Magic Cruise to Play-In Victory with Strong Performance Against Hawks

On April 15, 2025, Cole Anthony came off the bench to score 26 points and provide six assists, leading the Orlando Magic to a commanding 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the first game of the Play-In Tournament.

Paolo Banchero contributed 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 19 points and seven rebounds. Anthony Black also made a strong impact off the bench, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Magic's first-ever play-in appearance.

With a 41-41 record in the regular season, the Magic earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and will begin their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 28 points and six assists, but was ejected with 4:47 left in the game after receiving two technical fouls. The Hawks, who have reached the playoffs through the play-in route in two of the last three seasons, will host a do-or-die game on Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s play-in matchup between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat.

Georges Niang chipped in 15 points, and Onyeka Okongwu added 11 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta.

Banchero and Black carried the offensive load for Orlando, while the Hawks struggled, scoring just two points in the final 6 minutes of the first quarter. Anthony, who had a challenging season with injuries and averaged 9.4 points, was efficient, hitting 10 of 17 shots, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc.