By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Atlanta Hawks’ legitimate push for a late playoff qualification continued after picking up their 10th straight victory against the Orlando Magic, 124-112, in the ongoing NBA regular season on March 17, 2026, at State Farm Arena.
With the wire-to-wire win, Atlanta tied the Philadelphia 76ers for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with an identical 37-31 win-loss record and is only two wins away from overtaking the Miami Heat for the seventh seed.
An early 13-point margin disrupted Orlando’s defensive flow as the Magic just couldn’t stop Jalen Johnson’s offensive rampage, scoring eight quick points in the opener that steered the Hawks to a momentum-boosting 34-21 advantage heading into the second period.
Despite Paolo Banchero’s scoring resurgence at the start of the second quarter, Atlanta was able to recover and retake the lead behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who stole the limelight after hosting a 3-point shooting party.
Orlando opened the frame red-hot from downtown, but Alexander-Walker torched the Magic as soon as he checked in, spraying back-to-back treys followed by a crucial 4-point play to help the Hawks wrap up the half with a 17-point cushion.
Orlando had to call on the Basketball Gods after the former Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard continued to inflict damage midway through the third, detonating for 16 points in the quarter alone that ballooned Atlanta’s lead to as much as 29 points.
The game was pretty much over after Alexander-Walker played like a walking bucket despite the huge cushion, increasing his total to nine made 3-pointers in 36 minutes of playing time.
Orlando put up a valiant effort for a come-from-behind rally after trimming its deficit to just 12 points, but Johnson came to the rescue after scoring six consecutive points to officially close the Magic’s comeback window with only three minutes remaining in the game.
After the Eastern Conference showdown, Alexander-Walker finished with a career-high 41 points built on nine 3-pointers, alongside seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Meanwhile, Johnson remained steady and filled his stabilizer role for the Hawks with an efficient triple-double outing of 24 markers, 15 boards, 13 dimes, and a steal.
On the other hand, the duo of Banchero and Desmond Bane combined for 36 points, but their joint scoring efforts failed to match Alexander-Walker’s personal heroics and Johnson’s all-around brilliance.
Atlanta will aim for its 11th win in a row on March 19, 2026, against Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks, while Orlando seeks to return to the win column today against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
