The Atlanta Hawks lost 120-95 to the Orlando Magic in their first play-in game on Tuesday night following a win against them to end the regular season on Sunday. The Hawks entered the SoFi play-in game with an overall play-in record of 3-1 since the inception of the format in 2020.
The Magic built a sizable lead in the first half and led by as many as 22 points. The Hawks struggled from three and finished the first half down 61-47. The team shot 40% while guard Trae Young shot 27% from the field.
The Hawks clawed their way back to contention after a slow scoring output from the Magic in the third quarter. A layup from Hawks guard Caris LeVert with three minutes left in the quarter cut the Magic’s lead to 71-68.
A 17-foot jump shot and dunk from forward Wendell Carter Jr. helped the Magic gain momentum for the rest of the game. Guard Cole Anthony’s 13 points in the fourth quarter added to the scoring production, while the Magic maintained their lead and won the game.
The Hawks still have the chance to keep their playoff hopes alive and will face the winner of the play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat to determine the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference on April 14.
Hawks bench unit shines in last regular season game
In a press conference prior to Sunday’s game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder emphasized that the team’s development this season was thanks to a collective effort by the players instead of individual performances.
Forward Jalen Johnson had a breakout year before going down with a season-ending injury in late January, averaging 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists a game this season. Guard Dyson Daniels led the NBA in deflections and deflections per game, while Young earned an All-Star selection as an injury replacement for Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Hawks entered the last game of the regular season against the Magic on April 13 on a two-game win streak. Despite it being Fan Appreciation Day, both teams knew their seeding before the game. As a result, they used the game as an opportunity to rest their players. Although key players such as Young and forward Paolo Banchero were put on inactive lists, Risacher remained a starter.
Synder added to this sentiment in a press conference prior to the game and said that the Hawks were more focused on Tuesday’s play-in game against the Magic and saw the opportunity to prepare for the postseason strategically.
“Over the course of last week, this game could’ve taken a lot of different shapes had we won in Orlando, either one of us dropped a game, missed a game, whatever the case may be,” Snyder said.
The first quarter began with guard Keaton Wallace leading the point, dishing it to wing Terance Mann for the first bucket of the game. Magic forward Jonathan Isaac had a strong start with six points and two blocks in the quarter. Despite shooting poorly from three, the Magic capitalized on the Hawks’ turnover errors and kept the game close early. Toward the end of the quarter, the Magic committed three more turnovers and forward Vít Krejčí hit two three-pointers, giving the Hawks a seven-point lead.
The Magic continued committing turnovers in the second quarter, while Hawks players such as guard Daeqwon Plowden and forwards Garrison Mathews and Jacob Toppin sank shots from deep. The Magic eventually found their groove and cut the Hawks’ lead from 10 to two after scoring contributions from veteran guard Gary Harris and forward Tristan da Silva.
An alley-oop dunk from Wallace to forward Dominick Barlow re-energized the Hawks. A few plays later, Garrison Matthews went for a three, was fouled and converted the free throw, for a four-point play. The Hawks finished the first half with a 12-point lead over the Magic. da Silva and Mathews scored 11 points and eight points, respectively, leading the game in scoring. Both teams struggled with turnovers as the Hawks ended with nine and the Magic with 10.
Entering the second half, the Hawks went with a much different lineup. Toppin and Krejčí substituted in for Risacher and forward Mouhamed Gueye, who did not play for the rest of the game. With strong performances from Wallace and Mann in the first four minutes of the third quarter, the Hawks built a comfortable 15-point lead with a score of 73-58. Following poor shooting from the Hawks, the Magic cut the lead to single digits after defensive and offensive contributions from Isaac and guard Anthony Black. The Hawks rebounded their way back to a 92-84 lead before the fourth quarter.
The Hawks added to their lead with a series of stops, which led to multiple fastbreak opportunities. With 3:40 left in the fourth quarter, Plowden made a three, giving Atlanta a 20-point lead.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Hawks won the game 117-105, thanks to a strong showing from their bench. The 2024-25 Hawks finished the regular season with a record of 40-42, a four-game improvement over their record last season.
Wallace filled up the stat sheet in the final outing and ended the game with a triple-double, scoring 15 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds. Mann led scoring for the Hawks with 19 points. Snyder said that the game and Wallace’s performance were indicative of their efforts this season and that they can always strive to be better.
Regarding his triple-double, Wallace said he was not thinking about his individual performance and instead wanted to end the regular season on a high note. The game marked Wallace’s last of the season because the NBA prohibits players signed to two-way contracts from playing in the playoffs.
“I knew it was going to be our last game of the season,” Wallace said. “I just wanted to go out, play hard, make sure we was playing the right way and get a dub.”
When reflecting on the regular season, Krejčí said that his teammates' collective growth led them to where they are today.
“From where we started and with the development we had, a lot of guys got a lot better throughout the year,” Krejčí said. “You can see that on the paper and you can see it on the court. That’s been amazing how we approached this season with this development.”
Clement Lee (he/him) (24Ox, 26B) is majoring in Business with area depths in Information Systems and Operations Management and Business Analytics. He is originally from Strasbourg, France, but now resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Outside the Wheel, Clement enjoys watching movies, running long distances and playing golf. You can find him leisurely reading Marcel Proust's, "In Search of Lost Time" on the Quad.
