Nickeil Alexander-Walker erupted for 41 points in a 124-112 win over Orlando on March 16.
The Orlando Magic (40-35, 8th in Eastern Conference) host the Atlanta Hawks (43-33, 5th in Eastern Conference) on Wednesday at the Kia Center.
The Magic and the Hawks will collide in a matchup with huge playoff implications. The Magic have won just two of their last five games, but they’re coming off a 115-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. Winning in the second leg of this back-to-back set could prove to be huge in the postseason race.
As for the Hawks, they’re rested after not playing Tuesday and also look to continue rolling after winning five of their last six games — the lone defeat in that span came against the Celtics on Friday.
Here are three key storylines to know heading into today’s matchup.
1. Orlando needs Banchero’s magic: Paolo Banchero has been held in check on the offensive end lately, combining for 29 points in his last two games. However, he has continued to make an impact by setting up his teammates for scoring chances and crashing the glass, but it’s still unusual to see Banchero held under 20 points, let alone in back-to-back games. Banchero had dropped three straight 30-point games before this recent hiccup.
2. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the X-Factor: Atlanta’s trade deadline move to send Trae Young to the Wizards opened up some questions as to who would be the new leader for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson has certainly done his part, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s breakout has made a huge difference for this team. Alexander-Walker is having the best season of his career, and it has reached another level since the All-Star break.
Over his last 10 appearances, Alexander-Walker is averaging 23.2 points while shooting 47.9 percent from three-point range. This impressive 2025-26 campaign has him in the mix for the Most Improved Player of the Year Award.
3. Will either of these teams avoid the Play-In Tournament? The Eastern Conference already set its field for the playoffs, but the seeding has yet to be determined, and with less than two weeks left in the regular season, it seems everything is up for grabs. Ultimately, both the Hawks and Magic are looking to secure a Top-6 seed, but Atlanta is in a much better position.
The Hawks sit in fifth place, and while they’ve played one more game, they also hold a 1.5-game lead over the seventh-place 76ers. However, their remaining schedule is tough with games against the Cavaliers (twice), Knicks and Heat to close out the year. The Magic, on the other hand, are two games behind the sixth-place Raptors, and still have to face the Celtics, Pistons and Timberwolves. While both teams are pushing for a Top-6 seed, it wouldn’t be surprising if the pair ends up in the Play-In Tournament, given the difficulty of their schedule.
