ORLANDO, Fla. — The Atlanta Hawks started their 2026-27 season on the road and came home winners, beating the Orlando Magic 132-125 at Kia Center on Wednesday night.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the league’s reigning Most Improved Player, led Atlanta with 31 points and delivered the dagger late. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the closing stretch, the second with 51 seconds to go, to push the Hawks ahead by five.
Jalen Johnson, a member of last season’s All-NBA Third Team, and Dyson Daniels, who won Most Improved Player in 2024-25, added 20 points apiece.
Atlanta did much of its damage near the basket, piling up 60 points in the paint, 10 more than Orlando. The Hawks also made 14 of 36 attempts from 3-point range and went 30 of 36 at the free throw line. Their defense pressured Orlando’s guards the length of the floor, and the Magic gave the ball away 20 times, leading to 24 Atlanta points.
Orlando went cold from deep when it mattered, hitting just one of 12 tries from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter after making 12 of 28 through three periods. Paolo Banchero did all he could for the Magic, scoring 35 points on 10-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds and 10 assists. Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. scored 22 each.
The Hawks are coming off a 46-win season, their best since 2015-16, that brought a Southeast Division title and a trip to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Over the summer they brought back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale and added Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and first-round draft picks Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor.
Atlanta plays its home opener Saturday, Oct. 24, at State Farm Arena, where Atlanta rapper Belly Gang Kushington is set to perform at halftime.
Section: More Atlanta GA sports news
Atlanta sports business profiles
Filed under: Atlanta GA Sports News
