Behind Banchero and Defense, Magic Earn Crucial Late-Season Victory Over Hawks

The Orlando Magic's magic number to clinch the No. 7 seed is just one after defeating the Atlanta Hawks, 119-112.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots against Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) during the second quarter at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – Given everything at stake in Tuesday's contest, the Orlando Magic didn't bother spending the last four days downplaying how important a victory over the Atlanta Hawks would be.

Behind a game-high 33 points from Paolo Banchero and a staunch defensive effort, Orlando backed up its talk with a crucial 119-112 victory over Atlanta.

With their victory, the Magic (39-40) moved two full games ahead of the Hawks (37-42) in the East's No. 7 seed with three regular-season games remaining apiece.

"Yeah, it was a good win," Banchero said. "It helped us out in the standings, and we approached it like a playoff-type game. I just thought we played a good, full 48 minutes of basketball."

"I think we did a great job of just coming out with great energy, defending, and scoring the ball," Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said postgame.

The two teams, locked into an end-of-year fight for Play-In Tournament seeding and the Southeast division crown, meet once more on the final day of the regular season.

The magic number for Orlando to clinch the No. 7 seed is now just one game.

Orlando's defense held the Hawks' offense, fifth in the league in scoring entering the contest, to 45.5 shooting and forced 18 turnovers, with 13 steals alone. The Magic turned Atlanta's giveaways into 20 points, they blocked six shots.

With 21 points by halftime, Banchero had already extended his streak of consecutive 20-point games to 20, which stands as the sixth-longest streak in franchise history. Along with his game-high scoring, Banchero posted 10 rebounds and shot 12-of-24 in the victory.

"Paolo is a really good player," Trae Young said. "He had a great game ... We will be better next time we see him, but he is a hell of a player. You have to make it tough on him, but it is not going to be perfect."

Franz Wagner, while managing Young as his primary defensive assignment, added 22 points, six rebounds and six assists. Together, he and Banchero extended their franchise-best streak of consecutive 20-plus point games to 11.

Caldwell-Pope totaled 15 points in the win, and Wendell Carter Jr. stuffed the stat sheet, tallying 17 points, nine rebounds, six steals and three blocks.

But, regarding Carter ...

"I think there's not a stat on here that says what his presence was on that floor," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "When he plays with that level of dominance and aggression and focus and selflessness, he brings our whole team to a different level, and I thought that was great by him tonight."

Orlando collectively shot 50 percent from the field and made 14 of its 34 threes.

Onyeka Okongwu totaled 30 points for the Hawks, and Young added 28 points and 10 assists. And the Magic's effort could've been cleaner, as they surrendered 14 offensive rebounds and missed 10 free throws.

"You don't go 21-for-31 from the free-throw line and hope to give yourself a chance," Mosley said. "You don't give up 31 second-chance points and hope to give yourself a chance. Now, you get away with it tonight, but in the long haul, you have to be better, and that's what he challenged these guys to do: be better in these moments.

"Yes, it's a good win because of what's at stake, but the ability to be better in these moments is what we have to do."

Up Next

The Magic close their home regular-season slate vs. the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. ET, for the second night of a back-to-back.

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