The Atlanta Hawks notched their first preseason victory with a 116-107 win over the Orlando Magic Sunday night. Hawks star point guard Trae Young led the way with 21 points and seven assists on the night.
Bogdan Bogdanovic finished second in scoring with 18 points and with four three-pointers. As a team, the Hawks shot 40% from downtown, and it proved the difference-maker for the team.
After a rough first game that saw the Hawks shoot poorly from deep, the Hawks turned it around and made 17 three-pointers. The Hawks defense shined, and they forced 10 turnovers from the Magic.
The two leaders of the defense, Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter, thrived again as well. Capela scored 15 points to go along with 12 rebounds in 27 minutes, while Hunter pitched in 15 points and seven rebounds.
Atlanta’s depth played a significant role, with Danilo Gallinari (17 points) and Bogdanovic anchoring the bench. Solomon Hill, another free-agent acquisition this offseason for the Hawks, also scored 10 points to add to an impressive night from the Hawks bench.
Kevin Huerter also played well as the Hawks offense fired on all cylinders against the Magic. Even as Orlando rallied, the Hawks held a 58-52 advantage over the Magic at halftime.
The Hawks were off to a hot start and led 36-26 after the first quarter after an impressive layup from Young closed the quarter. Orlando came back in the second half, led by their two backcourt starters, Cole Anthony (16 points) and Markelle Fultz (team-high 21 points).
The Hawks came out sluggish in the second half, allowing the Magic to score seven unanswered points out of the break. But, the momentum shifted shortly after. Atlanta responded with a 19-0 run headlined by back-to-back threes from Bogdanovic.
Atlanta took a commanding 83-66 lead, and while the Magic tried to inch their way back, the Hawks ended up having all the magic on the night. The win provides a glimpse of what this team could be when the regular season begins on Dec. 23, when they start their season with a trip to Chicago to take on Zach LaVine and the Bulls.
The Hawks return to action on Thursday, with a road game against the reigning Rookie of the Year Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies.
