Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 124, Atlanta Hawks 108
The Orlando Magic put together a solid game from start to finish to rout the Atlanta Hawks and win their fifth game in the last six outings.
124. 38. 108. 125. Final
The Orlando Magic have made it clear they are done with excuses.
This game against the Atlanta Hawks had an excuse baked right into the schedule. An overnight trip from Milwaukee to Atlanta after a 9 p.m. Eastern game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks had a back-to-back . . . at home.
Orlando did not land until 3 a.m. and would have to get physically ready to take on a young Atlanta team that likes to run and run some more.
If the Magic want to make the Playoffs, this is the kind of conditions they have to overcome and the kind of game they have to win. As the All-Star Break draws near, the Magic are playing their best basketball. And there are no more excuses.
Getting past an early bout with energy, the Magic defense tightened up and they put a vice-like grip on the game.
Jonathan Isaac made sure of that more than anyone.
In one first-quarter possession, Isaac skied high to intercept a lob pass and start a fast break that ended with Aaron Gordon throwing down a lob.
Jonathan Isaac would top that in the second quarter. John Collins tried to test him at the rim and he blocked him twice. The Hawks tried to reset and Collins tried again. Isaac blocked him again.
The Magic were not going to let go from there, leading by as much as 27 points and defeating the Hawks 124-108 for their third straight win and fifth in the last six games.
Everything worked for the Magic as they moved the ball effectively and attacked the paint. Their defense was just as good, locking the Hawks down at every turn. They had nine blocks. And the Hawks only started making shots in the fourth quarter when the game was well decided.
Coach Steve Clifford described it best. It was a professional win. And the Magic were never really challenged, taking care of business.
A. Jonathan Isaac gets top marks once again. He is bringing so much of his game together and it is making a big impact for the Magic. Orlando’s turnaround since returning from the West Coast trip has correlated to Isaac’s development and emergence as a player.<p>This game literally turned on his defensive plays and energy. His five blocks were all confidence killers for the Atlanta Hawks. The Magic have not had a player who could make that kind of an impact in a long time. Isaac is seemingly doing that on a nightly basis now, making some game-changing, momentum-changing play and then doing it again.</p><p>Isaac’s offense is coming along too. He scored 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting. It was another efficient and patient offensive effort. Isaac is not forcing anything and the ball is finding him. He is making the right decisions there too.</p>. F. Orlando Magic. JONATHAN ISAAC
A. <a href=. PG. Orlando Magic. D.J. AUGUSTIN
A-. <a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. EVAN FOURNIER
A-. Like Evan Fournier, <a href=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC
12th East. ATLANTA HAWKS. D. The Atlanta Hawks are a team that relies almost entirely on its offense and shooting to get itself going. They rely on teams taking them lightly in some way and hope they can limit their own mistakes. They are a young team that is still struggling to win.<p>Effort is not their problem. They just met a focused and dialed in Magic team that locked them down for much of the second and third quarters. And Atlanta just cannot reel itself back when it hits that rut. Magic fans know that feeling well.</p><p>This was a Playoff team — or quasi-Playoff team — feasting on a rebuilding team. A focused, concerted effort was enough to put them away. Atlanta had balance too, but the team’s key players all struggled at the key moments.</p>. 18-38
dark. Next. Orlando Magic gaining confidence at the right moment
The Orlando Magic have matched their win total from the 2018 season. They are now 1.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat for the final spot in the Playoffs.