Orlando will play Boston in the playoffs, after defeating ATL 120-95

The young Orlando Magic led by Cole Anthony with 26 points and six assists pulled out a 120-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night in the first game of the Play-In Tournament.  Magic scorers included Paolo Banchero, who had 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.  Wendell Carter Jr., who had 19 points and seven rebounds. Anthony Black scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting off the bench in the Magic’s first play-in appearance.

As the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference after a 41-41 regular season, the Magic will face Boston in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.   The Orlando Magic and the defending NBA champions split four games this season, but the Boston Celtics rested their top six players in a loss to the Magic last week.

Trae Young led the Hawks with 28 points and six assists before getting two technical fouls and an automatic ejection with 4:47 left in the game.  In two of the last three years, the Hawks have reached the playoffs through the play-in route and will play at home Friday night against the winner of Wednesday night's game between the Bulls and Heat.

Facing the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic will need to contend with Boston's depth and experience and high levels of   3-point shooting. This is especially true given that   the Boston Celtics are the defending champions.  The Magic's young roster will be tested against the Celtics' disciplined defense and the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Additionally, the Magic must maintain their composure and avoid turnovers, as Boston capitalized on opponents' mistakes.