Hawks vs Magic: Game Preview, Injury Report, Betting Odds, Projected Starting Lineups For Today's Game

It is not often you get into the month of February and two NBA teams have not played each other, let alone two teams in the same division, but when the Magic and the Hawks play tonight, it will be for the first time this season. Both teams have been hurt by injuries this season, but both teams are still in contention for a top six seed in the Eastern Conference. Entering tonight's game, the Hawks are just a half game behind Orlando for the No. 8 spot in the East. With just two more games before the All-Star Break, the Hawks are looking to continue building momentum.

Since the trade deadline, the Hawks are 2-0, but the wins have come against a Bucks team without Giannis and the Wizards. While Orlando is not one of the elite teams in the NBA, they have a tough defense and are not going to be an easy opponent. While injuries are mostly to blame, the Magic have gone from being near the top of the conference to losing 10 of their last 13 games. This would be a big win for the Hawks if they were to be able to pull it out.

Game Preview

Coming into tonight's game, the Hawks are 8th in the NBA in PPG, 17th in FG%, 14th in 3PA, 24th in 3P%, 2nd in FTA, 26th in turnovers, and 10th in rebounding. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 21st in points per 100 possessions, 19th in effective field goal percentage, 20th in turnover percentage, 14th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 7th in free throw rate.

Currently, the Hawks rank 26th in PPG allowed, 27th in field goal percentage allowed, 24th in three-point attempts allowed, and 25th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 12th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 27th in effective field goal percentage allowed.

As has been the case in previous seasons, the Orlando offense is not their strength. The Magic rank 30th in PPG, 28th in FG%, 19th in 3PA, 30th in 3P%, 7th in FTA, 27th in rebounding, and 17th in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, Oralndo ranks 29th in points per 100 possessions, 30th in effective field goal percentage, 19th in turnover percentage, 11th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 6th in free throw rate.

The defense on the other hand is one of the NBA's best. The Magic rank 2nd in PPG allowed, 24th in FG% allowed, 1st in 3PA allowed, and 26th in 3P% allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Orlando ranks 3rd in points allowed per 100 possessions and 22nd in effective field goal percentage allowed.

Trae Young is playing arguably his best basketball of the season heading into tonight's game. Young has scored at least 32 points in four of his last five games and has had no fewer than seven assists in the last six games. Young will have his hands full tonight with the Orlando defense, but he is playing well heading into tonight's game.

Speaking of playing well, Dyson Daniels is becoming a special all-around player. Daniels is known for his elite defense, but he is averaging 17.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.4 APG in the month of February. The big question for him will be who he is guarding tonight with Jalen Suggs unlikely to play.

Speaking of playing well, No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher is starting to show why the Hawks selected him with the first pick.

Risacher missed nearly two weeks with an injury and had not been shooting well from three this season. However, the past six games have been different for Risacher. He scored 30 points on 11-14 shooting in a game vs the Cavs, scored 17 points in a loss vs Indiana, 17 in a win over Detoit, 13 in a win over Milwaukee, and last night he had 18 points in a win over the Wizards. In five of the last six games, Risacher has shot 79%, 55%, 56%, 60%, and 67% from the field. In the month of February, Risacher so far has averaged 14.2 PPG on 56% shooting from the floor and 38% from three.

Georges Niang made his Hawks debut on Saturday vs Washington and did not disappoint. He scored 16 points and shot 4-7 from three, giving the HAwks some much needed spacing and shooting ability.

Onyeka Okongwu did not have his best game on Saturday vs Washington and will need to play better tonight. He had six points and five rebounds in 26 minutes.

The bench rotation included Caris LeVert, Larry Nance, Terance Mann, and VIt Krejci on Saturday, but Clint Capela is not on the injury report as of now. He was not on the injury report leading into Saturday's game, which he did not play in. Will Capela make his returACcn tonight vs the Magic? It would give the Hawks a much needed boost in rebounding and rim protection.

LeVert only played 15 minutes on Saturday due to having five fouls, but will be looking to make more of an impact tonight. Nance scored 14 and Krejci had a near triple double off the bench with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and seven assists. Krejci is shooting 48% from three in February.

Injury Report

Trae Young (right Achilles tendinitis) is probable, but the rest of the Hawks injury report is clean. Clint Capela is not listed on the injury report, but he was not listed leading up to last night's game vs the Wizards. He was inactive for the game.

Odds

According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Orlando is a 5.5 point favorite in tonight's game and the over/under is set at 220.5.

Projected Starting Lineups

Hawks:

G- Trae Young

G - Dyson Daniels

F - Zaccharie Risacher

F - Georges Niang

C - Onyeka Okongwu

Magic

G- Cole Anthony

G- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

F- Paolo Banchero

F- Franz Wagner

C- Goga Bitadze

Game Preview

Injury Report

Odds

Projected Starting Lineups

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