Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks 111-102 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday 25 October 2026, according to Eurohoops’ NBA roundup and the Week 7 NBA scoreboard. The win pushed the defending champion Knicks to an unexpected 0-3 start to the season. Wagner finished just one assist shy of a triple-double, adding 13 rebounds and nine assists to his 23 points, according to Eurohoops. “I was pretty aggressive,” the 25-year-old German forward explained in his postgame press conference, when asked about the late explosion. “I was just making bad reads out there the first three quarters.”
Fourth-quarter takeover
The Magic handled business at the Garden, according to Eurohoops, with Wagner completely running the floor in the final quarter. His 21 fourth-quarter points turned a close game into a comfortable win, and his all-round performance — scoring, rebounding and playmaking — was the difference between the two teams. Fellow German Tristan da Silva poured in 19 points, including five shots from deep, according to Eurohoops, while Montenegrin centre Nikola Vucevic added five points, three rebounds and two blocks in limited minutes. Orlando’s international core, led by Wagner, proved too much for a Knicks team still searching for its first win.
Knicks’ worrying start
For New York, 0-3 is a worrying start for the defending champions. The Knicks had high expectations entering the season, but three straight defeats — including a home loss to Orlando — will raise questions about whether the roster needs time to gel or whether there are deeper problems. Losing at Madison Square Garden, in front of their own fans, to a team that executed better in the fourth quarter, will sting. The Knicks’ early-season struggles are a reminder that championships are not retained by reputation. Every team in the NBA improves in the offseason, and Orlando, with Wagner leading the way, look like a team on the rise. New York must find a win quickly, before an 0-3 start becomes a crisis.
Magic’s statement win
For Orlando, the win is a statement. Winning at the Garden, against the champions, with a fourth-quarter takeover from their star forward, is the kind of result that builds a season. Wagner’s performance — 23 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, with 21 points in the fourth — will be remembered as one of the early highlights of the NBA season, and the Magic, for now, look like a team to watch in the Eastern Conference.
