The Magic’s trip to Berlin was about more than basketball. For Franz Wagner, Moe Wagner, and Tristan da Silva, it was a homecoming packed with emotion, family reunions, media obligations, and community outreach. But once the ball tipped inside Uber Arena on Thursday night, it was time to shift gears-from celebration to competition.
And while it took a while to get there, Orlando eventually found its rhythm.
After a whirlwind week in Germany, the trio of German-born Magic players struggled early. They combined for just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting with five turnovers in the first half.
Understandable, given the emotional weight of the moment and the sheer volume of off-court commitments. As Candace Parker noted on the Prime broadcast, it almost felt like the game itself was an afterthought with everything else going on.
But the Magic didn’t fold. They rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit to beat the Grizzlies, 118-111, in front of a roaring Berlin crowd and a global audience watching on Prime and NBA League Pass.
“Mentally, it was a lot coming into this week,” Franz Wagner said postgame, after playing his first game back from a 16-game absence due to a high left ankle sprain. “Obviously working back from an injury isn’t ever easy, and then it being this game. So, (it was) a very emotional week and also a taxing week because we did a lot of stuff because we wanted to maximize our time here.
“Not making any excuses though,” he added. “Once you decide to play, you’ve got to be ready. I was happy to make some plays at the end.”
And he did. Wagner poured in 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, helping close the door on a Grizzlies team that came out guns blazing. Memphis dropped 39 points in the first quarter alone, riding red-hot three-point shooting (12-for-20 in the first half) and a 23-point half from Jaren Jackson Jr. to build a commanding early lead.
But the Magic didn’t panic. Head coach Jamahl Mosley leaned into his team’s defensive identity, and it paid off in a big way. Orlando held Memphis to just 12 points in the third quarter-the fewest they’ve allowed in any quarter all season-and clawed their way back into the game.
“The nerves were there,” Mosley said, speaking about the German trio. “That adrenaline was very heavy for those guys, and then as they settled into the game, you saw what they were capable of doing once they got themselves going.”
Tristan da Silva chipped in with eight points, four rebounds, and four steals, while Moe Wagner added seven points and four boards. But the engine behind the comeback was Paolo Banchero, who notched his 13th double-double of the season with 26 points and 13 rebounds. He was steady throughout, giving the Magic a consistent scoring option while the rest of the team found its footing.
It was the largest comeback win of the season for Orlando, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The team has been searching for consistency, and this marked the first time since late November that they’ve strung together back-to-back wins. With the season now at its halfway point, the timing of this performance feels significant.
“We came out in the third and played really good defense, like the Orlando Magic do usually,” Franz Wagner said. “(We) held them to 12 points and that was the key to winning the game.”
The Berlin crowd certainly played its part. Despite being nearly 5,000 miles from Amway Center, the Magic were right at home in Uber Arena. From the moment Franz was introduced to the crowd, to the chants of “Orlando Magic” echoing through the arena, it was clear who the fans had come to see.
“Oh, this atmosphere was incredible,” Mosley said. “The German fans are just amazing.
As soon as the introductions started with Franz coming out, then Tristan checks in and then Moe checks in, and then the chants of the ‘Orlando Magic,’ … That’s a good feeling for our group. It felt like a home game.”
And it looked like one by the final buzzer.
Even with Jalen Suggs still sidelined (right knee MCL bruise), the Magic are starting to get healthier. Thursday marked the first time since October 30, 2024, that Banchero and both Wagner brothers played in the same game. That kind of continuity matters-especially for a young team trying to build something sustainable.
Now, the Magic will try to carry this momentum across the English Channel. They’ll face the Grizzlies again on Sunday, this time in London-a city Orlando knows well.
It’ll be the franchise’s third game in the UK and the first since 2016. Memphis, on the other hand, will be making its London debut.
“There’s always challenges when you’re going different time zones, weather change, … All of those things took place, but our performance staff did a great job with our guys, keeping them prepared,” Mosley said.
If Thursday night in Berlin is any indication, this Magic team is learning how to weather those challenges-and how to rise when the moment calls for it.