Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal rarely agree but an exciting Orlando Magic team has them both on the same page.
The Magic are flying in the Eastern Conference with an impressive 17-10 record and recently defeated the Phoenix Suns 115-110.
Magic fans were dealt a huge blow recently though with Franz Wagner being ruled out with injury.
The German was averaging 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season, his absence will leave a huge void in the Magic side.
Wagner was a big miss in the 114-109 NBA Cup quarterfinal defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recently labelled Wagner a ‘monster’, highlighting how big of a miss he will be.
However, Barkley and O’Neal still believe NBA sides should fear the Magic.
Whilst the Magic are certainly on course for a great season there is room for concern with the recent injury to Wagner.
Barkley did provide some hope though expressing his belief that the Magic will be ‘scary’ to play if they can get their injury concerns sorted.
Speaking on NBA on TNT, Barkley said: “If they can ever get healthy they will be scary to play. They got a bad break with Wagner going out.”
He went on to explain how the unfortunate injury to the Magic’s other star Paolo Banchero has somewhat benefitted other players on the roster.
Barkley continued: “When you watched them play in the playoffs last year they just gave everything to Paolo, and he was making some mental mistakes down the stretch, those other guys are gaining some confidence now and Suggs is gaining confidence. This team is going to be very dangerous.”
O’Neal was also quick to jump in with praise for the Magic.
He said: “I like the fact with Orlando, with players in with players out you have to really put them away to beat them. We all expected Milwaukee to blow them out but no. Coach Mosley explained the effort that they play with and how they play together, you really have to put this team to bed to win.”
Whilst Barkley and Shaq showered the Magic in praise the team could still face some short-term pain with their two big stars sitting on the sideline.
Amazingly, or somewhat unfortunately, both Banchero and Wagner are out with the same injury, a torn right oblique.
The injury is extremely rare in the NBA and many questions have been asked as to how two players on the same team have managed to sustain this injury.
Banchero has been sidelined since Oct. 31 causing him to miss 21 games this season and coach Mosley recently said that there was still no definite expectation on when he could be back.
Wagner, on the other hand, is set to be re-evaluated in four weeks according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
With Wagner and Banchero out Chandler Parsons has tipped Jalen Suggs as the man to step up for the franchise.
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