After an uneven begin, the Orlando Magic bench, led by Cole Anthony and Anthony Black, erased an early Hawks benefit to go forward as a lot as 22 within the first half and held on for the win on this 7/8 match-up. The Magic transfer on to tackle defending champion Boston, whereas Atlanta faces a goes into playoff purgatory Friday night time – taking over the winner of Chicago and Miami.
The Hawks had been held to a miniscule 3-point capturing proportion for the entire sport, and Orlando held a large benefit in subject aim makes (44-32) and rebounding (54-42). Reserve guards Cole Anthony and Anthony Black had been instrumental to Orlando’s second-half surge with their capturing, playmaking, and vitality.
Orlando was paced by Wendell Carter (19 factors and seven rebounds) and Paolo Banchero (17 factors and 9 rebounds). They acquired substantial bench contributions from Anthony (26 factors and 5 assists) and Black (16 factors and 4 assists), who led the ultimate push within the fourth quarter to complete off the Hawks.
Atlanta’s Trae Younger (28 factors and 6 assists) – who else – led the way in which for his staff after which was assessed two fast technicals for juvenile hijinx when the sport was out of attain, whereas Georges Niang chipped in 15 factors.
Atlanta wasted a quick 7-for-12 spectacular begin by hitting one subject aim over the past seven minutes of the primary quarter. Whereas Banchero had a troublesome time discovering his contact, he shared very generously together with his teammates, and the opposite rotation gamers had been essential in a closing 18-4 run to stun the Hawks. Black was a key a part of that push, and Orlando left the primary up 15.
Anthony (9 factors) and Carter (10 factors) took on Orlando’s duty in sustaining that appreciable benefit within the second interval. The Hawk’s 3-point capturing proportion stayed under 25% and they didn’t surpass the 30-point mark till greater than midway via the second. After Orlando pushed the lead out to 22, Atlanta steadied itself and closed inside 14. That margin remained on the finish of the half.
The Younger that Orlando feared would materialize confirmed up within the third quarter to provoke a run to assist draw Atlanta inside 66-70. All method of Magic pictures fell harmlessly off the rim, and the energized Hawks ran at each alternative and attacked the rim recklessly. Younger’s shot chart would reveal he made pictures from factors all of the blue Magic paint. The Hawks closed inside three earlier than Orlando’s bench guys (Anthony and Jonathan Isaac) helped push them again and shut the third up 79-73.
Observations
The Hawks have the best roster names: Onyeka Okongwu, Mouhamed Gueye, Zaccharie Risacher, and my favourite R&B identify – (Caris) Levert.
Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels appears like a much more athletic Kyle Anderson at each ends.
It appeared like Banchero was making an attempt to drive the motion just a little an excessive amount of within the opening stanza – a number of drives led to awkward chucks together with a block and an airball.
There was a particular wail that made its method via the decrease bowl throughout the stops in motion.
Younger spends an inordinate quantity of gametime complaining about foul calls. Draymond Inexperienced can be jealous.
Orlando has former Nuggets Gary Harris and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope – two guards that I’ve favored rather a lot.
Wagner’s three-point movement is hitchier than Jeremy Sochan’s.
Sequence of the Recreation #1: Magic guard Anthony Black swatted away a Younger try at one finish halfway via the primary quarter and related on his first three on the different finish.
Sequence of the Recreation #2: Late within the opening half, Cory Joseph fed Banchero on the free throw line, and he shoveled a deft dime to Jonathan Isaac for a dunk. Moments later, Isaac dropped off a candy bounce move to Banchero for a lay-up.
Sequence of the Recreation #3: Orlando’s Carter hit a straightaway jumper after which utterly erased Dominick Barlow’s rim-running dunk try to start out the fourth quarter.
Recreation Rundown
Play-in extraordinaire Younger stole an errant Magic move and fed Onyeka Okongwu a stunning lob to start out the night. A transition lay-up by former Spur Cory Joseph put Orlando up for a second. Okongwu, who I didn’t assume had this kind of vary, hit a 26-footer to place the Hawks again up. A 3 by Caldwell-Pope and a five-point flurry by Black put the Magic up 5. Atlanta went ice chilly over the past handful of minutes – save for a (former Spur) Dominick Barlow bucket – and Orlando took benefit with a closing 18-4 run punctuated by a Harris three to go up 32-17.
When he wasn’t getting buckets of his personal, Orlando’s Anthony deftly set-up his large males to assist hold the stress on the Hawks. Carter’s wing three pushed the Atlanta deficit again out to 17. Younger (nor the opposite Hawks) couldn’t join from behind the arc all through a lot of the opening half. Anthony’s three pushed the result in 20. Atlanta confirmed indicators of life with a late 6-0 run, together with Younger’s first three. Orlando went into the half up 61-47.
To start out the third, Atlanta’s protection – significantly Daniels – met Orlando’s gamers additional up within the halfcourt, and after some baskets had been traded, Younger kickstarted a run, wielding a dizzying array of floaters and Tony Parker-like runners. Atlanta’s aggression additionally drew the Magic into the foul bonus midway via. Daniels was the beneficiary of two nice Younger feeds for scoring possibilities. For numerous minutes via the body, Wagner’s and Banchero’s lay-ups had been the one subject targets that fended off the livid Hawks rally. Atlanta acquired to inside three earlier than Anthony paired two knifing lay-ups round an Isaac tip-slame. Orlando went to the fourth up six after Georges Niang put up 5 of his personal.
