Atlanta beat the Magic 132-125 in Orlando after trailing by 10 in the first quarter and leading by as many as 14. Jalen Johnson finished with 20 points and 14 boards to go with six assists, enough to outlast a 35-point, 10-assist night from Paolo Banchero.
Forty-Four Points Flip It
The start was rough. Orlando led 33-28 after one and had been up 10 late in the period. Then Atlanta found its gear: a 12-0 burst that began with 43 seconds left in the first took a 33-23 deficit to a 35-33 lead, and a second 12-0 run in the middle of the quarter pushed 40-42 to 52-42. The Hawks put up 44 in the period and went to the locker room up 72-62. Dyson Daniels drove it from both ends, with 16 points and four steals by halftime, according to Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks. Rowland also pointed to a smart move by Quin Snyder: Daniels went in for Jock Landale as a defensive sub with 6.5 seconds left in the first, forced a backcourt turnover right away, and set up an Aaron Wiggins layup.
A Third Quarter at the Line
The lead didn't last. Locked On Hawks reported that Atlanta was called for 14 fouls in the third quarter, Orlando shot 20 free throws in the period, and a 19-4 Magic run left the Hawks down 100-99 going into the fourth. If that count holds, Atlanta took the fourth 33-25 to close it out. That's a real answer to adversity, but the third quarter is the part to fix. A young core can't keep handing a team in the bonus that many free points, and Banchero got to the line all night.
Grades and the Road Ahead
Johnson gets an A-minus: 20 points, 14 rebounds and six assists from the player the offense now runs through. Daniels gets an A for the first half that broke the game open, with the four steals backing up the hype. The defense gets a C. Banchero's 35 and 10 came against a Magic roster missing Anthony Black, Jonathan Isaac, Noah Penda and Izaiyah Nelson. The schedule doesn't let up: Atlanta is at Charlotte Friday, hosts Houston Saturday, sees the Rockets again in Houston Monday and gets Miami on October 28. Mouhamed Gueye's estimated return is November 20, so the rotation that won this one has to carry the next four.
Who led the Hawks in the win over the Magic?
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 20 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in the 132-125 win. Dyson Daniels had 16 points and four steals in the first half.
When do the Hawks play next?
Atlanta plays at the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, October 23, then hosts the Houston Rockets on Saturday, October 24.
