Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) reacts after making a there level shot towards the Atlanta Hawks within the fourth quarter at Kia Heart. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Pictures
Cole Anthony scored 13 of his 26 factors in a fourth-quarter surge Tuesday night time, permitting the Orlando Magic to say a playoff berth by way of a 120-95 romp over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in an Japanese Convention play-in sport.
Wendell Carter Jr. chipped in with 19 factors, Paolo Banchero put up 17 and Anthony Black added to a dominant bench effort with 16 for the Magic, who transfer on because the seventh seed to a first-round playoff sequence towards the second-seeded Celtics. The most effective-of-seven set suggestions off Sunday in Boston.
READ: NBA: Magic clinch No. 7 seed with simple win over short-handed Celtics
“That was a big-time staff effort. By committee,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley stated. “These guys all stepped up, did their roles, adopted the sport plan.”
Trae Younger went for a game-high 28 factors earlier than getting ejected for the eighth-place Hawks, who now return residence to face both the Chicago Bulls or Miami Warmth for the ultimate Japanese playoff spot on Friday night time. The winner of that sport will draw the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers within the first spherical of the playoffs.
ORLANDO’S DEPTH TAKES OVER IN THE #SoFiPlayIn!
🎯 @wendellcarter34: 19 PTS (8-12 FGM), 7 REB
🎯 @The_ColeAnthony: 26 PTS, 6 AST in 20 MIN
🎯 @AnthonyBlack24_: 16 PTS (6-7 FGM), 4 ASTThe @OrlandoMagic declare the East’s No. 7 seed… they’re going to face Boston in Spherical 1 🪄 pic.twitter.com/IjFSuTxVyY
— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2025
After watching the Magic rating 18 of the primary quarter’s closing 20 factors to go up 32-17, the Hawks, who completed one sport behind Orlando within the common season, clawed again into the sport. Atlanta obtained inside three late within the third interval after which 79-73 after a George Niang buzzer-beating 3-pointer at quarter’s finish.
Carter’s jumper 16 seconds into the ultimate interval obtained the Magic going, after which Anthony and Black took cost. They mixed for 5 3-pointers — three by Anthony — in a pull-away that was so irritating to the Hawks, Younger couldn’t end the sport after venting on the referees. He drew two technical fouls with 4:47 to go.
Mosley stated of his staff’s response to the Hawks’ third-period surge, “We’ve been there earlier than. We’ve been in these conditions, shut video games at residence. Our potential to get the stops and get on runs on the proper time was very huge for us. You noticed the group come collectively on the ground.”
Anthony shot 4-for-9 from 3-point vary, serving to the Magic to a 33-12 benefit from past the arc.
READ: NBA: Magic high Hawks, stretch lead in standings
Franz Wagner added 13 factors and 13 rebounds for Orlando, whereas Banchero complemented his 17 factors with 9 rebounds and a game-high-tying seven assists.
The Magic bench outscored its Atlanta counterparts 57-30.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder stated, “For us to win, we’ve obtained to shoot greater than 19 threes. We had been passing them up.”
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Niang completed with 15 factors, Mouhamed Gueye 12 and Onyeka Okongwu 11 for Atlanta. Dyson Daniels had staff highs in rebounds with 12 and assists with seven to go together with seven factors.
“The largest factor proper now could be: You may take issues from this to the following sport,” Snyder stated. “There’s a Sport 1 and a Sport 2. You’ve obtained to transition to the following sport, no matter who (the opponent) is. The main target will probably be on the sport Friday. We might be extra aggressive capturing the ball. Let it rip.”
