Top Stories: 3 Things to Watch in Hawks-Magic on NBA League Pass
The Orlando Magic will host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday at 7 ET on NBA League Pass.
Juan Pablo Aravena, RotoWire.com | April 1, 2026 6:14 PM
The Orlando Magic (40-35, 8th in Eastern Conference) host the Atlanta Hawks (43-33, 5th in Eastern Conference) on Wednesday at the Kia Center. The Magic and the Hawks will collide in a matchup with huge playoff implications.
The Magic have won just two of their last five games, but they’re coming off a 115-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Winning in the second leg of this back-to-back set could prove to be huge in the postseason race. As for the Hawks, they’re rested after not playing Tuesday and also look to continue rolling after winning five of their last six games — the lone defeat in that span came against the Celtics on Friday.
Here are three key storylines to know heading into today’s matchup.
1. Orlando Needs Banchero’s Magic
Paolo Banchero has been held in check on the offensive end lately, combining for 29 points in his last two games. However, he has continued to make an impact by setting up his teammates for scoring chances and crashing the glass, but it’s still unusual to see Banchero held under 20 points, let alone in back-to-back games. Banchero had dropped three straight 30-point games before this recent hiccup.
2. Nickeil Alexander-Walker Is the X-Factor
Atlanta’s trade deadline move to send Trae Young to the Wizards opened up questions as to who would be the new leader for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson has certainly done his part, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s breakout has made a huge difference. Alexander-Walker is having the best season of his career, and it has reached another level since the All-Star break. Over his last 10 appearances, he is averaging 23.2 points while shooting 47.9% from three-point range. This impressive 2025-26 campaign has him in the mix for the Most Improved Player of the Year Award.
3. Will Either of These Teams Avoid the Play-In Tournament?
The Eastern Conference has already set its playoff field, but the seeding is undetermined. With less than two weeks left in the regular season, everything is up for grabs. Both the Hawks and Magic are looking to secure a Top-6 seed, but Atlanta is in a much better position. The Hawks sit in fifth place, holding a 1.5-game lead over the seventh-place 76ers. However, their remaining schedule is tough, with games against the Cavaliers (twice), Knicks and Heat. The Magic, on the other hand, are two games behind the sixth-place Raptors and still have to face the Celtics, Pistons and Timberwolves. Given the difficulty of their schedules, it wouldn’t be surprising if both teams end up in the Play-In Tournament.
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