added 18 points and nine rebounds in his return to the lineup, helping the Orlando Magic top the Memphis Grizzlies 118–111 on Thursday in the NBA's first regular-season game held in Germany.
Wagner, returning from a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for over a month, made his comeback on home soil—and for the first time in more than a year, shared the court with his brother, Moritz Wagner. Moritz recently returned from a left ACL tear suffered on Dec. 21, 2024, contributing seven points in 14 minutes.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 30 points, while Santi Aldama added 18 and Cedric Coward 17. Memphis, now losers in seven of its last nine, played without Ja Morant, who sat out with a right calf injury. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed optimism that the two-time All-Star could return Sunday, when the teams face off again in London.
Anthony Black chipped in 21 points for Orlando, which has now won three of its last four games.
Memphis jumped out to a 52–32 lead midway through the second quarter, but Orlando cut the gap to nine by halftime and exploded on a 13–0 run in the third to take an 84–73 lead. The Grizzlies battled back to go ahead 105–102 on GG Jackson’s layup with just over four minutes left, but Franz Wagner answered with a clutch three-pointer and sealed the win by scoring five points in the final 1:39.
The game carried historical weight as well—it marked another milestone in the NBA’s global expansion. The league’s first exhibition game in what was then West Germany took place in 1984, when only 10 international players were on NBA rosters. This season began with a record-setting 135 international players, including 71 from Europe.
According to the league, Thursday’s game drew fans from 62 countries, and more than 250,000 people registered online in hopes of securing tickets. Both teams will now head to London for their next matchup.
— AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
