Hawks vs. Magic: Alexander-Walker's late 3s beat Orlando 132-125 despite Banchero's 35

Nickeil Alexander-Walker did it to the Orlando Magic again. The Atlanta Hawks guard, who torched Orlando twice last season, hit two straight 3-pointers in the closing minutes, the second with 51 seconds left, and Atlanta won the season opener 132-125 at Kia Center on Wednesday night, Oct. 21. “Hawks vs magic” drew more than 50,000 US searches on Google Trends, with fans also looking up Paolo Banchero, who finished with 35 points in the loss.

Hawks vs. Magic: final score and key stats

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Final
Hawks	28	44	27	33	132
Magic	33	29	38	25	125

Per the official box score:

Atlanta Hawks (1-0) - Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 31 points (8-of-15 FG, 5-of-8 3PT, 10-of-13 FT) - Jalen Johnson: 20 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists - Dyson Daniels: 20 points, 5 steals - CJ McCollum: 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 24:40 - Aaron Wiggins: 16 points off the bench - Onyeka Okongwu: 8 points, 7 assists - Luguentz Dort: 8 points

Orlando Magic (0-1) - Paolo Banchero: 35 points (10-of-12 FG, 12-of-16 FT), 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 turnovers - Franz Wagner: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists - Wendell Carter Jr.: 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting - Desmond Bane: 18 points - Tristan da Silva: 14 points, four 3-pointers

The game drew a sellout crowd of 18,864. There were 22 lead changes and nine ties.

Alexander-Walker closes it

The Magic’s postgame story noted that Alexander-Walker, last season’s Most Improved Player, scored a career-high 41 against Orlando on March 16 and 32 in Orlando on April 1. He picked up where he left off. Atlanta also got 20 points each from Jalen Johnson, a first-time All-Star last season, and Dyson Daniels, the 2024-25 Most Improved Player.

Atlanta won the second quarter 44-29 to take a 72-62 halftime lead. Orlando answered by winning the third 38-27 and led 100-99 going into the fourth, but the Hawks took the final quarter 33-25.

Banchero’s big night wasn’t enough

Banchero was nearly perfect from the floor, missing only two of his 12 shots, and recorded a double-double with 10 assists.

“I loved his aggressiveness,” Magic coach Sean Sweeney said, according to the team’s recap. “I thought he did a great job of really trying to put pressure on the defense. I think he can be even better.”

Wagner was limited in the first half by foul trouble, and Carter came on strong late.

Why Orlando lost

The Magic shot 48% from the field and made 30 of 39 free throws, so scoring wasn’t the problem. Three things were:

• Turnovers: 20 of them, which the Hawks turned into 24 points.
• Fourth-quarter 3s: Orlando was 12-of-28 from deep through three quarters, then made just 1 of 12 in the fourth.
• The paint: Atlanta scored 60 points inside to Orlando’s 50.

“Defensively, from them, they were physical, picking up full (court) from the guards,” Carter said in the Magic’s recap.

The loss ended a run of three straight opening-night wins for Orlando. Its last home opener loss came in 2016 against Miami, the team said.

What’s next and where to watch

The Hawks visit the Charlotte Hornets for Charlotte’s home opener on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. ET. The Magic host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at 7 p.m. Wednesday’s game was listed by ESPN on NBA League Pass; check your local listings and League Pass for Friday’s broadcasts.

FAQ

Who won Hawks vs. Magic? The Atlanta Hawks, 132-125, on Oct. 21, 2026, in Orlando.

Who led the Hawks? Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 31 points.

How did Paolo Banchero play? 35 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists on 10-of-12 shooting.