The night of February 22-23, 2026, was not a happy one for German representatives in the NBA. Dennis Schröder suffered his first loss with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending a winning streak. The Los Angeles Clippers, with Daniel Theis in the lineup, also lost. Franz Wagner still cannot return to play for the Orlando Magic due to injury, weakening his team in the playoff race.

Schröder's First Loss with the Cavs

Dennis Schröder recorded his first loss since transferring to the Cleveland Cavaliers. His team lost on the road to the Chicago Bulls.

Franz Wagner's Ongoing Injury

Franz Wagner, a key player for the Orlando Magic, still cannot play due to injury. His absence complicates his team's fight for a high position in the conference.

Theis and the Clippers Also Lose

Daniel Theis had a good performance as a reserve but could not prevent the Los Angeles Clippers from losing at home.

During the night of February 22-23, 2026, in NBA games, results unfavorable for German players occurred. The main topic in German sports media became Dennis Schröder's first loss since his February transfer to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Ohio team lost on the road to the Chicago Bulls, thus ending a winning streak involving the German captain. Dennis Schröder is a key figure of German basketball's golden generation. As captain, he led the German national team to a historic victory at the 2023 World Cup. He has played in the NBA since 2013, previously for the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics. The Cleveland Cavaliers, after LeBron James' departure in 2018, are rebuilding the team around young stars like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, aiming to return to the top of the Eastern Conference. The second significant storyline was Franz Wagner's prolonged injury. The young forward for the Orlando Magic missed another game, which poses a serious problem for his team during a crucial phase of the season. The Orlando Magic, built around the Wagner-Banchero duo, aspires to secure a direct spot in the play-off phase, and the absence of one of their offensive pillars significantly complicates this. „Franz Wagner weiter verletzt: Dennis Schröder kann in der NBA doch noch verlieren” (Franz Wagner still injured: Dennis Schröder can still lose in the NBA) — n-tv. This headline emphasizes the intertwined fates of both stars in German coverage. The third loss was recorded by Daniel Theis. The experienced center, a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Cup, played as a reserve for the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite his energetic contribution off the bench, the California team failed to defend its home court and lost. This defeat could have consequences for the Clippers' position in the extremely tight Western Conference, where a fierce battle is waged for every spot in the standings. The Los Angeles club, with stars like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, has been striving for a championship title for years, so far without success.Results of Teams with German Players (02/23/2026): Cleveland Cavaliers (Schröder): loss, Orlando Magic (Wagner): injury, Los Angeles Clippers (Theis): loss This night showed how fickle the fortunes of players can be in the demanding NBA league, where dozens of battles are fought daily, and form and health determine success. For German fans, however, the most important thing is the full availability of both leaders, Schröder and Wagner, ahead of the national team's summer international tournaments.

Mentioned People

  • Dennis Schröder — German basketball player, point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and captain of the German national team.
  • Franz Wagner — German basketball player, forward for the Orlando Magic, bronze medalist at the 2023 World Cup.
  • Daniel Theis — German basketball player, center for the Los Angeles Clippers, bronze medalist at the 2023 World Cup.
  • Paolo Banchero — Basketball player for the Orlando Magic, teammate of Franz Wagner.