Hawks Fall to Magic in NBA Play-In as Cole Anthony Leads Orlando to 7th Seed

The Hawks suffered a decisive 120-95 defeat to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night during the NBA Play-In Tournament, dashing their hopes of securing the Eastern Conference’s 7th playoff seed. Cole Anthony emerged as the breakout star for Orlando, scoring 26 points and delivering six assists off the bench.

As reported by the Associated Press and WANE 15, the Magic’s first-ever play-in game performance was commanding from start to finish. Forward Paolo Banchero added 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 19 points and seven boards. Rookie Anthony Black also impressed, going 6-of-7 from the field to score 16 points.

With this win, the Magic—who ended the regular season at 41-41—secured the No. 7 seed and will begin their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Trae Young led the Atlanta Hawks with 28 points and six assists. However, his night ended early after receiving two technical fouls and an automatic ejection with 4:47 left in the game. The loss now forces Atlanta into a must-win elimination game at home on Friday night against the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat.

Georges Niang added 15 points, and Onyeka Okongwu posted 11 points and nine rebounds for the Hawks. Despite a strong start, the team faltered in the second half, scoring just two points in the final six minutes of the opening quarter—a stretch that allowed the Magic to seize control.

Anthony, returning from an injury-impacted regular season where he averaged 9.4 points per game, showcased his full potential by hitting 10 of 17 shots, including four 3-pointers.

The Hawks, who have relied on the play-in route to enter the postseason in two of the past three seasons, now face mounting pressure as their playoff hopes hang in the balance.

NBA fans can follow ongoing Play-In Tournament action and updates via AP NBA coverage.