Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 32 points and Jalen Johnson flirted with a triple-double as the Atlanta Hawks crushed the host Orlando Magic 130-101 on Wednesday.
Alexander-Walker hit 11 of 16 from the floor and 5 of 9 from 3-point range as Atlanta (44-33) won its third straight and 18th of 21 since the All-Star break to consolidate fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Johnson compiled 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Atlanta’s Onyeka Okongwu added 16 points, and Dyson Daniels paired 15 points with 13 boards.
Jamal Cain scored 17 points off the bench for the Magic (40-36), who were outscored 105-73 after the first quarter while losing for the eighth time in 10 games.
Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. added 14 points each. Franz Wagner contributed 12 points in his return following a 22-game absence caused by a high ankle sprain.
Orlando started promisingly, opening up a 25-18 break on a Tristan da Silva-to-Goga Bitadze alley-oop dunk, and the Magic led 28-25 after one quarter.
The Hawks edged in front 44-42 before blowing the contest open by scoring the next 17 points.
Alexander-Walker scored 17 for the period, during which Atlanta shot 17 of 24 while committing just one turnover.
After dominating the quarter 47-26, the Hawks led 72-54 at halftime.
The one-way nature continued as Atlanta scored the first seven points of the third frame. The Hawks’ 17-4 start to the quarter boosted the advantage to 89-58 after an Okongwu 3-pointer.
The ice-cold Magic hit just one of their first 20 3-point attempts, but they saved some face on the defensive end later in the third, forcing seven turnovers for the quarter and reducing the deficit to 102-76 with one to play.
Tempers flared with 7:30 remaining in the fourth period — and Atlanta up 110-89 — when Hawks center Jock Landale hurt his right ankle after being thrown to the ground by Bitadze.
Daniels charged in and shoved Bitadze in retaliation before the Australian was dragged to the floor by referee Tre Maddox, who was attempting to separate the teams.
Daniels earned a technical foul while Bitadze was ejected from the contest. Landale hit one of the two ensuing free throws, then headed for the locker room.
The margin blew back out to 31 points again — 130-99 — as both teams emptied their benches.
–Field Level Media
