Magic Notes: Game 1, Wagner, Banchero, Suggs, Bane
The Magic‘s 112-101 upset victory in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Pistons may have surprised some people, but the players in the locker room weren’t among them.
“I think everybody knows we have a really talented team,” forward Franz Wagner said. “Obviously, we didn’t have the regular season that we wanted, but that’s how it goes sometimes. I think we showed (Sunday) that we belong here and it has to be consistent, though. One game doesn’t win the series. That’s got to be our mindset going forward.”
Coach Jamahl Mosley felt that the fact his team had two play-in tournament games last week while the Pistons had the week off played a role in the upset.
“They’ve been off. We found a little bit of rhythm playing so many games, so that always plays a part in it,” he said. “But I’m still just happy that our guys came out and defended the right way. We were intentional in how we executed our offense. I think those are the things that we talked about being able to do against a great team like this. How they turn you over, how they defend, how they rebound the basketball – all those small things within the game. I was happy that we accomplished that with this group.”
Here’s more on the Magic:
- Paolo Banchero led the offense with 23 points. He also supplied nine rebounds and four assists. “I thought Paolo’s dominance in his approach to the game was excellent,” Mosley said. “His voice, his command on the floor, his court presence was special. I think that’s how the team follows. When he has that presence, it’s something to be seen. His aggression downhill, attacking, stepping into a shot with a high level of confidence, finding the matchups that he wanted, all those small things within the game, the guys fed and read off of that.”
- Banchero feels the team has put aside its uneven regular season and believes it can continue to make noise in the postseason. “There’s nothing you can do to go back and change what happened. At the end of the day, we’re here in the playoffs, and we have a chance to go and do what we set out to do since October,” he said. “You can’t get too caught up in what happened in the regular season and the frustrations. You have to just come together, realize that we’re fully healthy right now, and we feel like we’re clicking as a group. We found something against Charlotte with our defense and our energy and our communication. We know that if we just reciprocate that, we give ourselves a chance every night no matter who we’re playing. It’s definitely a new season and a new energy.”
- Jalen Suggs seemed to be all over the court, contributing 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals before fouling out in the late going. Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link) said Suggs was favoring his left knee at times but came out of the contest “feeling solid.”
- In his breakdown of the contest, Beede provides his insights into the upset, including the fact that Desmond Bane played 35 minutes despite dealing with an illness.
Magic, Suns Advance; NBA’s Playoff Field Set
After losing their first play-in games earlier in the week, the Magic and Suns bounced back in impressive fashion on Friday, winning home games against the Hornets and Warriors, respectively, to clinch their spots in the playoffs. Orlando and Phoenix will enter the first round as No. 8 seeds, with the Magic taking on Detroit in round one and the Suns facing Oklahoma City.
The Magic ran out to a 22-point lead by the end of the first quarter in Friday’s early game and expanded that cushion to 31 points by the end of the second quarter. Their defense set the tone early by allowing the Hornets to make just 5-of-20 (25.0%) shots from the floor in the first period and 13-of-41 (31.7%) in the first half. Orlando maintained that significant lead in the second half, winning by a score of 121-90.
“When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said after the game, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “There (are) no second chances.”
Paolo Banchero contributed 25 points and a team-high six assists to lead a balanced offensive attack that saw all five of the Magic’s starters score in double-digits. Franz Wagner added 18 points and matched Banchero’s six assists, while Desmond Bane was a team-best plus-30 in his 35 minutes of action despite scoring just 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
In the late game, the Suns emulated the Magic by building a big lead in the first quarter, though Phoenix gave most of that 18-point edge in the second quarter before putting the win away in the second half by a score of 111-96.
Suns guard Jalen Green, who struggled in his first taste of playoff action with Houston a year ago, was excellent in this week’s play-in games, scoring 35 points in Tuesday’s loss and then pouring in 36 more in Friday’s win over Golden State. Green made 14-of-20 shots, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc, and also contributed six rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals. His eight three-pointers matched a career high.
The Suns also did an admirable job holding Warriors star Stephen Curry in check after he went off for 35 points in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers. Curry made just 4-of-16 shots from the field in Phoenix and had as many turnovers as assists (four apiece).
The Suns and Thunder will tip off their series in Oklahoma City at 3:30 pm Eastern time on Sunday, with Game 1 of the Magic/Pistons matchup to follow in Detroit at 6:30 pm.
While Phoenix and Orlando will enter the series as massive underdogs, their regular season results against their first-round opponents offer a sliver of hope — the Suns went 2-3 against the Thunder, while the Magic went 2-2 vs. the Pistons.
Magic Notes: Sunday’s Loss, Banchero, F. Wagner, Bane
Head coach Jamahl Mosley has bemoaned the Magic lacking a sense of urgency throughout the season, and it was a talking point again after Sunday’s loss in Boston, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. The Magic had a chance to secure the No. 7 seed and home court advantage for Wednesday’s play-in contest vs. the Sixers, but instead they’ll travel to Philadelphia for their first of two chances to advance to the playoffs.
“It was a must-win game, at least I thought,” forward Paolo Banchero said. “I just think we didn’t come out with urgency. It’s frustrating, honestly.”
According to Beede, Orlando led by 16 points early in the game, but a disastrous third quarter turned out to be too much to overcome. Banchero finished with a triple-double (23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds) and was plus-two in 38 minutes during the five-point loss, though he shot just 7-of-22 from the field and had six turnovers.
“I definitely didn’t play my best basketball,” Banchero said. “I think collectively, we just have to have more urgency. We can’t expect to win just because guys are out.”
Here’s more on the Magic:
- As Beede notes, the “guys” Banchero was referring to on the Celtics included the team’s entire starting lineup and several key reserves. Boston was already locked in as the No. 2 seed in the East and only had eight players available, but four of them — Baylor Scheierman (30 points), Ron Harper Jr. (27), Luka Garza (27) and John Tonje (13) had career scoring nights. “They hit a ton of shots, we turned it over, gave them a couple extra opportunities and that was a big portion of the ballgame,” Mosley said. “But you’ve got to give Boston a hell of a ton of credit for the way they came out with those seven-eight guys and played their tails off.”
- Forward Franz Wagner was on a minutes restriction in his sixth game back from a high ankle sprain, Beede adds. The German star had 20 points and four rebounds in 26 minutes, but didn’t score efficiently (7-of-18 from the field) and was wearing a wrap on his left leg while on the bench. “I’m trying to push through and get as much time out there as I can,” Wagner said. “I feel all right. … For sure, it’s frustrating but there’s only one way to get past that and that’s to push through it and do it in a smart way. But to go to that point consistently, and that’s all I can do.”
- Desmond Bane appeared in all 82 regular season games in 2025/26 for the first time in his career, but Mosley’s plan to limit the 27-year-old’s minutes on Sunday backfired, per Beede. The sixth-year wing played the first six minutes of the game and the original plan was to sit out the remainder of the contest. However, after the Magic fell behind in the third quarter, Bane wound up playing nearly the entire fourth period, finishing with 18 minutes. “I kept my mind ready to go, my body ready to go, riding a bike, putting heat on my knees and stuff like that,” Bane said. “But I don’t think coach really wanted to (put me back in), just to protect me. Keeping me healthy was his main goal. But I appreciate him letting me go back in the game and giving me a chance to try to help us win.”
- Both Wagner and Bane struck an optimistic tone following Sunday’s loss, according to Beede. “I’m excited,” Bane said. “We’ve got an opportunity to go and play postseason basketball. Not everybody gets to say that. That’s not something that everybody gets to experience so I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
Magic’s Franz Wagner Returning On Wednesday
4:02 pm: Wagner will be available for Wednesday’s game vs. Atlanta, the Magic have confirmed (via Twitter).
12:32 pm: Magic forward Franz Wagner has missed 47 of the team’s last 51 games while battling a left high ankle sprain, but he could make his return to action on Wednesday vs. Atlanta. According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link), Wagner has been upgraded to questionable on the Magic’s injury report.
The expectation, tweets Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, is that Wagner will go through pregame warmups on Wednesday before the team determines whether or not he’ll be active tonight. Barring a setback, there’s a good chance he’ll suit up vs. the Hawks on a minutes restriction.
Wagner got off to a strong start this season, averaging 23.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 34.5 minutes per game through his first 23 outings. He posted a shooting line of .487/.354/.823 in those games and led Orlando to a 14-9 start.
However, the 24-year-old suffered a high ankle sprain in his 24th game of the season and missed the Magic’s next 16 contests before returning to the court for a game in his home country of Germany on January 15. Although he also played in London three days later, Wagner later admitted that he probably rushed his comeback due to his desire to play in front of fans in Berlin.
Wagner sat out another nine games, then played twice on Feb. 9 and 11, but he suffered another setback related to his ankle and was ruled out indefinitely to allow for it to fully heal. If he plays on Wednesday, it will be just his 29th game of the season.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley indicated on Tuesday that Wagner was “progressing well” and had done some 5-on-5 work, which suggested his return was around the corner. Mosley previously told reporters there was no minimum number of games the German forward must play during the final couple weeks of the regular season in order for him to be available for the postseason.
Wednesday’s showdown with the Hawks could have be significant for playoff seeding purposes. The No. 8 Magic are currently one game back of the No. 7 Sixers, two games behind the No. 6 Raptors, and 2.5 games back of the No. 5 Hawks. They also have only a half-game cushion on the Heat and Hornets, who are tied for ninth in the East.
If Wagner isn’t activated on Wednesday, his next opportunity to suit up would be on Friday in Dallas.
Injury Notes: Giannis, Wagner, Smart, Melton
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said on Sunday that there’s still a chance star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee hyperextension; bone bruise) will be cleared to return before the end of the regular season on April 12, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
However, teammate Bobby Portis is skeptical that will happen. The veteran Bucks forward/center stated during a recent appearance on FanDuel TV (Facebook video link) that he doesn’t think it makes sense for the two-time MVP to come back at this point, with the team having been eliminated from postseason contention.
“I don’t think he’ll play another game this year, for sure,” Portis said (hat tip to Nehm). “Obviously, he’ll stay in the gym and keep his body tight and keep his game tight. But playing a game on court, I don’t think that’s in the picture at all.”
Reports earlier this month indicated that the Bucks wanted to shut Antetokounmpo down for the season and that he was resisting that plan and pushing to return to action. However, Portis made it clear that he understands why the club would be motivated to keep his superstar teammate off the floor during the final couple weeks of 2025/26, even if he recovers from his knee injury.
“If y’all talking about trading him, you don’t want any injury to knock value off or whatever,” Portis said. “That’s just business-wise, and then player-wise, obviously, you gotta look at just the total picture of what’s going on. We’re (9.5) games behind for the 10th seed and (with eight) games left, we can’t even make up ground.”
We have more injury-related notes from around the NBA:
- Magic forward Franz Wagner is “progressing well” as he looks to make it back from a high ankle sprain for the final stretch of the season, head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel). Wagner has done some 5-on-5 work, according to Mosley, who said the team will see how the 24-year-old responds to today’s treatment before determining next steps. It sounds like Wagner’s return may not be far off. He has played just four times since December 7, having experienced multiple setbacks related to his ankle.
- Lakers guard Marcus Smart missed a fourth consecutive game on Monday due to a right ankle contusion, but there’s no expectation the injury should result in a long-term absence. Head coach JJ Redick said Smart remains “day-to-day” in his recovery process and potential return, per NBA reporter Mark Medina (Twitter link).
- Although De’Anthony Melton has appeared in – and started – seven of the Warriors‘ past eight games, the veteran guard isn’t at 100%, as head coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after Melton went scoreless in 25 minutes of action in a loss to Denver on Sunday. “He’s banged up,” Kerr said, per Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “His thumb is really bothering him, and I think he’s pressing a little bit. … De’Anthony will bounce back. He’s had a great season. His last couple games have been tough, but he’s banged up. We’ll help him get right. I have total faith in his ability to bounce back.”
Magic Notes: Wagner, Black, Isaac, Suggs, Cain
Magic forward Franz Wagner has missed 20 consecutive games and has only made four total appearances since December 7 due to a left high ankle sprain, but he has taken some positive recent steps toward a return, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Wagner has been able to take contact and practiced with the Osceola Magic while on a brief G League assignment this week, according to Beede.
With just nine games left on Orlando’s regular season schedule, time is running out for Wagner to return during the regular season in the hopes of ramping up for the playoffs. However, head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Thursday that there’s no minimum number of regular season games Wagner must play in order for him to be available for the postseason.
“That’s not a rule I’m putting in,” Mosley said. “If he’s available, he’s playing.”
We have more on the Magic:
- Anthony Black (left lateral abdominal strain) missed an 11th consecutive game on Thursday, while Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain) sat out for an eighth straight contest. Both players are doing on-court work but aren’t yet taking contact, Mosley told Beede. “Just kind of getting some light shooting in, but not much movement,” the Magic coach said.
- After missing two games due to an illness, Jalen Suggs was able to return to action for Thursday’s game and took on his usual workload, reentering the starting lineup and logging 34 minutes in a 121-117 win over Sacramento. Although he scored just eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, Suggs made one of the most important baskets of the night, hitting a three-pointer with 27 seconds left to extend the Magic’s lead to four points. “Huge shot,” teammate Desmond Bane said, per Beede (subscription required). “Welcome back, J. It’s good to have him back in the lineup, for sure.”
- Since being promoted from a two-way deal to a standard contract last week, forward Jamal Cain has submitted several of his best performances of the season — he has averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per night in his past four outings, registering eight assists vs. a single turnover during that stretch. He had 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in Thursday’s victory and earned praise from teammate Paolo Banchero for his contributions. “He’s making big time energy plays out there,” Banchero said, according to Beede. “Cuts, rebounds, transition finishes … He’s athletic. He has a solid feel for the game out there.” Orlando holds a minimum-salary team option on Cain for 2026/27.
Southeast Notes: Johnson, NAW, Wagner, Black, Isaac, Bam
Within a feature on the NBA’s hottest team, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) notes that the Hawks could’ve been a viable trade suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo prior to last month’s deadline, but says the idea of including Jalen Johnson in an offer for the Bucks star was viewed as a “non-starter” in Atlanta.
Johnson’s own agent, Rich Paul, fueled trade speculation when he suggested in a December episode of the Game Over podcast that Milwaukee should target his client in Giannis trade talks (Twitter video link). However, according to Fischer, the Hawks believe the 24-year-old, who made his first All-Star team this season, has MVP-level upside.
“That was probably the first time in my career (hearing) the rumors and stuff like that,” Johnson told Fischer. “But I got reassurance from everyone around here that that’s not the plan. Obviously it means a lot … the trust they have in me and the belief they have in me.”
Johnson is averaging career highs in points (23.0), rebounds (10.4), and assists (8.1) per game in 2025/26. He’s in the first season of a five-year contract that will pay him $30MM annually through 2029/30.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- The Hawks extended their winning streak to 10 games on Tuesday as guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a career-high 41 points and made a career-best nine three-pointers. As Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes (subscription required), Alexander-Walker is building a strong Most Improved Player case in his first season in Atlanta. His scoring average of 20.3 points per game is more than double last season’s mark (9.4 PPG), and he has done it without sacrificing efficiency — his 59.2% true shooting percentage is a career high.
- After playing in each of the Magic‘s first 24 games, forward Franz Wagner has missed 40 of the past 44 due to a troublesome left ankle injury. Speaking to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required), Wagner acknowledged it has been a “very frustrating process” rehabbing that high ankle sprain. “Going into it, I was kind of expecting to feel really good within, like, four, six weeks of the injury,” he said. “And obviously that wasn’t how I felt. So, I think that’s always frustrating probably not just for me (but) for everybody involved.”
- In addition to being without Wagner vs. Charlotte on Thursday, the Magic will also be missing Anthony Black (left lateral abdominal strain) for a seventh straight game and Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain) for a fourth straight contest. According to Beede, Isaac was wearing a knee brace on Tuesday, while head coach Jamahl Mosley said that Black “hasn’t touched the floor, really, at all.”
- Heat big man Bam Adebayo appears likely to return to action on Thursday vs. the Lakers after sitting out on Tuesday due to calf tightness. He’s listed as probable to play, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Wagner, Hornets, Daniels
The Wizards have suffered plenty of losses this season, but none carried the sting of allowing Bam Adebayo to score 83 points Tuesday at Miami, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. With the embarrassment from that game still fresh, Washington needed to find some sense of atonement Thursday in Orlando. The Magic came away with an overtime win, but Wizards players were satisfied with their effort after erasing a 19-point deficit.
“(Bam) scored a lot of points. You’ve got to give him credit,” Trae Young said. “But the way it happened and the way it went down, you see the reaction from people around the league. Around everybody, it’s kind of the same. So we had a similar mindset, but at the same time, we allowed it to happen in the first half and gave him a rhythm to even have the confidence to think he was going to get that. So the way we bounced back is the way we needed to bounce back tonight. I’m just happy with the way that we did that.”
Robbins notes that Orlando still led by 16 points midway through the fourth quarter when Washington found success with a small lineup featuring Bub Carrington, Leaky Black, Will Riley, Bilal Coulibaly and Anthony Gill. That group made of 12-of-17 shots to end regulation and tied the game when Coulibaly banked in a three-pointer with 5.8 seconds remaining.
Gill, whom Robbins calls the team’s most “mild-mannered” player, stood over Orlando’s Desmond Bane and celebrated at one point during the rally. Like Young, Gill believed his team needed to make a statement to show that it’s not a pushover.
“I’m not going to be the one that talks about how (Tuesday’s) game was played out,” Gill said. “Bam had an unbelievable game. We did not respond. We didn’t prepare the way that we should have for the game, and it showed with how well he played against us. We know for what we’re trying to build here that’s unacceptable, and we were kind of upset with that.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- For the first time since the All-Star break, Magic forward Franz Wagner was able to take part in an on-court workout during Wednesday’s shootaround, Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel states in a subscriber-only story. Wagner did some light shooting, and coach Jamahl Mosley said he hasn’t been cleared for contact yet.
- Wednesday’s victory at Sacramento was the Hornets‘ 12th in their last 13 road games, which gives the team confidence that it can succeed in any postseason scenario, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required). “All these games feel like they have a little bit more intensity to them, they have a little bit more meaning,” coach Charles Lee said. “They have a little bit more physicality to them and so every game we are almost looking at it as a postseason game. And you’ve got to develop your habits now because that time of the year, it’s for the prepared. That’s not the time to start preparing for things. And so our guys are trying to find that next level even right now during the regular season.”
- Hawks wing Dyson Daniels continues to expand his game, according to Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription required), who details the 22-year-old’s improvements as a facilitator and offensive rebounder. Daniels missed Thursday’s win over Brooklyn with a left great toe sprain, according to Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link).
Magic Notes: Black, F. Wagner, Morales, Isaac
Magic guard Anthony Black has a left lateral abdominal muscle strain, the team announced (via Twitter). Black underwent an MRI that showed the injury, and the timeline for his return will depend on his response to treatment.
Black left Saturday’s game at Minnesota after two minutes with what was originally diagnosed as a low back strain and was held out of Sunday’s contest at Milwaukee. He was fouled by Jaden McDaniels on a drive to the basket and grabbed at his back area. He briefly remained in the game before being taken to the locker room to get checked, Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel writes in a subscriber-only story.
Beede states that Black is a Most Improved Player candidate, averaging career-highs of 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals in his third NBA season.
The Magic also revealed that Franz Wagner continues to make progress in his recovery from a high ankle sprain, and his return will be determined by how the ankle responds to rehab. Wagner has only been available for 28 games this season and has made just two appearances since January 18.
There’s more from Orlando:
- The Magic are entering one of their most important stretches of the season with six of their next eight games against teams that are battling for postseason position, Beede states in a separate story. Orlando has jumped into sixth place in the East with four straight wins, and Jalen Suggs believes the team has rediscovered its identity on defense. “Especially these last couple (games), guys aren’t going on crazy runs against us,” he said. “We’re doing a really good job of keeping it to seven, six (points) and under, and then doing a great job of responding to not let them get too much momentum rolling. Top to bottom, everybody’s doing a great job right now.”
- After spending four years in the G League, Alex Morales was surprised to receive a two-way contract from the Magic last month, Beede adds in another piece. The 28-year-old point guard was active for an NBA regular season game for the first time last week. “I’m super grateful,” Morales said. “This is what you work for. I’m super appreciative for the opportunity and I’m trusting in it. So, I’m going to continue to work hard for this organization.”
- Jonathan Isaac worked out a deal with to Magic to amend his salary protection for next season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Isaac’s contract originally called for his $8MM partial guarantee for 2026/27 to increase to a full $14.5MM guarantee if he appeared in at least 52 games or remained under contract through July 7. Isaac and the team agreed to remove the games-played criteria and move his full salary guarantee date up to June 28.
Southeast Notes: Herro, Kuminga, Wagner, Ball
Heat guard Tyler Herro has been sidelined since January 15 due to what the team referred to as a rib injury. According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Herro suffered a buckle rib fracture affecting three ribs during a January 10 game in Indiana. He was able to play for three more games after that, receiving Toradol shots to treat his pain, but an MRI revealed the extent of the injury, prompting the club to shut him down for several weeks.
Herro’s time on the inactive list appears to be nearing an end, however. He’s expected to practice on Thursday and return to game action at some point in the coming days, assuming he doesn’t experience any setbacks, Chiang writes.
Injuries have been an issue all season long for Herro, who has been limited to just 11 outings. He has looked like his usual self when he’s been available, averaging 21.9 points in 31.7 minutes per game, with a .497/.358/.902 shooting line.
As Chiang observes, the former All-Star should provide a boost for an offense that has struggled following a strong start to the season. Miami ranks just 22nd in the NBA in offensive rating since December 5, with Herro appearing in just six games during that stretch.
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Recently acquired Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga isn’t yet ready to suit up for his new team — Atlanta announced on Wednesday (via Twitter) that Kuminga will be reevaluated in one week as he continues to rehabilitate a left knee bone bruise. Still, Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required) is intrigued by what the former seventh overall pick could bring to the team once he’s healthy, suggesting that the transition-oriented style favored by Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be a good match for Kuminga’s skill set.
- Magic forward Paolo Banchero said on Wednesday that it’s “unfortunate” teammate Franz Wagner is facing another extended absence due to a troublesome ankle issue, but he stressed that he doesn’t want Wagner coming back “before he’s ready.” As Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel writes (subscription required), head coach Jamahl Mosley echoed that message. “It’s so important — his ability to get it all the way right where he’s not trying to be in, then out, and then the soreness continues to get to him,” Mosley said. “Just making sure it’s right … It’s the long haul for him. It’s the long part of his career that we’re looking at more than anything.”
- Hornets star LaMelo Ball was involved in a car accident in uptown Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon, but he wasn’t injured, according to a report from Joe Marusak, Alex Zietlow, and Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Witnesses described Ball’s camouflage Hummer crashing into a silver sedan in the middle of an intersection and said he eventually exited his car and was escorted into another car.