The Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic are on the play-in route with intentions of earning a first-round matchup with the defending champion Boston Celtics as they vie for the No. 7 position in the Eastern Conference playoffs Tuesday in Florida.
The regional rivals split their season series 2-2, with each one winning once on the other’s home court. They finished as the top two teams in a lackluster Southeast Division, separated by just one game.
The eighth-seeded Hawks will be participating in the play-in tournament for the fourth consecutive season. They advanced from play-in status to the eight-team conference playoffs in 2022 and 2023, before getting eliminated as the No. 10 seed by the Chicago Bulls last April.
Atlanta enters this year’s playoff qualifier tied with the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans for most wins in the five-year history of the play-in event with three.
Of the NBA’s 30 teams, 21 have participated in a play-in game. Orlando is participating for the first time.
The Hawks and Magic have faced each other three times in a playoff series, with Atlanta winning the most recent 4-2 in 2011.
The teams met twice in the final week of the regular season, including Sunday, when both teams were locked into their play-in position at Nos. 7 and 8 in the conference standings. The Hawks won that game 117-105.
Their matchup last Tuesday, on the other hand, helped Orlando take a big step toward the division title. Paolo Banchero had 33 points for the Magic in a 119-112 home win.
Orlando was just 32-38 on March 19 before finishing the regular season on a 9-3 run. Banchero was the NBA’s eighth-leading scorer over that stretch, with 28.2 points per game on 47.6-percent shooting.
Banchero missed 34 games early in the season and star sidekick Franz Wagner sat out 20 straight at midseason, both with torn right obliques. The absences created the big hole from which the Magic have recovered to finish at .500.
“For us to be in this position, playing great basketball at the end of the season … I think we’re in a great position, ready to take care of the Hawks Tuesday at home,” veteran Jonathan Isaac said.
Atlanta bounced back from its loss at Orlando to win its final three games and edge out the Chicago Bulls for eighth place in the East. That will give the Hawks two shots at making the playoffs if needed, since Tuesday’s loser gets an opportunity to host the winner of Wednesday’s game between the Bulls and Miami Heat on Friday.
The Hawks won their final two road games to secure their No. 8 seed. Trae Young had a double-double in each road victory when he averaged 30.0 points with 11.5 assists.
Both teams scored at least 105 points in all four meetings in the regular season, but Young foresees more of an emphasis on defense in Tuesday’s game.
“We know it’s gonna be a physical game; they’re kind of known for being a physical team,” Young said. “We know they’re not necessarily the best offensive team in the league. But they are one of the best, if not the best, defensive team in the league.
“So there’s definitely different styles in our game. We need to figure out a way to make sure that we play our game.”
