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Magic’s Franz Wagner gets 100% real about playing skinny Luka Doncic in EuroBasket
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- Magic’s Franz Wagner gets 100% real about playing skinny Luka Doncic in EuroBasket
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The post Magic's Franz Wagner gets 100% real about playing skinny Luka Doncic in EuroBasket appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner continued to shine for Germany in the EuroBasket, leading the team to the semifinals after beating the Luka Doncic-led Slovenia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
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Germany pulled off the comeback win, 99-91, after rallying in the second half. Wagner led Die Mannschaft with 23 points, although he struggled mightily from the field, shooting 5-of-17. He went 13-of-14 from the free throw line and added seven rebounds and four assists.
Wagner and company survived the 39-point explosion of Doncic , who had been nothing but dominant throughout the tournament with his offensive genius. His new physique also helped, as he looked faster and more mobile.
When asked about it, the 24-year-old Wagner said the Los Angeles Lakers star didn't change that much , which he meant as a compliment.
"He's like that all the time. So I see no difference, really. (He's an) extremely good player. If he got a little bit better, he might have, but it's tough to tell with him," noted the Magic star in a video posted by BasketNews.
Slovenia looked like it was on its way to the semifinals after taking control of the first half. But Germany regrouped at halftime and mounted a fightback, punctuated by Tristan de Silva's halfcourt buzzer-beater in the third quarter, which cut the deficit to just four points, 44-40, entering the final frame.
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Germany didn't look back and advanced to the semifinals of the EuroBasket for the second straight time. Slovenia, on the other hand, got booted out in the quarterfinals in back-to-back editions of the biennial tournament.
Wagner got plenty of help from Dennis Schroder, who had 20 points, three rebounds, and seven assists, and Daniel Theis, who tallied 15 points and nine rebounds.
Like Wagner, Andres Obst also gave credit to Doncic.
"They (Slovenia) play smart and know how to draw fouls. Luka draws a lot of attention to himself and hits a lot of tough shots," said Obst in a report from FIBA.
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"The opponent was prepared for us, but we had to keep shooting with confidence. We did well and nearly scored 100 points, so we can be happy about where we are."
Germany will battle Finland in the semifinals on Friday.
Related: Franz Wagner leads Germany past Luka Doncic, Slovenia to reach EuroBasket semifinals
Related: Goga Bitadze ejected from EuroBasket quarterfinals after vicious elbow to face
