Cole Anthony emerged as a pivotal figure off the bench, scoring 26 points and dishing out six assists, leading the Orlando Magic to a decisive 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA play-in tournament. Paolo Banchero contributed significantly with 17 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 19 points and seven rebounds. The Magic, who finished the regular season at 41-41, have secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Boston Celtics in the playoff's first round.

In contrast, the Hawks struggled to maintain momentum, with Trae Young scoring 28 points before receiving two technical fouls, resulting in an ejection with just under five minutes left in the game. Despite having reached the playoffs through the play-in scenario in two of the last three seasons, Atlanta now faces a must-win situation at home against the winner of the matchup between the Bulls and the Heat to clinch the eighth playoff seed.