Magic vs Hawks: Who Gets The No. 7 Seed (Apr 15)

• The Magic finished the regular season with a 41-41 record, the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
• Atlanta concluded the regular season with a 40-42 mark, good enough for the eighth-best record in the conference playoff race.
• These teams last played on Apr. 13, with the Hawks claiming a 117-105 victory.

One of the games on Tuesday’s NBA slate features the Orlando Magic hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Which team advances to the playoffs in our Magic vs Hawks pick?

The Magic Hope To Make Atlanta Disappear

The Magic’s five-game win streak ended Sunday afternoon when they dropped a 117-105 decision to the Atlanta Hawks.

Anthony Black was one of seven players, including three of the team’s starters, who reached double figures. He led the way with 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

Tristan da Silva added 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jonathan Isaac finished with 12 points and 10 boards, including four on the offensive glass. Orlando also got 53 points from its bench unit, led by Jeff Howard’s 16-point effort.

Hawks Look To Defeat Orlando For The Second Time In Three Days

Meanwhile, the Hawks’ double-digit win against Orlando in the season finale enabled them to conclude the regular season on a three-game win streak.

Terance Mann scored a team-high 19 points and handed out four assists. Dominick Barlow and Keaton Wallace chipped in with 15 points each. Like Orlando, Atlanta’s bench also had a solid performance, scoring 59 points.

The key moment of this contest occurred early in the first half. With the game tied at 24, Atlanta went on a 13-0 run to take a 37-24 lead in the second quarter. The teams played to a 59-59 stalemate in the second half.

Atlanta turned 15 turnovers into 22 points, won the transition battle by a 26-16 margin, and outscored Orlando 58-46 in the paint.

Magic vs Hawks: Who Has The Edge In This Play-In Showdown?

Both squads have won four of their previous five games. Orlando leaves a lot to be desired from a scoring standpoint, ranking 27th in points per game and 28th in offensive efficiency. However, this group has the association’s best-scoring defense and second-lowest defensive rating.

On the other hand, the Hawks have the fourth-worst scoring defense and rank 18th in defensive rating. Conversely, they have the fifth-best scoring offense in the league, averaging 118.2 points per game.

The teams split the four-game set, which means neither side has a clear edge from that vantage point. But if defense wins championships is an actual thing, the Magic should come out on top in this matchup.