The Orlando Magic suffered a major blow in their game against the New York Knicks when their star forward Franz Wagner left the game early in the first quarter due to a left leg injury.

The incident occurred with 4 minutes and 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Wagner received a high pass from his teammate and was preparing to dunk when he was fouled hard in mid-air by Knicks center Ariel Hulkpool.

This caused Wagner to land unsteadily, clutching his knee in pain, and was helped off the court by his teammates to the locker room. The referee reviewed the foul but ultimately upheld the call for a common foul.

The Magic immediately announced that Wagner would not return to the game and would undergo further evaluation after the team returns to Orlando. His specific injury details have not yet been released. The Magic will host the Miami Heat in Tuesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal game in the UAE, but Wagner's availability is questionable.

Head coach Jamal Mosley said frankly after the game: "You never want to see any player go down, but it hurt my heart to see him fall to the ground. He always does the right thing, and we absolutely do not want to see this happen to him."

Wagner has had a stellar season, leading the team in scoring with an average of 23.4 points per game. He scored 7 points in just 7 minutes before leaving the game, demonstrating his hot streak. His sudden injury not only impacted the team's performance in this game but could also have a significant impact on the Magic's upcoming schedule.

Mosley stated that the team must rely on depth and defense to compensate for potential absences: "We've been in similar situations before, and we must learn from the past. No matter how long the injury lasts, other players must step up."