Dejounte Murray scored 26 points and made an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Atlanta Hawks a 106-104 win over the visiting Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero had tied the game with nine seconds remaining on a 3-point basket. Atlanta opted to not call its final timeout. Murray dribbled the length of the floor and made a tough shot at the horn.
Atlanta led by three points with 27 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Trae Young, but Orlando tied it at 104-104 on Banchero’s trey.
It was the third close game between the two teams this season; the Magic won by one point in Mexico City on Nov. 9, and the Hawks won the second meeting in Orlando in overtime on Jan. 7. They play again on Feb. 25 in Atlanta.
Murray was 11-for-18 from the floor with five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Young had 18 points, including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, and 12 assists, although he also had eight turnovers. Onyeka Okongwu had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Hawks, who won for the second straight time to conclude a 3-2 homestand.
Banchero led Orlando with 26 points. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 18 points but missed a crucial free throw with 48 seconds remaining. Jalen Suggs scored 16 points. Orlando has lost four of its last five.
There were 10 ties and 10 lead changes in the first half. The Magic used a 10-point run to take a 40-34 lead and were up 51-49 at halftime.
Orlando took a seven-point lead in the third quarter on Caleb Houstan’s 3-pointer at 6:50, but Atlanta came back to tie the game 70-70 on a drive by Bogdan Bogdanovic and took a 78-76 lead into the fourth quarter.
Orlando returns home on Friday and begins a three-game homestand against Philadelphia. Atlanta plays at Miami on Friday.
–Field Level Media