The Orlando Magic clinched the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed with a commanding 120–95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Tuesday’s NBA Play-In Tournament. This win propels Orlando into a first-round playoff matchup against the Boston Celtics, commencing Sunday in Boston.
Cole Anthony led the Magic off the bench, scoring 26 points and dishing out six assists. Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 19 points, while Paolo Banchero added 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Rookie Anthony Black also made a significant impact with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Orlando’s bench outscored Atlanta’s reserves 57–30, highlighting the team’s depth.
The Magic established an early lead with an 18–2 run to close the first quarter, ending the period ahead 32–17. Although the Hawks narrowed the gap to three points late in the third quarter, Orlando responded with a dominant 41-point fourth quarter to seal the win.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points and six assists but was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving two technical fouls for arguing with officials. The Hawks will now host the winner of the Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat game for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, with the victor facing the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
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