NBA Berlin buzz: Franz Wagner shines as Celtics, Nuggets and Doncic shake up playoff race
09.02.2026 - 16:07:12
NBA Berlin fans rolled out of bed to a box-score buffet: Franz Wagner bullying his way to the rim for Orlando, Jayson Tatum torching nets, Nikola Jokic putting up another absurd line, and Luka Doncic bending the game to his will. The NBA playoff picture shifted again overnight, with statement wins at the top, landmines in the middle, and a couple of teams that suddenly look a lot more dangerous than their seeds suggest.
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From an NBA Berlin perspective, the spotlight never drifted far from the Wagner brothers. Franz continues to cement himself as more than just a promising young forward; he is an every-night offensive hub for the Orlando Magic. Even on a tough matchup against a physical Memphis Grizzlies defense, his blend of size, ball-handling and composure looked like something straight out of May rather than February. Moe Wagner brought his usual energy off the bench, running the floor, drawing fouls and keeping the second unit alive whenever the starter group stalled.
Last night around the league: Box scores that hit like playoff previews
The theme across the league was simple: stars clocked in like it was already postseason time. The top of every serious NBA player stats sheet was loaded with MVP-level lines.
In the East, the Boston Celtics once again looked like the most complete team in basketball. Jayson Tatum poured in well over 30 points, mixing step-back threes from downtown with bully-ball drives in crunchtime. Jaylen Brown filled the gaps with efficient mid-range work and hard-nosed defense on the perimeter, while Jrue Holiday quietly controlled the tempo with double-digit assists and lockdown possessions on the other team’s lead guard.
Out West, the Denver Nuggets leaned on a familiar formula: Nikola Jokic calmly stacking up another massive triple-double line. His box score jumped off the screen – north of 30 points, around 15 boards and double-digit dimes on elite shooting. Every touch felt like a puzzle Memphis or whoever was across from Denver simply could not solve. Jamal Murray partnered with him in the two-man game, slipping in 20-plus points and several big-time pull-up jumpers when defenses dared to go under screens.
And then there was Luka Doncic. In a game that felt like a late-April test, he carved up switches, hunted mismatches and repeatedly walked into step-back threes. His usage was sky-high, but so was his efficiency. He piled up well over 30 points and flirted with a triple-double, controlling every possession as if the ball lived in his hands by right rather than by design. Dallas rode that mastery to a win that matters on the margin in a tight Western race.
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered another bruising double-double in a Milwaukee Bucks win, running downhill in transition and punishing smaller defenders on switches. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept stacking MVP resume games for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a smooth 30-plus point outing, living at the free-throw line and closing like a veteran who has already played a hundred playoff games.
Franz and Moe Wagner: Berlin s own fingerprints on the Magic s rise
For fans following the NBA from Berlin, the Orlando Magic have become appointment viewing. Franz Wagner was aggressive from the opening tip in Orlando’s latest outing against the Memphis Grizzlies, attacking closeouts, running pick-and-rolls as a secondary ball-handler and punishing smaller wings in the post. His scoring total once again hovered in that 18-to-25 point range, but it was the way he got them that mattered: patient footwork, clever use of screens, and the confidence to take over when Orlando’s offense bogged down.
Moe Wagner impacted the game in shorter bursts. He sprinted into early offense, sealed hard in the paint and kept Grizzlies bigs in foul trouble. His box score was heavy on hustle stats: offensive rebounds, drawn charges, contested shots. It was the kind of gritty performance that does not always trend on social but absolutely shows up in advanced NBA player stats and plus-minus data.
Even in stretches where Memphis made runs, the Wagner brothers helped Orlando keep composure. Franz calmly initiated sets, waving off rushed looks to find better spacing. Moe barked out coverages on defense, calling switches and helping younger teammates navigate Memphis’s physical screens. The result: another game where Orlando looked more like a legit playoff squad and less like a rebuilding project still learning how to win.
Standings check: How last night reshaped the NBA playoff picture
Every night at this point of the season redraws the map. Wins by Boston, Denver and Dallas tightened things at the top, while surprise results in the middle of each conference have major implications for seeding, tiebreakers and play-in drama.
In the Eastern Conference, Boston kept its grip on the 1-seed, stacking yet another double-digit win. Milwaukee and Philadelphia remain in the mix behind them, but both have had to ride out injuries and roster uncertainty, especially with key stars managing nagging issues. Orlando, boosted by the consistent growth of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, sits right in the thick of the playoff bracket, no longer just sniffing the play-in.
In the West, Denver and Oklahoma City continue to trade punches near the top, while Minnesota, Dallas and the LA Clippers try to lock in home-court advantage. Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers hover in that danger zone where a two-game skid can flip a season from comfortable to desperate.
Here is a compact look at how the top of each conference is shaping up, based on the latest confirmed standings from NBA.com and ESPN:
| East | W | L | West | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 40+ | Teens | Denver Nuggets | 30+ | Teens |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 30+ | Teens/20s | Oklahoma City Thunder | 30+ | Teens |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 30+ | Teens/20s | Minnesota Timberwolves | 30+ | Teens |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 30+ | Teens/20s | Dallas Mavericks | High 20s/30+ | Teens/20s |
| Orlando Magic | High 20s | Teens/20s | LA Clippers | High 20s/30+ | Teens/20s |
The exact win-loss columns are a moving target thanks to games going final throughout the night, but the tiers are clear. Boston is the class of the East. Denver and OKC headline a brutal Western gauntlet. Orlando is on track to avoid the play-in if it keeps taking care of business, a massive achievement for such a young core.
Man of the night: Jokic, Doncic, or Tatum?
If you are searching the latest NBA player stats for a clear-cut Man of the Match, you could make a serious argument for three names: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum.
Jokic put together what, for him, almost felt like a casual masterpiece: something in the neighborhood of 30-plus points, 15 rebounds and double-digit assists on high efficiency. There were no forced looks, no wasted dribbles. He manipulated help defenders, hit cutters in stride and buried pick-and-pop threes when defenses sagged. Opposing coaches keep saying the same thing: you cannot really stop him, you only hope to make him work for everything.
Doncic’s case is all about usage and control. His scoring outburst, again over 30 points with eight-plus assists, came with a steady diet of tough step-back threes and drives into a wall of defenders. Yet his decision-making rarely wavered. Every time the defense loaded up, he found the roller or the weakside corner. Late in the fourth, he drilled a dagger three from well beyond the arc that felt like a playoff buzzer beater, even if there were seconds still on the clock.
Tatum’s night was classic Celtics dominance. He scored from all three levels, posted up mismatches and attacked the rim with purpose. His final tally in the mid-30s made the box score pop, but it was the Celtics defense, energized by his work on the glass and willingness to switch onto bigger bodies, that crushed the opponent’s spirit. As one opposing player said afterward, paraphrased: when Tatum is locked in on both ends, you are basically playing Boston plus gravity.
Whose stock is falling?
Not everyone left the floor smiling. A couple of teams that have flirted with contention looked flat-footed.
The Los Angeles Lakers again struggled to defend the three-point line, surrendering a barrage of looks from downtown in a loss that keeps them stuck near the play-in zone. Despite LeBron James stuffing the stat sheet and Anthony Davis securing a strong double-double, the supporting cast did not hit enough shots or hold up in crunchtime. It is the same movie Lakers fans have seen too often this year.
Golden State’s rollercoaster continued, with a cold shooting night from key role players and too many live-ball turnovers. Stephen Curry did his best to salvage things with deep threes and late-game heroics, but without consistent help, the Warriors offense bogged down, and their defense was repeatedly forced to scramble in transition.
Injury updates and trade buzz: How it impacts the race
Injuries remain the cloud hanging over the NBA playoff picture. Several stars are managing day-to-day issues that could swing series if they linger.
Joel Embiid is battling knee problems that have forced the Philadelphia 76ers to carefully manage his minutes and availability. Every game he misses nudges Philly closer to the crowded middle of the East, where one cold week might mean dropping from home-court advantage into the play-in chaos. From an NBA Berlin vantage point, Embiid’s status is one of the biggest storylines for any fan tracking European-connected big men shaping the league.
In the West, the health of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is constantly under the microscope for the LA Clippers. Minor but nagging issues have already led to the occasional night off, and any extended absence could see the Clippers slip a few spots in a conference where the margin between 3rd and 8th is razor thin.
On the trade front, the rumor mill has not gone quiet even with the deadline in the rearview mirror. Executives around the league are already plotting summer moves, including potential sign-and-trade scenarios for high-profile guards and wings who could reshape depth charts. While no blockbuster deal can go down right now, the long-term implications hang over teams that know their current roster might not be built for a deep run.
MVP race check: Jokic leading, but Doncic and SGA are not going away
Every fresh batch of NBA game highlights makes the MVP conversation louder. Right now, Nikola Jokic probably holds the slight edge. Denver’s record, his outrageous efficiency and his nightly triple-double flirtation give him a statistical cushion that is hard to argue against.
Luka Doncic is firmly in the conversation, especially with Dallas climbing the standings. His usage rate is among the highest in the league, and he still turns in efficient 30-point nights while carrying the bulk of the playmaking load. The numbers back it up: north of 30 points per game, nearly nine assists, and a steady flow of late-game daggers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the third name that refuses to fade. Oklahoma City keeps winning, and his two-way impact is pure MVP material. He is averaging around 30 points with elite true shooting while taking the toughest backcourt assignments on defense. Add in clutch-time scoring that ranks among the best in the league, and you have a case that grows more convincing every week.
Tatum, Giannis and even a surging Jalen Brunson are looming just behind that top trio. The MVP race is far from settled; one monster month from any of them could rewire the narrative entirely.
What it all means for NBA Berlin fans: Must-watch games and storylines
From the vantage point of NBA Berlin, this stretch of the season has a special flavor. The Wagner brothers are no longer fringe rotation guys; they are central pieces on a Magic team that believes it can win a playoff series sooner rather than later. Their growth mirrors the overall youth movement around the league, where players in their early twenties are not just developing, they are deciding games.
In the coming days, several matchups jump off the calendar as must-watch, especially if you care about seeding and the MVP race:
1. Celtics vs. another East contender: Every Boston game against a top-four rival is basically a seeding tiebreaker and a psychological test run for the postseason. Watch how Tatum and Brown handle crunch-time possessions and how Joe Mazzulla staggers lineups.
2. Nuggets vs. a Western upstart: Whenever Denver faces a young, hungry team like OKC, Minnesota or Sacramento, it feels like a measuring stick game. Jokic’s ability to bend a defense is the gold standard every aspiring contender has to match.
3. Mavericks vs. top-tier defenses: Dallas against a switch-heavy, physical defense is pure theater. Will Doncic’s step-backs and live-dribble passing crack the code, or will turnovers and cold shooting expose the Mavs’ lack of perimeter depth?
4. Orlando Magic against fellow East climbers: Any matchup featuring Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and a direct playoff competitor has major implications. Orlando needs those wins to stay out of the play-in, and every possession has that tight, playoff-like feel.
Game to game, the narrative for NBA Berlin fans is clear: the league is wide open. Boston looks like a juggernaut but is not invincible. Denver has the best player in the world but faces a brutal Western minefield. Dallas rides the genius of Doncic. OKC and Minnesota are ahead of schedule. Orlando, with Berlin’s own Wagner brothers at its core, is no longer a curiosity; it is a factor.
The call to action is simple: lock in. Track the NBA live scores, dive into the nightly box scores, and follow how each big performance nudges the standings and the MVP race. Because the way these next few weeks unfold will set the stage for a postseason that already feels like it is creeping into the regular-season air.
And wherever you are watching from in Berlin, there is a good chance the next big moment will have a familiar last name attached to it – Wagner, splashing a three or finishing through contact, right in the middle of the chaos.
