Less than 24 hours after finishing a victory in Miami, the Atlanta Hawks entered the court against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on Wednesday. The clash was the first between opponents of the Southeast Division this season and, in addition, it was the last game of the first half for the Hawks. Atlanta lost by up to 19 points in the second half, but after a furious recovery, the Hawks enter the All-Star range with a 113-112 victory.
Atlanta came out of the gate slowly, struggling to protect the hoop in the absence of Clint Chapel. Capela lost the game due to pain in his right foot, and when the unstable resistance was combined with a difficult kick start, the Hawks lost by 15-5.
After a time limit, the Hawks got five quick points from Trae Young, including a kind of gift from Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams.
Young scored 10 of the first 20 points for the Hawks and had a hot start as a top scorer.
Apart from Young’s attack, however, there was not much to say positively from the first half.
Orlando used a 10-2 streak to take the lead from 27-14, and while Atlanta scored the next nine points, Magic returned to serve with a 7-0 streak. At 12 minutes, Magic scored 39 points, which represents almost half of the total points the Hawks awarded for the full game in Miami on Tuesday.
Atlanta’s defense hardened in the second quarter, keeping the Magic with just 40 percent of shots and 22 points, but the deficit still widened. The Hawks struggled offensively, especially with the second unit on the ground at the start of the period, and the visitors lost 19 by halftime. Atlanta hit just 7 out of 21 from the floor and 1 out of 9 from the floor in the second quarter, scoring 17 points and winning the significant deficit they accumulated.
After an unfortunate first half, the Hawks showed life at the start of the third quarter. Atlanta made 11-3 after three triples and two free throws, reducing the margin to 64-53.
They didn’t finish there, quickly scoring eight more consecutive points and extending the race to 19-5 overall.
This push saw the Hawks climb within five points at 66-61, but Magic was able to regain control. Orlando increased to a 11-2 run to go up again by 16 and, at one point at the end of the third quarter, the home team led by 18 points. After Danilo Gallinari’s three-point final, however, the Hawks were within 12 at the end of three quarters.
Then, the second unit gave Atlanta a significant boost, starting the fourth quarter in a 10-4 surge.
After that initial streak, the Hawks let Magic return to the point where Orlando led by 16 points with six minutes to go. From that point on, however, Atlanta was sizzling hot, making seven (!!!) three points in the last six minutes to get back on top.
The first four points came from Collins, Gallinari, Snell and Huerter in succession, reducing the deficit to 106-102.
Orlando did not disappear entirely, winning a challenge at the 3:28 mark that produced free throws and gave Magic a six point advantage again. John Collins lost a three-pointer but, after a great offensive rebound by Kevin Huerter, Young converted another triple to place the Hawks within three.
Magic returned to lead by five points in the final two minutes, but Young dropped the sixth basket of three points (after an inexplicable collapse of the Orlando defense), and Snell made the seventh to the advantage in 111-110. Orlando scored to retake the lead, but when Young hit the free throws with eight seconds left, Atlanta advanced 113-112 ahead and the Hawks got the stop they needed to preserve the victory.
In the end, Atlanta went from 90 points to 111 points entirely in points there and, in the fourth period, the Hawks were 9 out of 13 points from long distance. For the game, the visitors scored 21 to three points, and that was the difference in the end.
Individually, Young led with 32 points and eight assists, including great moments in the clutch. Gallinari also played at a high level, scoring 23 points, picking up nine rebounds and giving six assists. Collins added 15 points and nine rebounds, with Snell and Huerter making a trio of three points each.
After Wednesday’s crash, the Hawks will have several days off for the All-Star break. The next game of the regular season in Atlanta is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, in Tampa, against the Toronto Raptors.
Stay tuned.