Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks (Oct. 21, 2026): 3 Things to Watch, Odds and Prediction

• How To Watch: MagicTV 27 (Orlando); DAZN-Orlando (Orlando); Atlanta News First WANF (Atlanta); Amazon Prime Video (Atlanta); NBA League Pass (National)
• STREAM MAGIC-HAWKS ON FUBO TV
• How to Listen: 104.5 The Beat (Orlando); 92.9 The Game (Atlanta); SiriusXM Channel 217 (Magic); Sirius XM Channel 901 (Magic); SiriusXM Channel 880 (Hawks); NBA Audio League Pass (National)
• FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
• Tickets: $38-$319+ on StubHub
• 2027 Season Series: Tonight in Orlando; Dec. 19 in Atlanta; Feb. 28 in Orlando; March 13 in Atlanta
• 2026 Season Series: Hawks 111, Magic 107 in Orlando on Oct. 24; Hawks 127, Magic 112 in Atlanta on Nov. 4; Hawks 124, Magic 112 in Atlanta on March 16; Hawks 130, Magic 101 in Orlando on April 1

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch

1. 3-point renaissance?

The biggest story for the Orlando Magic coming out of the preseason was their eye-popping 3-point numbers.

Any team can go through a hot stretch from deep. But something felt a bit more permanent about the Magic's 3-point strategy.

This was not merely a team hitting the threes they were taking. This was a team purposefully hunting 3-point attempts.

Considering, the Magic have not been in the top half of the league in 3-point attempts per game, let alone percentage, since the 2022 season, that feels significant.

During the preseason, the Magic took 42.5 3-point attempts per game, making 38.8 percent of those shots. That is for the entire game and so the G-League players get sprinkled in there in the fourth quarter. But in the first half when both teams' starters were likely playing, the Magic still took 23.0 attempts per game and made 38.0 percent.

Those were both in the top half of the league with attempts in the top five. This may truly be a new leaf for Orlando in its offense with Sean Sweeney.

That will become even more important considering the Atlanta Hawks are a 3-point heavy team too.

The Hawks led the preseason in 3-point attempts per game and took 23.6 per game in the first half of their preseason games. Last year, Atlanta ranked ninth in 3-point attempts per game with 39.5, making 37.1 percent of those shots.

Defending and making threes will be a key to this game.

2. Defensive leaf?

The Orlando Magic want to be built on their defense. The biggest step back they took last year was going from an elite defense to a rather pedestrian one.

For all the talk of this team's offensive improvement, the defense is still the most important thing for this team.

The Magic finished the preseason with a pedestrian 112.5 defensive rating (23rd in the league). But in the first half when the starters were playing, the Magic posted a 110.6 defensive rating, good for 16th in the league.

Those are both good numbers and signal that defenses are ahead of offenses in the preseason. But the Magic need to establish who they are defensively early.

The Atlanta Hawks enter this season hoping to improve their defense. They went out and acquired Aaron Wiggins and Luguentz Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder, boosting their defense off the bench. This is a team with some bigger wings who can get after teams.

The Hawks know that improving their defense is the key to feeding a really strong offense.

3. On the offensive glass

One of the growing trends around the league in the preseason -- and really the last few years -- was the return of an emphasis on offensive rebounding.

Teams are trying to play faster and get out and run more. But the counter to that is not to get back quicker, but to make teams work to secure rebounds and finish possessions. If games are about maximizing possessions, a second bite at the apple is key.

The Magic were in the middle of this last year, finishing 12th with a 30.6 offensive rebound rate and 16th with 14.9 second-chance points.

The rebounding took a big swing in the preseason.

That should be a clear sign that winning the offensive glass is part of this team's formula. It is something we will see throughout the league this year.

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: Injury Report & Projected Lineups

Atlanta Hawks Injury Report

• Mouhamed Gueye - OUT (Left Foot Fracture)
• Henri Veesaar - OUT (Right ACL Tear)
• Jalen Wilson - QUESTIONABLE (G-League Two-Way)
• RayJ Dennis - QUESTIONABLE (G-League Two-Way)
• Keshon Gilbert - QUESTIONABLE (G-League Two-Way)

Orlando Magic Injury Report

• Anthony Black - OUT (Right Ankle Sprain)
• Noah Penda - OUT (Right Partially Torn Hamstring)
• Jonathan Isaac - OUT (Left Knee Injury Management)
• Izaiyah Nelson - OUT (Left Ankle Injury Recovery)

Projected Starting Lineups

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks: Prediction

2026 Record: 55-36/39-52 ATS

It is probably jumping the gun to say this is a huge game. It is the first game after all.

But there is no denying that the Eastern Conference is going to be incredibly tight. The race for playoff seeding has already begun. And every game within the East -- and within the division -- could have massive tiebreaker impacts.

The Orlando Magic's first sign of trouble was last year's fourth-quarter collapse to the Atlanta Hawks in the second game. Following that, a few weeks later, with a blowout loss in Atlanta put the Magic behind 2-0 in the season series.

The Hawks swept the series and surged to win the Southeast Division. All those losses added up and pushed the Magic back into the Play-In Tournament.

The Magic need to get off to a fast start. That is imperative considering how difficult the schedule is. They need to defend their home court.

Undoubtedly, there is still a lot new about this team to discover and figure out under coach Sean Sweeney. The team seems bought in, and the execution in the preseason was surprisingly effective.

There are still sharp corners to round off. The Hawks present a good test of where the team is at -- and a team many expect to finish in the same tier as the Magic.

The Magic are set up well against the Hawks. If their defense is in tune, they should have a ton of size advantages on offense to get downhill. From there it is about making shots. And we are off and running.

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