Game date, time and location: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7:10 p.m. ET, Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
TV: MagicTV 27 (Orlando), WANF/Gray Media, Prime (Atlanta)
Radio: 96.9 The Game (Orlando), 92.9 The Game (Atlanta)
VITALS: These teams finished just one game apart in the Southeast last season as the division race wasn't decided until the final week. Atlanta winning ended up landing the No. 6 seed while Orlando finished eighth, surviving the play-in stage before ultimately blowing a first-round series lead vs. Detroit. Franz Wagner, whose status was deemed questionable when the week began due to shoulder soreness, vowed to play and looks on track to debut as he looks to turn the page following an injury-riddled 2025-26.
There weren't many changes made on either side in the offseason outside of Orlando parting ways with head coach Jamahl Mosley and hiring Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney. Personnel-wise, the Hawks didn't sign Jonathan Kuminga but did pick up defensive standout Luguentz Dort from the Thunder.
Orlando had some tough injury luck in the preseason due to sixth man Anthony Black missing this opener with an ankle sprain and reserve forward Jonathan Isaac and Noah Penda being ruled out. The Hawks are the healtheir group for fifth-year head coach Quin Snyder, who now has 504 career regular-season wins after leading the Hawks to a division title and their first playoff appearance since his opening season after arriving from Utah, where he coached from 2014-22.
The Hawks lead the Magic 78-65 in the regular season all-time, winning 18 of the last 23. Atlanta swept the series 4-0 last season and have a five-game win streak as a result. Orlando's last win came at home on April 8, 2025 (119-112), but lost 130-101 when these teams last met at Kia Center on April 1.
PROJECTED STARTERS
MAGIC
F Paolo Banchero
F Franz Wagner
C Wendell Carter Jr.
G Jalen Suggs
G Desmond Bane
HAWKS
F/G Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
INJURY REPORT
MAGIC
G Anthony Black: Out, Right Ankle Sprain
F Noah Penda: Out, Right Partially Torn Hamstring
F Jonathan Isaac: Out, Left Knee Injury Management
F/C Izaiyah Nelson: Out, Left Ankle Injury Recovery
HAWKS
F/C Mouhamed Gueye: Out, Left Foot Fracture
C Henri Veesar: Out, Right ACL Tear
G RayJ Dennis: Out, G League - Two-way
G Keshon Gilbert: Out, G League - Two-way
G/F Jalen Wilson: Questionable, G League - Two-way
Betting Lines (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Spread: Magic -2.5 (-112), Mavericks +2.5 (-108)
Moneyline: Magic -130, Hawks +110
Total points scored: 233.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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QUOTABLE
"We emphasized, first and foremost, the habits and fundamentals that we think are important to each and every game and then we applied it a little more to what we might see from Atlanta. They play fast, they do a good job of attacking you early in the clock. In general, defensively, they’re a high-aggression, active defense." - Magic head coach Sean Sweeney
STORYLINES
Magic face challenging first week as Sweeney gets started
Banchero-Johnson makes for fantastic forward matchup
Injured Black's extension talks didn't yield a deal
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