Close games have been the norm whenever the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic get together. Two of the past three meetings have been decided by one point, and their last encounter, Jan. 7 in Orlando, went into overtime.
They play for the third time this season Wednesday in Atlanta, the final leg of the Hawks’ five-game homestand.
The teams have split their two games this season, but Atlanta won three of four last season.
The Magic beat the host New York Knicks 98-94 Monday to end a three-game losing streak. Orlando has lost six of its past nine games while dealing with numerous injuries. Atlanta is the final stop on Orlando’s four-game road trip.
The Hawks are coming off a 109-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, a victory that ended a two-game losing streak. But the Hawks have lost eight of their past 12 games.
Orlando is starting to get players back from the injured list. Wendell Carter Jr. returned Monday after missing five games with right knee tendinitis and scored 17 points off the bench.
Others available after dealing with injuries were Markelle Fultz (left knee tendinitis), Joe Ingles (left ankle sprain) and Jonathan Isaac (right hamstring strain).
Franz Wagner (right ankle sprain) and Gary Harris (right calf strain) remain out.
The additional depth allowed leading scorer Paolo Banchero (22.8 points per game) extended rest in the fourth quarter. When he returned to the floor, he made a pair of crucial back-to-back jumpers to help preserve the win.
“You saw what they did coming off the bench,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “I think they put on a defensive clinic in a lot of ways.”
The Magic don’t lack confidence, so long as all the pieces are in place.
“We can play with anybody in this league when we’re all healthy,” Carter said. “As long as we stay healthy, we’ll be in a good spot going into the playoffs.”
The Hawks roared to a 35-point halftime lead against the young Spurs, but watched San Antonio put on a rally that pulled them to within six points in the final four minutes.
The bright spot was the effort of guard Trae Young, who emerged from a shooting slump to score 36 points — 29 in the first half. Young made his first six 3-pointers and was 10-for-14 from the field in the first half.
But Young’s struggles may not be over. He shot just 1-for-10 from the floor and did not make another 3-pointer in the second half.
“I think we did a good job in the first, the attention to detail and the focus we had was huge for us,” Young said. “In the second half, I just think we got too relaxed.”
Center Clint Capela said the team has to be “greedy” when it gets a big lead.
“When you’re up by 35 points you can’t let them back in the game,” Capela said. “We’ve got to learn we can’t take two steps forward and one step back.”
–Field Level Media