The Orlando Magic are on the brink of something special—their first Eastern Conference semifinals appearance in 16 years—but the path just got steeper. Star forward Franz Wagner is sidelined with a right calf strain, leaving the team to fight for that elusive series win without one of their key playmakers.

Wagner went down during the third quarter of Monday's Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons, unable to return. He was ruled out for Game 5 on Wednesday and has now been officially listed as out for Friday's Game 6 at home, according to Magic beat reporter Jason Beede. The injury update came as a blow to a team that had built a 3-2 series lead, but now faces the Pistons without their German star.

In Game 5, Paolo Banchero delivered a vintage 40-point performance, but it wasn't enough to counter Cade Cunningham's own 40-point outburst for Detroit. The Magic are painfully close to a playoff round they haven't seen since 2010, but that one-game gap feels much wider without Wagner on the floor.

At this point, Wagner's return timetable remains uncertain. The Magic's medical staff is monitoring the right calf strain closely, but with the series potentially ending Friday, every day counts. For now, Orlando will lean on their depth and home-court advantage, hoping to close out the Pistons without their star forward. If they can push through, Wagner's potential return in the next round could be the boost they need to make a deep postseason run.