Cole Anthony came off the bench with fire in his veins, scoring 26 points to lift the Orlando Magic to a dominant 120-95 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference play-in opener.
It was a statement victory from a youthful Magic squad making its play-in debut one that now earns them a first-round series against the top-seeded Boston Celtics. Anthony, who’s battled through an injury-hit season, hit 10-of-17 from the field and drilled four threes to spark a team effort defined by poise and pace.
Paolo Banchero flirted with a triple-double, tallying 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while rookie Anthony Black delivered a near-flawless shooting night with 16 off the bench. Orlando stormed ahead early, capitalising on Atlanta’s six-minute scoring drought in the first quarter and never truly looked back.
Trae Young’s 28 points weren’t enough to rescue the Hawks, especially after his ejection late in the fourth. “They went on their own run and we weathered the storm,” Anthony said postgame. “We got stops, we pushed the pace, and we held a really good offensive team to 90 points.”
The Magic now face the ultimate test in Boston one they welcome with belief and momentum.
