili. And remember, Wagner is 6’10; Ginobili was 6’6 – which adds to the uniqueness of Wagner’s game.

College basketball season ended almost three months ago, the NBA draft lottery was more than a month ago and the draft itself is later this week.

Franz Wagner made three free throws with 12.2 seconds remaining and dunked on an inbounds play for the final points, leading the Orlando Magic to a 94-90 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 134-120 on Thursday night end a four-game losing streak.

By Mat IssaThe NBA rookie class of 2021 has been as advertised and then some, garnering comparison to some of the more memorable draft classes of the 21st century. Now, without further ado, here is your guide to the best rookies in the 2021 NBA Draft class. The thing is, Cleveland wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for Mobley already looking like a seasoned NBA player in his first year. Each of these five rookies possesses the tools necessary to go down as the best of the bunch. — Mat Issa (@matissa15) March 3, 2022Basketball News staff rankingsMat Issa: Cunningham, Barnes, Mobley, Wagner, GiddeyMatt Babcock: Mobley, Cunningham, Giddey, Barnes, WagnerAlex Kennedy: Mobley, Cunningham, Barnes, Giddey, WagnerSpencer Davies: Mobley, Cunningham, Giddey, Barnes, WagnerEthan Fuller: Cunningham, Mobley, Barnes, Giddey, WagnerJustin Lewis: Mobley, Barnes, Cunningham, Giddey, WagnerDrew Maresca: Cunningham, Mobley, Giddey, Barnes, WagnerLooking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater & family shows near you?

But this team is a quiet 4-3 over the past two weeks, and its young core has inspired faith — particularly surrounding the starting lineup. The quintet is the centerpiece of Orlando’s currently healthy roster and the barometer for its future potential. Among 59 lineups with at least 200 possessions played, Orlando’s starters have the fourth-best DRTG, giving up 95.4 points per 100 possessions. Orlando’s starting lineup ranks 53rd out of those aforementioned 59 groupings, averaging just 86.1 points per 100 half-court possessions. After setting a record for the # of players in a season, the NBA hasn’t seen any new players debut over the last 20 days.

The Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Orlando Magic 106-94 for their fifth victory in seven games.

Reggie Jackson hit a step-back jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 106-104 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Heat big man Bam Adebayo will be undergoing thumb surgery.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – UCLA has made more trips to the Final Four than any program but North Carolina. AdThey were clinging to a 50-49 lead when Michigan called a timeout with 19 seconds to go, intending to set up the game's final shot. The buzzer sounded and UCLA began to celebrate, only for the officials to put a half-second back on the clock. They were 3 of 11 beyond the arc, shot 39% overall and couldn't make one at the end. UCLA won a regional semifinal in 2006 and the Bulldogs returned the favor in the 2015 regional semifinals.

The evening's most telling stat was points in the paint: Michigan 50, Florida State 28. Other lowlights for the Seminoles:— 14 turnovers, including 10 in the first half that led to 16 Michigan points. Adding to the trouble, Walker, the team's leading scorer this season, rolled his ankle at the 14-minute mark of the second half. FSU went on a mini-tear when Osborne and Polite made back-to-back 3s to trim Michigan's lead to five early in the second half. Driving the lane and making the extra pass underneath, the Wolverines made 11 of their first 13 shots in the second half.

(AP Photo/AJ Mast)INDIANAPOLIS – It's not that Juwan Howard doesn't love his old friend and mentor, Leonard Hamilton. Howard and Hamilton struck up a strong friendship in 2000, when Howard was wrapping up his time with the Washington Wizards and Hamilton was coaching there. He said even if his late grandmother, Jannie Mae Howard, was alive and playing basketball, "I'd play her 1-on-1. “Johnny is young,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said after the BYU game. He’s improved immensely.”___More AP College Basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball; and https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS – What the Big Ten needed was someone, anyone, to start playing like it came from the Big Ten. AdBut during the 14-1 stretch that opened things up, Michigan did what typical Big Ten teams are supposed to do. Most-telling stat of the night was points off the bench: Michigan 26, LSU 2. His 27 points kept LSU in range in the second half, but Wagner altered his shot underneath at the end of that stretch. Michigan shot 53 percent and made 10 of 25 3-pointers.

– Juwan Howard got the win in his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday. It's his second season in charge, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Howard and the Wolverines (21-4) had little trouble with the No 16 seed Texas Southern, but the absence of Livers could lead to adversity down the road. It wasn’t perfect as Texas Southern outscored Michigan 42-30 in the paint and got within 12 late, causing Dickinson to re-enter the game. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Norfolk State ousted Appalachian State on the same court, marking the first time SWAC and MEAC schools won NCAA Tournament games on the same day.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – All Michigan coach Juwan Howard intended to do, he said, when he started walking toward the baseline during the second half of Friday’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals was question a call. After the game, Howard apologized for his actions — and also placed blame on the other bench. Don’t talk to me ever again,’ Then he charged at me. All I said is, ‘Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me.’”Maryland scored five points after the fracas to cut the deficit in half. BIG PICTUREMaryland: A strong finish — and Thursday's victory over Michigan State — should be enough to get an NCAA Tournament bid.

Rocket Watts scored 21 points and Aaron Henry had 18 to lead the Spartans in a 70-64 victory over No. The Wolverines (19-3, 14-3) closed the regular season getting routed at home by the Fighting Illini, beating Michigan State handily to clinch the Big Ten title and losing the rematch three days later. They were ready to play today and we weren’t.”AdJoey Hauser scored nine of his 11 points off the bench in the first half as Michigan State led 30-26. SENIOR MOMENTFifth-year senior Joshua Langford, who missed much of the previous two seasons with injury, made a 3-point shot with 49 seconds left to give Michigan State a 64-59 lead. UP NEXTThe Big Ten Tournament begins Wednesday in Indianapolis, where first-seeded Michigan may meet Michigan State for a third time.

2 Michigan wrapped up the Big Ten title with a 69-50 victory over rival Michigan State on Thursday night. The Wolverines won it again in 2014. Aaron Henry scored 14 points for Michigan State (14-11, 8-11), which will finish with a losing conference record for the first time since 1993. Michigan State went 0 for 9 from 3-point range, its first game without a 3 since Nov. 15, 2013 against Columbia, according to Sportradar. MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOFormer Michigan State star Draymond Green made an appearance in a pregame video the Wolverines watched.

Gonzaga continued to hold down the top spot in the Top 25, just as it has all season, receiving 59 of 63 first-place votes among national media members. Illinois climbed one spot to fourth and Iowa gave the Big Ten three teams in the top five. They have a showdown with the Illini on Tuesday night before wrapping up the regular season with a home-and-home series against Michigan State. That’s a big part of what they’re doing.”West Virginia continued its steady climb, up four spots to No. The newcomer Boilermakers and sliding Badgers give the Big Ten six teams in the Top 25, one fewer than the poll-leading Big 12.

3 Michigan pull away for a 73-57 victory Saturday at Indiana. Aljami Durham led Indiana (12-12, 7-10) with 15 points and Race Thompson finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Michigan made Indiana uncomfortable while facing full-court pressure, stayed in front of the Hoosiers in half-court defense, and challenged shot after shot. Indiana: The Hoosiers trailed 22-21 with 8:36 to go in the first half — and then this one got away from them. ... Indiana shot 38% from the field and was outrebounded 37-27.

Dickinson gave Garza fits around the basket, and Franz Wagner scored 21 points to lead No. Michigan answered that with a 14-2 run that took place mostly while Dickinson was on the bench. The 7-foot-1 Dickinson, who like Garza went to high school in the Washington area, blocked Garza's first shot attempt of the game. “I know I’ve got to be better for my team,” Garza said. Michigan: The Wolverines have only one day off before playing at Indiana on Saturday.

Michigan's Franz Wagner had 10 of his 14 points in the second half. But the Badgers shot 7 of 28 in the second half and missed their last 11 3-point attempts. “What we did in the first half is what we wanted to do in the second half,” Ford said. Michigan beat Wisconsin 77-54 on Jan. 12 and became the first team to sweep a regular-season series from the Badgers since 2017-18, when Michigan State and Nebraska both did it. AdWisconsin: The Badgers needed more from their starting five, who combined to score 10 points and shoot 2 of 16 in the second half.

Then, unbelievably, the Wolverines led No. The Wolverines outscored the Badgers 43-6 over a stretch that spanned parts of both halves, and Michigan remained unbeaten with a 77-54 win Tuesday. They have a lot of players and they have playmakers on both ends of the floor," said D'Mitrik Trice, who led Wisconsin with 20 points. Michigan led 26-23 before scoring the last 14 points of the half. Michigan led by 29 against Northwestern before winning by 19.

Michigan guard David DeJulius brings the ball up during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette via AP)IOWA CITY, Iowa – Michigan coach Juwan Howard has seen enough of Iowa's Luka Garza this season. Garza scored 33 points in Iowa’s 90-83 win over No. Garza, the Big Ten’s scoring leader, was 10 of 18 from the field and 11 of 13 from the line. Once we locked in on the defensive end, and put some baskets together, we were right back in it.”“We seemed to be a little tired,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said.