The NBA Play-in starts tonight with the Orlando Magic hosting the Atlanta Hawks at the KIA Center. These two teams squared off in the last game of the regular season with all of the rotation players resting. The winner of the game will face the second seed, Boston Celtics, in the first round of the playoffs.
It has been a bit of a weird season for the Orlando Magic with the injuries to Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs first and foremost. Paolo missed 34 games of the season. Both Banchero and Franz are ready to play, while Suggs is not. The same goes for the other Wagner Brother, Moritz. Last season the Magic finished in the top six and this is their first time ever for the franchise in a play-in situation. Orlando ended up at the 7th spot with a record of 41 wins and 41 lost games. Their home record at the KIA Center is at 22-19.
Orlando’s Jamal Mosley is one of the best head coaches in the NBA. His team is always playing hard and they defend like their lives were dependent on it. Magic is a very disciplined team. Their problem is on the offensive end of the floor. In particular when it comes to the crunch time in games. Orlando do not have the go to guy who is needed in today’s NBA playoffs. Banchero is the closest to being that guy but he is not that guy, at least yet.
The injured point guard Jalen Suggs is truly missed. That put’s more pressure on Cole Anthony And Anthony Black to deliver on the floor. The Magic won seven out of their last ten games in the regular season. The Magic needs a good shooting night from behind the arc in this one. Orlando and Atlanta won two games each against each other in the regular season.
The Hawks had 40 wins and 42 lost games in the regular season which was just enough to hold onto the 8th seed. The head coach Quin Snyder had to see his best player Jalen Johnson get a season ending injury a couple of months ago. Trea Young has a heavy burden to carry on his shoulders if the Hawks are serious about going into the playoffs. Young is listed as probable on the injury report. I would be very surprised if he does not play. Larry Nance Jr is out for the season, and so is Kobe Bufkin. The big man from Switzerland, Clint Capela, is out for the game tonight. Atlanta won 19 and lost 22 games on the road in the regular season.
Dyson Daniels from Down Under was acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason and he has been a big hit for the Atlanta Hawks. Daniels is one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. Even perhaps the best of them all. He can steal the rock from anybody in the league. Both his team and individual defence is impressive and important as well to The Hawks. Atlanta finished the regular season with three straight wins. They won five out of their last ten games. The French rookie Zachary Risacher has taken a big leap as of late and could be a factor tonight.
