US sports compact: Wagner brothers end their negative series abroad with Orlando

The decisive factor was the strong third quarter: With a 17-0 run, the Magic moved ahead with a 22-point difference, and Franz Wagner scored ten of his total 20 points during this pressure phase. After the Spurs had reduced the lead to 96:99 in the final phase of the game, Orlando didn't allow any more points for three minutes. Moritz Wagner scored ten points, while French league newcomer Victor Wembanyama scored 21 points for Spurs. The Magic remain in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Daniel Theis was also successful away from home with the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Clippers prevailing over the Washington Wizards with 125:109 (66:60). The guests dominated the third quarter 40:19 and pulled away to a 27-point difference before the final period, with Theis scoring four points. With the sixth win from the last seven games, the Clippers maintain third place in the Western Conference.

Maxi Kleber and the Dallas Mavericks suffered a clear 87:121 (48:52) defeat at the Minnesota Timberwolves. In their second worst loss of the season, the Texans had to do without their two injured stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Kleber didn't get beyond three points.

The Oklahoma City Thunder won the top game of the Western Conference against the Denver Nuggets 105:100 (47:51). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 34 points, the Nuggets had to do without their star Nikola Jokic. While the Thunder maintain second place, the Nuggets slide down one spot to fourth.

Fresh blood for the Seattle Seahawks: Mike Macdonald (36) will be the successor to master coach Pete Carroll (72) at the club from the US professional football league NFL. Macdonald, previously defensive coordinator for the play-off semifinalist Baltimore Ravens, is now taking on his first managerial position. The new head coach of the 2014 Super Bowl champion is half as old as his predecessor and is the ninth Seahawks coach in franchise history.

“What an honor,” said Macdonald upon his arrival: “We are here to bring the championship back to Seattle. We're going to have a lot of fun, we're going to work hard and it's going to be an incredible ride. We will stay here for a long time and win a lot of games.”

The Seahawks had disappointed in the previous main round, missed the play-offs and yet surprisingly parted ways with their head coach after 14 seasons. Carroll, the league's oldest coach to date, will remain with the franchise as an advisor. Macdonald is now the youngest head coach in the NFL.

Due to his commitment, there is only one position left open, the Washington Commanders are still looking. The New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans had previously hired new head coaches. The Las Vegas Raiders promoted their previous interim solution, Antonio Pierce.

National ice hockey player Tim Stützle won the German NHL duel against Moritz Seider. Stützle's Ottawa Senators defeated Seider's Detroit Red Wings 3-2 after overtime, but are still last in the Atlantic Division despite their second success in a row.

The Red Wings (26) have six more wins. In the play-off race, the team currently occupies the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 58 points. Defender Seider remained without a scorer against the Senators, as did attacker Stützle.

The NBA is extending the draft to two days this year. The first round of talent drawing is scheduled to take place on June 26th in a large setting at the Brooklyn Nets' Barclays Center, and the second round will take place the following day in the ESPN television studios. It is believed that it will help the teams if there is time for meetings and considerations after the first round, the NBA announced on Wednesday. There are five minutes of thinking time between the so-called picks in the first round, and in the second round there will be four minutes instead of the current two.

During the draft, the teams are allowed to select young talents in turn. The worst teams from the previous season start. The additions sometimes have enormous importance for the teams' future successes. Last year, the San Antonio Spurs selected Frenchman Victor Wembanyama first overall. The now 20-year-old is considered the greatest basketball talent since LeBron James and has made a good impression so far this season.