Moe Wagner Deserves Contract Extension After Magic Win Over Jazz

Orlando's big man played a large role in the win against Utah.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein moves the ball as Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner defends. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic are still in the win column after beating the Utah Jazz 120-117 inside the Kia Center.

A big reason behind the win was the effort of Moe Wagner off the bench. Wagner scored 13 points while making 3 three-pointers and grabbing eight rebounds in the win. He continued to be the team's much-needed energy source as they pulled themselves back from down 17 late in the third quarter to win the game.

"Of course, the team is first and I don’t want to be selfish, but, I mean, it’s addicting dude," Wagner said about being the source of energy in a comeback win.

"That’s what I do, that’s what I love to do, and your perspective changes when you can’t do what you love to do for a long time. So of course, that does something for me. It gives me a great deal of confidence. It gives me a great deal of joy that I kind of found a way back there, you know? And it gives me a great motivation to continue to do that consistently as well, and that we won, is even better.”

Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner dunks past Los Angeles Clippers center Mo Bamba. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Wagner Continues to Prove Himself For Magic

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley had kind words regarding Wagner's efforts during the game, which continues to spark a team looking to get out of the Play-In Tournament picture.

“Yeah, I thought Moe was excellent, in that regard. You know, hit some big-time threes, the energy he brought," Mosley said.

"We said in the last huddle, in the two-minute time, it was just, get it to 10 and then by the quarter, we end up getting it to seven. And so, our mini goals in that situation is what kind of sparks this team to be able to look at just as small goals and try to achieve those versus trying to say, just go find a way to win the game. Just do the mini goals. That’s what’s important.”

The Magic are just three games over .500 with only a pair of contests against the Milwaukee Bucks before the All-Star break, Orlando is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, sitting 2.5 games back of the Philadelphia 76ers for the number six seed. The Magic have been winning ugly or losing for most of the season, so they need to find ways in which they can pull out these victories without so much exhaustion by the end of the game.

They need this energy to come out for four quarters, not just when they are trailing in the second half.