Cole Anthony's 26-point performance off the bench powered the Orlando Magic to a 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, securing their spot in the NBA playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. The Magic's strong bench production proved critical in their win, setting up a first-round matchup against the Boston Celtics.
Orlando's disciplined play on both ends of the court, led by Anthony and Anthony Black's combined 42 points, including seven three-pointers, paved the way for their convincing victory. Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero contributed significantly to the scoring effort, while Hawks' star Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points before his late-game ejection. Despite a brief challenge from the Hawks in the third quarter, the Magic's dominant 41-21 fourth quarter sealed their playoff berth and set the stage for a showdown with the Celtics.