Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 32 points and Jalen Johnson posted 18 points and 14 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks routed the Orlando Magic 130-101, winning 17 of their last 19 games.
The second quarter belonged to Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Alexander-Walker finished with 32 points, while Jalen Johnson chipped in 18 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists, leading the Atlanta Hawks past the Orlando Magic 130-101 on Wednesday night at Kia Center. It marked the 17th win in their last 19 games.
Dyson Daniels chipped in 15 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta, which shot 51.1% from the field and held a commanding 52-36 advantage on the boards. Johnson finished two assists shy of what would have been his 14th triple-double of the season.
By winning this game, the Hawks swept the season series against Orlando, the first time Atlanta has swept the Magic in a regular-season series since 2012-13. Atlanta achieved its 21st road win of the season, their most since 2015-16. The Hawks now hold a 3.5-game lead over Orlando in the Southeast Division with five games remaining, six for the Magic.
The game turned in the second quarter. After Jonathan Kuminga's 3-pointer broke a 32-32 tie early in the period, the Hawks went on a sustained run that put the game away. Atlanta made 17 of 24 shots in the quarter, outscoring Orlando 47-26, and Alexander-Walker personally poured in 17 of those points. During one four-minute stretch, he was one of six Hawks to score while the Magic went completely silent.
On one sequence, Alexander-Walker caught a pass in the post, kept his dribble alive, and baited Magic forward Jamal Cain before exploding to the basket. On another, he caught Banchero and Bane in a trap on the perimeter, countered with a spin move, and finished at the rim anyway.
"I think the game will change, and the game is gonna change and adjust to us," Alexander-Walker said of the Hawks' aggressive defensive approach. "But I think it's about continuously setting that tone."
Atlanta stretched its lead to 31 early in the second half and the game was well decided by the fourth quarter, but things still got heated. With 7:30 remaining and the Hawks ahead 110-89, Magic center Goga Bitadze dragged Jock Landale to the ground by the arm as Landale attempted a putback. Landale went down holding his ankle and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game with a right ankle sprain.
Kuminga and Daniels both rushed in on Bitadze, and the confrontation briefly escalated into a broader scuffle. An official tackled Daniels to the ground in the process. Bitadze was assessed a flagrant foul 2 and ejected. Daniels received a technical foul for his role in the exchange.
"I'm always going to have my teammates' back," Daniels said afterward. "I'll get out there and I'll get in the trenches for these boys."
The impact Daniels provided on the boards drew praise from Hawks coach Quin Snyder.
"He's got a nose for it, whether it's on the glass or during play," Snyder said. "When he's guarding the ball or off the ball, something — he's got great instincts."
Jamal Cain led the Magic with 17 points off the bench. Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. each added 14 points. Franz Wagner returned after missing 47 of the last 52 games with a high ankle sprain, scoring 12 points in 19 minutes. Wagner, who was averaging 23.4 points on 55.0% shooting through Orlando's first 23 games before going down in February, showed flashes in limited time.
Atlanta plays at Brooklyn on Friday night.