Magic forward Franz Wagner exited Monday’s game vs. Detroit in the third quarter due to what the team referred to as right calf soreness. Speaking after the game to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel and Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter links), Wagner explained that he felt his calf tighten up about a minute before he was substituted out of the game. The plan is for the 24-year-old to undergo an MRI on his calf on Tuesday, but he’s optimistic about suiting up in Game 5.
“Hopefully it’ll be better (Tuesday),” Wagner told Beede. “The guys got it done, so that’s all that matters.”
With Wagner sidelined, the Magic put the clamps on the Pistons’ offense down the stretch in Game 4, holding Detroit to 36 second-half points to secure a 94-88 win and a 3-1 lead in the series. The series is headed back to Detroit for Game 5 with the 60-win Pistons needing three straight victories to keep their postseason run alive.
We have a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch expressed confidence during a Sunday appearance on KFAN FM 100.3 in Minnesota that Anthony Edwards will be able to return to action this spring if the team can win one more game vs. Denver without him. “We do know that if we keep extending this playoff (run), he is going to come back,” Finch said (Twitter link via Charlie Walton of Zone Coverage). “And he generally comes back ahead of the timeline.” The Wolves have officially designated Edwards as “week to week” in his recovery from a hyperextended knee and bone bruise.
- Following the Nuggets‘ Game 5 win on Monday, head coach David Adelman said he has “no idea” whether Aaron Gordon (calf) or Peyton Watson (hamstring) will be back for Game 6, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. Denver will have an extra day of rest before Thursday’s game, but Adelman added that he’ll prepare for that do-or-die contest in Minnesota as if neither forward will be available.
- Star center Joel Embiid had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in his return on Sunday following an appendectomy, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Sixers, who were outscored by 25 points in his 34 minutes of action and lost Game 4 by 32. Embiid, who is listed as probable to play in Game 5 on Tuesday, spoke after his return about his recovery process, suggesting there were some “complications” related to his emergency surgery. Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice has the story.