The NBA play-in game went on as expected, with the Atlanta Hawks challenging the Orlando Magic on the road in a crucial battle for a playoff spot. At the beginning of this game, the two teams played very intense, the score you and I, no one side can easily pull away from the gap. However, in the second half of the first quarter, the Eagles suddenly fell into a scoring drought, while the Magic took the opportunity to play a wave of 18-2 fierce offense, instantly pull the score.
To the second quarter, the Magic team more and more courageous, once the lead will be extended to more than 20 points. Although the Hawks fought hard to catch up, they still trailed by 14 points at the end of the half. At the beginning of the second half, Trae Young, the core of the Hawks, started to make an effort to lead the team to launch a crazy comeback, once narrowing the gap to 3 points and making the game tense again.
But the Magic were not intimidated, they multi-point blossomed and stabilized their position in time. Into the final quarter, the Magic once again launched an attack to re-stretch the score. At this time, Trae Young was ejected by the referee due to his emotional outburst and received two consecutive technical fouls in a short period of time. Magic took the opportunity to play a wave of 18-3 high tide, completely kill the game suspense. In the end, the Hawks lost to Magic by a score of 95-120.
Magic use defense to overwhelm their opponents, Hawks offense fails to work
From the season data, the Hawks are a team known for their offense, scoring 118.2 points per game in the regular season, ranking fifth in the league, while the Magic are known for their defense, allowing only 105.5 points per game, making them one of the strongest defensive teams in the league. However, their offense is relatively weak, scoring only 105.4 points per game, ranking third from the bottom of the league.
In this game, Magic showed their hard power in the defensive end, but also played well on offense, the whole game in the rebound to 54-42 complete victory over the Hawks, fast break points is 19-4 crushed opponents. The eagle’s interior is completely suppressed, the outside is also cold, the team three-point shooting only 4 of 21, hitting rate as low as 19%, even the three-point unstable magic than they are strong, magic three-point hitting rate of 11 in 39.
Trae Young played well but lost and lost the game
Trae Young is to blame for the Hawks’ loss. Although his personal performance is quite good, the whole game played 39 minutes, 21 shots 8, of which 5 three-point shot only 1, but the free throw performance is stable, 12 free throws hit 11, cut down the highest 28 points, plus 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal. Trae Young as the eagle’s offensive core, this season is the regular season assists king, his state directly determine the eagle’s offensive efficiency.
In the third quarter, he scored 12 points, and almost pulled the Hawks out of the deep pit with his own strength, almost completing the reversal. However, in the last quarter of the game, he was out of control under pressure, continuously expressing dissatisfaction with the referee, was blown two technical fouls, and was eventually expelled from the game. His departure from the game also completely cut off the Hawks’ hopes for a comeback. Such behavior not only affects the team’s morale, but also damages his image as a leader.
The Magic’s replacement wunderkind explodes, Anthony’s performance is stunning
Although Magic won the game, their double core of Benkello and Wagner Jr. didn’t perform well. Benkello only hit 4 out of 13 shots in the whole game and got 17 points; Wagner Jr. hit 6 out of 15 shots and got only 13 points. Especially in the three-point line, the two combined 8 shots 0, hit rate hanging zero.
But fortunately, magic backup guard Cole Anthony stepped up to become the biggest surprise of the game. He came off the bench for 20 minutes, 10 of 17 shots, 4 of 9 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, 26 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, plus-minus value of up to +32. He broke out in the crucial fourth quarter, scored 13 points and sent 4 assists, can be said to be the pin of the sea.
Anthony’s outstanding play set the stage for the Magic to win and revitalize their bench for the upcoming playoffs.
The Magic will challenge the Green Army and usher in a new chapter in the playoffs.
With this big win, the Magic are officially locked into seventh place in the Eastern Conference and will face the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs this season. It’s definitely a tough battle, but the Magic are not without a chance to win.
Looking back at the two teams’ record this season, the Magic have won two and lost one of their three games against the Greens. However, it is worth noting that the last meeting was at the end of the regular season, when the Celtics carried out a large-scale rotation, so the data reference value is not great.
The Magic’s most prominent weapons this season have been their defense and their tall, flexible front lineup, which could provide some advantages against the Celtics. But the Greens, as the most balanced offensive and defensive powerhouse in the league, are clearly above the Magic in experience and strength.
For the Magic, making the playoffs is already a stage-by-stage success, and their young lineup is growing. This encounter with the Celtics is more like a “growth test”, and no matter what the result is, it will be an important accumulation for their future rise.
Summary
The Hawks crashed and burned in the play-in game, losing not only the game, but also their core players. Trae Young was ejected from the game despite his best efforts, and his performance was a bit out of character. The Magic, on the other hand, won the game with strong defense and team play, and the outbursts of their bench players were also a sight to behold.
The win not only helped the Magic advance to the playoffs, but also showed their potential as a young team. Facing the Greens next, they are undoubtedly the challengers, but they may also bring surprises.
Fans, do you think the Magic have a chance to knock out the Celtics in a blowout? Feel free to discuss your thoughts in the comments section!
