The Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks meet Tuesday night in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Tip-off is set for 7:30PM ET at the Kia Center in Orlando. The winner will lock up the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and face the Boston Celtics.
Both teams finished the regular season with nearly identical records. Orlando ended at 41-41 while Atlanta was 40-42. They split their four regular-season meetings, with each team winning once at home and once on the road. Atlanta won the final matchup 117-105 on Sunday.
Magic Preview – Strong Finish Down the Stretch
Orlando went 9-3 in its last 12 games to climb out of a losing record. Paolo Banchero was a big reason for that run, averaging 28.2 points on 47.6 percent shooting during that stretch. He has been the team’s top option all season.
Franz Wagner, who missed 20 straight games midseason with a torn oblique, is back and healthy. Jonathan Isaac adds depth to the frontcourt and praised the team’s late-season form. Orlando also ranks first in defense, giving up just 105.5 points per game.
The Magic limit their opponents to 38.1 field goals per game, the second fewest in the NBA. They are also the best at defending the three-point shot, allowing only 11.4 made threes per game. Their pace is slow, and they try to control the tempo.
Hawks Preview – Experience Matters in the Play-In
Atlanta is no stranger to the play-in tournament. This is their fourth straight appearance, and they have three all-time wins in play-in games. The Hawks used a three-game win streak to end the season and secured the No. 8 seed over the Bulls.
Trae Young returned recently and looks ready. He averaged 30.0 points and 11.5 assists in the final two road games. Atlanta is fifth in scoring at 118.2 points per game and fourth in free throws made per game at 18.0.
Injuries are a concern. Clint Capela (hand) and Onyeka Okongwu (knee) are both out, hurting the frontcourt depth. Caris LeVert and Trae Young are listed day-to-day but expected to play. Jalen Johnson and Larry Nance Jr. are out for the year.
Betting Prediction
The Magic are 5.5-point favorites at home with the total set at 217.5. Orlando is 22-19 at home this season and has played better defense overall. They’ve covered the second-quarter spread in 19 of their last 26 games and trended under the total often.
Atlanta has hit the over in 51 of its last 84 games and brings a fast-paced offense. However, the Hawks are short-handed in the paint and will struggle against Orlando’s defense. A lower scoring game favors the Magic. Final score prediction is 108-99 for Orlando.
Pick: Orlando Magic -5.5 over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
The Orlando Magic are going to win this game over the Atlanta Hawks. Take the Magic to win the game and move on to the next part of the postseason, as they put the Hawks one game away from being eliminated. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your NBA betting!
