ORLANDO, Fla. -- After the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons in their first-round playoff matchup, the team faces some uncertainty following an injury to starter Franz Wagner.
The Magic finished off their 94-88 victory over the Pistons on Monday without Wagner, who exited the game for good with 1:34 left in the third quarter due to right calf soreness. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists in 24 minutes, 11 seconds.
Wagner began experiencing some discomfort and signaled to come out of the game late in the third quarter. He went back to the locker room and eventually returned to the bench with a wrap on his right leg, but he wouldn't play again after the team said he was questionable to return.
"It bothered me enough to get out of the game," Wagner said in the locker room after the game. "It sucks to come out of the game. The most important thing is that we got the win, and we'll figure out the rest tomorrow."
With Wagner sidelined, the Magic entered the fourth quarter with a six-point advantage and eventually found themselves tied up at 85 points apiece with 5 1/2 minutes left. The group then finished the game on a 9-3 run to seal the win and put the Pistons on the verge of elimination.
Desmond Bane led the Magic with 22 points and five rebounds, while Paolo Banchero tallied 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Jamal Cain, who played the fourth quarter in place of Wagner, finished with eight points and nine rebounds.
“We put ourselves in position to try to get four, but right now it means nothing,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We have the advantage, and now we just got to make sure we try to keep that advantage.”
JAMAL CAIN ATTACKS THE RIM AND THROWS IT DOWN💥A BIG-TIME POSTER JAM IN GAME 4! pic.twitter.com/oGxTm1uRpb
The Magic, who posted a 45-37 record during the regular season and faced a must-win situation in the play-in tournament, are seeking to win their first playoff series in 16 years and to become just the seventh eighth-seed in history to beat a No. 1 seed.
Orlando may have to do it without Wagner, whose status for Game 5 in Detroit (Wednesday, 7p.m. EDT) will be updated on Tuesday's injury report. Asked if he anticipates being able to play in that contest, Wagner said, "I hope so."
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Magic news: Franz Wagner comments on injury suffered in Game 4 victory