Orlando Magic Brothers Mo Wagner and Franz Wagner Equal Two Quirky NBA Records in a Four-Day Span
Maybe it’s only fitting the Orlando Magic head to Philadelphia next to play in “The City of Brotherly Love,” considering the stellar teamwork brothers Moritz and Franz Wagner have displayed of late while equaling two quirky NBA records over a four-day span.
The Magic, owners of the NBA’s worst record at 8-37 and a dismal 2-16 at Amway Center, don’t have much going for them these days. But at least older brother Mo, and younger brother Franz, have provided some historically significant play of late. They have etched their names in the NBA record books twice since Friday without even knowing it.
Brothers Mo and Franz Wagner have formed a productive duo for the Orlando Magic
Orlando’s one magical moment over the last 27 days — a stretch that has seen it lose 12 of the previous 13 games — came on Friday (Jan. 14) in Charlotte. Orlando benefitted greatly from the return of rookie guard Jalen Suggs, shot better than 50% from the floor for just the second time all season, and carved up Charlotte’s shaky defense in a 116-109 victory.
The Magic’s two leading scorers in that win? Mo Wagner poured in a season-best 26 points, while Franz Wagner was his usual steady self with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
According to SportsRadar, the 45 combined points for the Wagners equaled the NBA record for most points scored by two brothers in the same NBA game. They tied the 45 points that Markieff Morris (31 points) and Marcus Morris (14 points) scored for the Phoenix Suns against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 20, 2015. Also, it was one point ahead of the 44 points that Aaron Holiday (24 points) and Justin Holiday (20 points) scored for the Indiana Pacers against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 18, 2019.
Franz and Mo Wagner also led the Magic in scoring on Dec. 30 in Milwaukee when they combined for 39 points — the fifth-most points ever scored by two brothers in an NBA game. Connie and Johnny Simmons led the Boston Celtics in scoring six times in the 1946-47 season, while Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris did it four times in the 2014-15 season.
Three nights later, Franz Wagner and Mo Wagner equaled more NBA history
On Monday night, Franz and Mo Wagner put their names in the record books with their identical scoring exploits. However, this time, their impacts — and their celebrations, for that matter — were far more subdued.
Both Wagners scored 14 points in Orlando’s hideous 98-88 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and returning guard CJ McCollum, who played for the first time in six weeks because of a collapsed lung. As it turns out, the Wagners’ 14 points tied for the team lead in scoring on a night when the Magic were without head coach Jamahl Mosley (COVID protocols), and they trailed by as much as 24 points in the second half.
According to SportRadar, the Wagner Brothers equaled a mark only the Morris Twins ever accomplished in NBA history — tying for the scoring lead of a team in the same game. Markieff and Marcus had 19 points apiece for the Suns on March 6, 2015, against the Brooklyn Nets.
“The leading scoring together (fact), I don’t really care about that because it just happens in different circumstances, and you can’t really control that,” Mo Wagner said in a post-practice interview on Tuesday via OrlandoMagic.com. “As far as us, we always say we finesse life somehow. We’re in a very privileged situation, and we’re very happy every day.”
The Wagner Brothers have been bright spots in an otherwise difficult season for the Magic
Franz Wagner was mostly overshadowed on draft night in Orlando by teammate Jalen Suggs, a guard drafted three spots earlier at No. 5. However, the 20-year-old small forward from Berlin, Germany, has already opened eyes around the NBA with his steady and fundamentally sound play.
He scored a rookie-best 38 points while repeatedly Euro-stepping his way past Giannis Anteotokounmpo on Dec. 28 against Milwaukee. He has pushed his way into the Rookie of the Year consideration with 10 20-point efforts and the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award for December.
As for the 24-year-old Moritz Wagner, he is trying to survive in the NBA after bouncing from team to team. After also growing up in Berlin and hailing from the University of Michigan, Mo spent one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, 1 1/2 seasons with the Washington Wizards, nine games with the Boston Celtics last season, and a second season with the Magic.
Orlando decided to re-sign Mo over the summer after averaging 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 11 games at the end of the 2020-21 season. This season, Mo has scored in double figures eight times and is averaging 7.5 points in 12.3 minutes a night.
Mo, for one, is delighted to have his younger brother on the same team. Mother, Beate Wagner, and father, Axel Schulz have watched their sons play alongside one another this season with the Magic. And, occasionally, they have seen them equal a bit of NBA history with their scoring exploits.
“For me, it’s helped me a great deal to have my family with me,” Mo said at Tuesday’s post-practice media availability. “To be able to share this experience with my brother, it’s incredible.”
Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com
