Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) reacts after making a basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
ORLANDO, Fla. – With his Orlando Magic up 19 points with little more than five minutes to play, Anthony Black picked up Trae Young full-court, and the Atlanta Hawks’ star guard darted for the rim.
Young, a seasoned vet who thought he had a step on the second-year pro, put up a left-handed layup. The extended reach of 6-foot-7 Black’s right hand said otherwise. Black swatted Young’s attempt off the glass – his second rejection of the night on Young, and the Magic were running again.
Paolo Banchero gathered the rebound, his ninth of the night, and picked up a head of steam the other way. It wasn’t until Banchero got below the free-throw line that he turned to find a trailing Cole Anthony, who stepped into an in-rhythm left-wing triple off Banchero’s feed and drilled it – his fourth make from beyond the arc.
Anthony was up to 24 points, Orlando’s lead was up to 22, and the Kia Center could sense their impending Play-In victory. The Magic, landing knockout punches one after another, had scored 28 of the first 40 fourth-quarter points.
Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) reacts after making a three-point shot against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Young’s final act, however, closed the curtains. After scoring a floater for his 28th point the next time down, he threw the ball at an official and earned himself a technical foul.
Then, as the ball was rolled down the floor for Orlando to shoot the technical free throw, Young kicked it away from the officials and further delayed the proceedings. He received a second technical and was ejected from the game.
In a postgame pool report, Young’s actions leading up to his early exit were described as “making a mockery of the game” by crew chief James Williams.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) reacts after receiving a second technical foul and ejection against the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Encapsulated, that sequence portrayed Tuesday night in a nutshell. While the usual stars for each team dealt with frustrations and struggles through portions of the night, Orlando’s reserves answered when the game’s big moments came calling.
The Magic have a first-round date with the Boston Celtics because of it.
“Just his energy, his spark, his juice, what he provides for this team coming off that bench; he plays fearlessly, and that’s how we need him to continue to play,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Anthony, who scored a team-high 26 points (10-17 FGs, 4-9 3PT), logged six assists, three rebounds, and a plus-32 plus-minus in 20 minutes. Anthony’s year has seen a wide variance in performances, but the Play-In showing was undeniably one of his best.
“We need that from him,” said Franz Wagner in the locker room postgame, “to be ready and plug in and give us instant offense like that and just make the right play.”
“This was just an awesome game to be a part of,” Anthony said. “I was just happy to be out there and, you know, do something to feel like I was contributing to the team.”
Added Anthony: “Great win, but this was a full team effort; Dell (Wendell Carter Jr.), AB (Anthony Black), P (Paolo Banchero), Franz (Wagner), JI (Jonathan Isaac). Everyone who stepped on the court contributed.”
He’s right. Black, one of the many instigators who helped fluster Young and spark Orlando’s runs, scored 16 points (6-7 FGs, 3-3 3PT), added four rebounds, four assists, and had the two denials of the Hawks’ lead guard. Young was 3-8 from the field when matched up against Orlando’s 6th-overall draft pick from the 2023 Draft.
“I think AB’s defense at times was fantastic,” Mosley said, “being able to get into the passing lane, attacking the basket, getting downhill, making the right plays.”
“When he goes out there and instinctually plays, he’s a great player,” said Cory Joseph, who’s been a veteran mentor for the youthful guard all year long, in the Magic’s postgame locker room. “He didn’t overthink once tonight.”
Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) reacts after making a basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
On the eve of his 26th birthday, Carter added 19 points (8-12 FGs), seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks – enough for Mosley to pinpoint him specifically as the biggest key to Orlando’s victory.
“He started the game that way,” the fourth-year coach said. “His physicality, his presence, his rebounding, his toughness set the tone from the beginning of the game.”
“My role on this team has changed a little bit throughout the seasons of me being here,” Carter said. “[I’m] just locking in on what can help this team, and that’s something I feel like I can – no matter what’s going on in the game – help change the momentum of a game, whether it’s we already have momentum and I’m adding to it or we’re down and trying to fight back. That’s just something I’m starting to pride myself on a little bit more.”
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) reacts after a play against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Isaac wouldn’t waste time picking up where Carter left off when on the court. He lined the stat sheet in 18 minutes of play: six points (3-4 FGs), eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
“I thought both bigs, JI and Wendell, played great,” Wagner said. “[They] created a lot of second-chance opportunities, and I think those really take the energy from the other team when you score on the second chance. We need them to keep setting the tone on both sides of the floor and provide offense like that.”
Typically, these types of contributions supplant the Magic’s star tandem of Banchero and Wagner. But, they shot a combined 10-28 and scored just 30 combined points in the victory.
It was just the second time this season neither Banchero or Wagner scored 20 points in the 41 games where both were active. The other came Feb. 6 at Denver ina 22-point loss.
Banchero said he faced a unique type of challenge from Atlanta, often seeing multiple bodies with the ball in his hands. Although he struggled to shoot the ball (4-13 FGs), getting to and converting from the foul line (9-11 FTs) helped him to stay involved in the game and in rhythm. So too did grabbing nine boards, dishing seven assists and adding a steal and block to his 17 points.
Wagner’s 6-for-15 night from the field netted only 13 points as he saw many of the same obstacles Banchero did. However, the fellow 6-10 forward still made an impact, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds, three assists, and had two steals and a block.
They still found their buckets in times of need, but to borrow Banchero’s words postgame, their supporting cast “carried us throughout the game.
“I trust them 100 percent, I think the whole team – Franz, everybody trusts these guys to make plays,” Banchero said.
They’ll have to continue to do so. With a Joe Mazzulla-led 61-win Celtics team looming, their fourth-ranked defense has plenty of time to scheme a defense that minimizes Banchero and Wagner’s impact as much as possible.
More: Full Magic-Celtics series schedule
In two matchups with Boston this year, Banchero averaged 18.0 points, four rebounds and five assists, shooting just 37.8 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from three.
Wagner only played in one matchup against Boston this year, and it was with Boston sitting most regulars after locking in the No. 2 seed. He was more like himself, though, scoring 23 points and shooting 52.9 percent in the April 9 win.
The combined low production is a rarity for Orlando’s historic tandem. But, the Celtics’ top-to-bottom firepower means that for the Magic to have a chance in the series, they’ll need the best Banchero and Wagner have while simultaneously getting worthy contributions from teammates.
“That’s going to be the name of the playoffs for us,” Carter said. “Those two guys are so talented offensively, I don’t think one guy can guard straight up those two guys, so they’re going to have to load to the ball, and we’re going to have to play off of closeouts, dump balls.
“That’s going to be what makes or breaks our offense.”
In Boston, Orlando will be presented the truest test of its by-committee approach and “we have enough” mantra to date.
The Magic passed Tuesday. Now, they graduate to the reigning champs.
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