If there are only two games on the night’s schedule in the NBA, the event is that the meeting between the Hawks and the Magic is played in Mexico City, the Atlanta team playing in Mexico for the first time.
And for the occasion, Trae Young decided to please local fans. The playmaker delights with 33 points in the first half, at 9/14 shooting, and quite a few brilliant inspirations like this blind decisive pass for Jalen Johnson’s alley-oop after rotating the ball around himself!
However, despite 61% shooting success, including 40% from far behind a diabolical Trae Young, the Hawks only had a 4-point lead (73-69) at halftime. This is because the Magic relies on its own strengths, by intercepting balls (4 “steals” from Jalen Suggs at the break) and especially by looking for offensive rebounds which do good.
One last minute under tension
As a result, when Trae Young stalled in the third quarter (1/7 shooting), the Magic took the opportunity to take control of the match and take the lead (98-93) at the start of the last quarter. .
Orlando even takes an 11-point lead (111-100) on a 3-pointer from rookie Anthony Black. There are eight minutes left in the game and the Magic seem well on their way to winning. Except that the Hawks collective raises its voice to pick things up. At the start of money time, the two teams are neck and neck.
Everything becomes complicated as points become scarce, but Franz Wagner thinks he did the hardest part by scoring a complicated shot against Clint Capela in the last minute.
At -2 (117-119), Trae Young penetrates, jumps and manages to contort himself to serve Dejounte Murray in the opposite corner. The former Spur scored his 3-pointer to put the Hawks in front (120-119). There is still time for the Magic, however, with Paolo Banchero deciding to play everything behind the 3-point line. It’s (well) missed and even if Orlando recovers the offensive rebound, the Floridians won’t do anything with it. Final victory for Atlanta.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A nice opposition of styles. Between Atlanta’s outside game and Orlando’s more inside game, we were treated to a nice duel between different forces. The Magic’s offensive rebounds really hurt the Hawks, but it was ultimately, and logically, on a 3-pointer that they made the difference.
– A real “thriller”. Mexican fans got their money’s worth. And they certainly appreciated the last minute at the knife, between Franz Wagner’s basket, Dejounte Murray’s response and Paolo Banchero’s miss which made the whole room shudder, before Trae Young catapulted the ball into the air to breathe .
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
