NBA: Hawks beat Magic after Trae Young sizzles in 2nd half
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena on October 21, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images/AFP
Trae Young scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half and finished with 13 assists to lift the host Atlanta Hawks to a 108-98 victory over the Orlando Magic Friday.
Atlanta’s John Collins collected 23 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. He made 9 of 14 shots from the floor after sinking 9 of 12 attempts during his 24-point performance in Atlanta’s 117-107 season-opening win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Dejounte Murray neared a triple-double with 20 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals to help the Hawks overcome a 13-point deficit.
Ice Cold Daggers pic.twitter.com/t1FGaB6Whx
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 22, 2022
Cole Anthony scored 25 points off the Orlando bench in his season debut. He sat out the Magic’s 113-109 opening loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday due to an illness.
Top overall pick Paolo Banchero collected 20 points and 12 rebounds and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 and eight, respectively, for the Magic.
Orlando’s Jalen Suggs suffered a sprained right ankle after being fouled by Murray midway into the third quarter. Suggs missed both free throws and was replaced by Anthony. He did not return to the game.
Orlando nursed an 81-80 lead before Atlanta scored 25 of the first 36 points in the fourth quarter, highlighted by Young’s off-balance 3-pointer as the shot clock was set to expire. Young added another 3-pointer in transition to give the Hawks a 105-92 lead with 2:40 remaining.
Collins answered Franz Wagner’s layup by drilling a 3-pointer with 48.6 seconds left to seal the win.
Anthony drained a 3-pointer to extend the Magic’s lead to 40-27 with 8:40 remaining in the second quarter before Atlanta slowly began to chip away. Justin Holiday, Collins, Murray and Young each converted from beyond the arc before Murray sank another 3-pointer to give the Hawks a 60-59 lead early in the third.
Young made a jumper from the corner before Anthony sank a free-throw attempt to lift the Magic to an 81-80 lead at the end of the third quarter.
