“Sometimes you just have to take the risk and jump off the cliff.”
This is a quote by Moritz Wagner from his podcast with Arne Greskowiak, and I couldn’t start this column any better than with these words. That was definitely my motto last week. Shoutout to Moritz! I actually got the chance to tell him pre-game against the Knicks how much this part of the podcast meant to me.
I’ve lived my whole life by this motto, but hearing it from someone like Moritz, who usually comes across as so grounded, definitely encouraged me in everything that was on my plate this week.
Three games in five days, and the middle one was in Miami. It all started at Madison Square Garden. My first time at MSG! You can’t imagine how excited I was. So many images rushing through my mind just by saying the name, and now I finally had the chance to give it a touch of reality by stepping into the arena myself.
Knicks vs. Magic – an Emirates Cup game. And I know, there are a lot of haters out there questioning whether the Cup is even necessary or people feeling overwhelmed by the courts. As for me, I’m all in for the Cup. I love the intensity it brings to what’s usually a slow-paced regular- season game in November or December. I also love the court design. This just proves once again that I appreciate it when people dare to be bold.
I also got to witness once again – like in the Nets vs. Magic game – four Germans on the court. After Dennis Schröder, Moritz Wagner, Franz Wagner, and Tristan da Silva, it was now Moritz, Franz, Tristan, and Ariel Hukporti. Unfortunately, Ariel only got three minutes in this game, but I watched his warm-up shooting. He has impressive athleticism, and his shot already looks quite clean. I really believe he has what it takes for us to see more of him in the future.
Now, let’s talk about Moritz and Franz. Even though the Magic lost in the end, 50 out of their 106 points came from these two – 30 from Franz and 20 from Moritz. Later in the press conference, I asked Franz if he could still be somehow a little bit proud of this stat despite the loss. Unsurprisingly, he said no.
My thoughts on this: Not every game can be a win. That’s why I think it’s important to be proud of your performance, even if you walk away with a loss. Watching what Moritz and Franz are doing is so impressive. That’s why it’s even more frustrating that we recently heard Franz has a right oblique injury. All we can do now is hope and pray he still gets his All-Star nomination – he deserves it. Let’s hope it heals faster than expected.
It’s also great to see the dynamics of the Magic players growing into a more cohesive unit. Even KCP is finding his role, and we’re seeing the KCP who won a championship with the Nuggets two years ago.
Next – my flight from NYC to Miami, and let me tell you, that was tough.
The game at the Garden was on December 3rd, and the game at the Kaseya Center was on December 4th.
That evening, I ran into Christoph Dommisch (Icke) at MSG, completely unexpectedly. We had such great conversations, so you can imagine how late I got back to the hotel after an already late tip-off.
After barely four hours of sleep, I somehow managed to make it to the airport at the last second – literally – and got to the Heat vs. Lakers game on time.
The game started out well, but by the second quarter, the Lakers just stopped playing defense. Was it because some players might have explored Miami’s nightlife the night before, or is it just frustration with the current situation? I think it’s the latter. The former probably just helped keep the mood from hitting rock bottom. The GMs have been watching this unfold for a little too long without making any trades. Of course, it’s hard to judge from the outside. We don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors, but I think it’s about time the Lakers make some trades. Which players? Luckily, that’s not for me to decide.
Aside from the tough blowout for the Lakers, it’s always a pleasure to see the team behind the scenes. Over the course of my journey, I’ve definitely covered more Lakers games than anything else, so a lot of people on this team hold a special place in my heart. That’s why it’s always great to hear there’s interest in bringing Dennis back.
Why they’ve never managed to work things out with Dennis long-term is still a mystery to me. Instead, they keep letting him go, only to realize later, “Damn, we actually need him.” I’ll get back to Dennis in a bit.
First, let’s talk about LeBron to keep things in order. I had the great privilege of asking him a question in the locker room after the game. Even though I’ve done this a few times now, it still feels surreal – especially in a building where he won two titles with the Heat. With that in mind, my question to LeBron was:
“What goes through your mind when you realize that, even though this is technically an away game for you, Miami fans are gathering around you during your warm-up, calling out to you, while some of the Heat team is warming up on the other side and no one’s is really watching them?”
LeBron: “It’s a blessing, for sure, it’s definitely a blessing to have the fans here. I’m in their home arena. Obviously, I have a lot of ties here – a lot of fans still here, from the time I played in this arena. Loved my time when I was here, and it’s always great feeling coming back in this building.”
These are the moments when I stand there and feel incredibly grateful to be able to share the legacy of one of the greatest athletes on this planet.
In two weeks, I’ll head back to Miami to catch another Heat game. This team is one of the hardest to predict. Every time I think they lack depth in the roster, they turn a stone into a diamond out of nowhere, and I end up saying, “Never bet against Heat culture.”
Plus, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are having incredible seasons. Especially Tyler – his stats right now, are nice to read. I’m happy for him because he’s taken so much hate over the past years. If he can keep this up, Jimmy stays healthy, and Bam keeps hitting threes, I can’t wait to see this team in the playoffs. Unless, of course, the rumors come true, and we see a Jimmy Butler trade this season – which I honestly hope, is not going to happen.
After a day off in Miami, soaking up some sun and checking on the D-Wade statue – which I REALLY find impressive, despite all the memes that are starting to annoy me – I headed back to NYC for my final game against the Bucks.
That day was intense. It was an early game, which also meant prime time in Germany, so it was a broadcast game for me, with RanSport on ProSieben MAXX, for the Jump Ran show. Last week, I celebrated my first-ever live segment on the show, and since it went so well, I got to do it again this time. Pre-game and post-game were both scheduled.
Once I got to the Barclays Center, I went short after to Dennis in the locker room to talk about what I could report during the live segment. To get another perspective, I also asked a few fans what they thought about the current situation with the Brooklyn Nets – should they tank, or should they go all-in for the playoffs?
Thank God everything worked out with the pre-game live segment shortly afterward.
Then tip-off. How tough was this game! Brooklyn for me surprisingly lost in the end. In my opinion, a few minor mistakes cost them the game – mistakes that probably could and should have been avoided. I felt especially bad for Dennis because we got to witness the best game of his career so far: 34 points, 11 assists, and zero turnovers. He became the 5th Net ever to achieve a stat line of 30+ points, 10+ assists, and 0 turnovers.
With performances like that, Dennis is strengthening his trade case. Who wouldn’t want a 3-and-D player who always knows where his teammates are, delivers the right assist, is rarely injured, is a team player and locker-room guy, has tons of experience, doesn’t slow down, and casually adds an improved three-point shot to his game? The dream of every franchise.
Dennis’ words on the whole topic:
“My focus is entirely on making the playoffs with the Brooklyn Nets.”
And how could I end this column better than with this beautiful quote from our German captain?
Until next time, Your Flight Girl
