The Atlanta Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 132-125 on Wednesday at Kia Center, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker scoring 31 points to open the season 1-0. Jalen Johnson added 20 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta, which outscored Orlando 44-27 in the second quarter to seize control.
Paolo Banchero led all scorers with 35 points on 10-of-12 shooting, adding seven rebounds and 10 assists for the Magic, but Orlando could not overcome 20 turnovers that led to 24 Atlanta points. Franz Wagner scored 22 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 22 for the Magic in the loss.
Key Moments: How The Hawks Pulled Away
Orlando built an early cushion behind a 9-0 run that turned a 23-29 deficit into a 23-33 lead late in the first quarter, with Franz Wagner’s driving layup capping the surge. The Magic led 33-28 after one period.
Atlanta answered with its best stretch of the night in the second quarter, outscoring Orlando 44-27 to flip a five-point deficit into a double-digit cushion. Jock Landale’s dunk and a Luguentz Dort three during that run helped the Hawks take a 43-42 lead with 7:08 left in the half, and Atlanta never trailed by more than a possession the rest of the way.
The third quarter stayed tight as Orlando outscored Atlanta 38-27, but the Hawks’ first-half surge proved decisive. Atlanta held a 14-point advantage at its largest lead of the game, while Orlando’s biggest lead topped out at 10. The teams traded the lead 22 times apiece, a sign of how competitive the game was despite the final eight-point margin.
Top Performers From Both Teams
Alexander-Walker finished 8 of 15 from the field, including 5 of 8 from three-point range, and made all 10 of his free throw attempts in a 31-point, four-rebound showing. Dyson Daniels scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting in 35 minutes while adding four steals, and Onyeka Okongwu posted eight points, five rebounds and a team-high seven assists. CJ McCollum chipped in 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
Banchero’s 35-point, 10-assist, seven-rebound line paced Orlando, but he also committed six turnovers. Wagner shot 9 of 20 from the field for his 22 points, and Carter Jr. went 8 of 10 from the floor. Desmond Bane scored 18 points but shot just 5 of 15, including 3 of 10 from three-point range, and Jalen Suggs finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting.
What It Means
The win pushed Atlanta to 1-0 and kept pace with Washington and Charlotte atop the Southeast Division. Orlando fell to 0-1. The Hawks lead the season series 1-0.
Atlanta’s offense ran through the paint and the free throw line, finishing 30 of 36 at the stripe and outscoring Orlando 60-50 in points in the paint. The Hawks shot 49% from the field compared to 48% for the Magic, and Atlanta’s 14 made threes on 36 attempts gave it just enough separation against an Orlando team that shot 32% from beyond the arc.
What’s Next
The Hawks continue their season with their next opponent to be determined. The Magic seek their first win after the home loss.
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