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Less than 24 hours after claiming a victory in Miami, the Atlanta Hawks took the court Wednesday against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. The game was the first between opponents in the Southeast Division this season and, moreover, it was the last game of the first half for the Hawks. Atlanta was trailed by no less than 19 points in the second half but, after a furious comeback, the Hawks entered the All-Star break with a 113-112 victory.
Atlanta slipped out of the gate slowly, struggling for rim protection in the absence of Clint Capela. Capela missed the game with pain in his right foot and, when the shaking resistance was combined with a tough start to the shot, the Hawks followed 15-5.
After a timeout, the Hawks did so with five quick points from Trae Young, including a gift from magic guard Michael Carter-Williams.
Young scored 10 of the first 20 points for the Hawks and got off to a good start as a goalscorer.
Young’s attack aside, however, there wasn’t much to say in a positive light from the first half.
Orlando used a 10-2 run to take a 27-14 lead and, as Atlanta scored the next nine points, the Magic returned the serve with a 7-0 run. After 12 minutes, the Magic had 39 points, which is close to half of the total points the Hawks allowed for the full game in Miami on Tuesday.
Atlanta’s defense stiffened in the second quarter, keeping the Magic down to just 40 percent on shots and 22 points, but the deficit widened further. The Hawks beat offensively, especially with the second unit on the ground early in the period, and the visitors were trailing 19 by halftime. Atlanta shot just 7 of 21 from the floor and 1 of 9 from the floor in the second quarter, scoring 17 points and winning the sizable deficit they have racked up.
After a dismal first half, the Hawks showed life at the start of the third quarter. Atlanta put in an 11-3 thrust on the back of three triples and two free throws, reducing the margin to 64-53.
They didn’t finish there, quickly scoring eight more points in a row and stretching the run to 19-5 overall.
That push saw the Hawks climb to less than five points to 66-61, but the Magic were able to regain control. Orlando zoomed 11-2 to come back 16 points, and at one point at the end of the third quarter, the home side were leading by 18 points. After a three-point delay by Danilo Gallinari, however, the Hawks were within 12 after three quarters.
Then the second unit gave Atlanta a significant boost, starting the fourth quarter on a 10-4 push.
After that first run, the Hawks let the Magic push back to the point where Orlando led by 16 points with six minutes remaining. From that point on, however, Atlanta was boiling hot, making seven (!!!) three points in the last six minutes to pull off the comeback.
The first four three points came successively from Collins, Gallinari, Snell and Huerter, reducing the deficit to 106-102.
Orlando didn’t fully pass out, winning a challenge at 3:28 that produced free throws and put the Magic back to a six-point lead. John Collins then missed a three-pointer but, after a big offensive rebound from Kevin Huerter, Young converted another triple to bring the Hawks down to under three.
The Magic again led by five points in the final two minutes, but Young knocked down the sixth by three points (after an inexplicable failure from the Orlando defense), and Snell was seventh for the lead at 111-110. Orlando scored to regain the lead, but when Young gave free throws eight seconds to go, Atlanta advanced 113-112 and the Hawks got the save they needed to preserve the win.
In the end, Atlanta 90 points to 111 points entirely on pointers and, in the fourth quarter, the Hawks were 9 of 13 from long distance. For the game, the visitors had three points, and that was the difference in the end.
Individually, Young led the way with 32 points and eight assists, including some great moments in the clutch. Gallinari also played at a high level, scoring 23 points, collecting nine rebounds and distributing six assists. Collins added 15 points and nine rebounds, with Snell and Huerter each forming a three-point line.
After Wednesday’s tilt, the Hawks will have several days off for the All-Star break. Atlanta’s next regular season game is Thursday, March 11 in Tampa against the Toronto Raptors.
Stay tuned.
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