We’ve officially reached All-Star Week and the Orlando Magic are just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot.
Playing in the second game of a back-to-back on the road, the Magic used a balanced attack to rout the Atlanta Hawks, 124-108, giving Orlando a third straight win for just the second time this season (and their fifth win in their last six games). By improving to 25-32, the Magic matched their win total from last season with 25 games remaining.
Seven players finished in double figures for the Magic, who moved within 1.5 games of the eighth-seeded Heat after Miami fell to the Warriors by two late Sunday night.
The Magic went to Nikola Vucevic down low early and often in the first quarter. He had 11 points and four rebounds in the first, including a bucket with 3:15 remaining in the quarter that closed out a 10-2 Magic run to give Orlando a 24-21 lead, erasing what had been a five-point advantage for the Hawks.
Aaron Gordon, who was questionable to play after the hard fall on his back that he suffered on Saturday against the Bucks, was also aggressive in the post early on and scored six points in 10 first quarter minutes.
That included a sequence where Jonathan Isaac intercepted the Hawks lob pass and it resulted in a Gordon alley-opp in transition...
ALLEY- P pic.twitter.com/1LysmgXuLL
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 11, 2019
The Magic opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by a Terrence Ross pull-up that opened a 33-25 lead. The Magic advantage reached double digits when Isaac drained a three off a feed from D.J. Augustin for a 44-33 lead with 5:37 to go in the half.
The Magic continued to move the ball well, tallying 17 assists on 22 made field goals in the first half. Jarell Martin came off the bench to drain a pair of threes, the second of which came with just under one minute remaining to increase the Magic lead to 13 points. Augustin attacked the basket for the lay-in just before the buzzer to send Orlando into the break with a 63-48 lead.
In what was a balanced scoring attack, the Magic shot 48.6 percent in the first half, including 7 of 20 from three (35%). Vooch led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds, Isaac had nine, Evan Fournier had seven, and Augustin added seven points and seven assists. Gordon, Iwundu and Martin each had six points.
The Magic also had seven first-half blocks, four of which were courtesy of Jonathan Isaac, with three coming on one possession...
IT'S THE JONATHAN ISAAC BLOCK PARTY pic.twitter.com/cn8kp6f1EV
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 11, 2019
The third quarter began with a 7-0 run by the Magic, as the Hawks were held scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the quarter, pushing the lead to 70-48. After a three by Isaac, Fournier picked off a pass, raced down court and lobbed an alley-oop for Isaac, who slammed it down for a 75-50 lead.
.@EvanFourmizz steals from the Hawks and gives to @jisaac_01. pic.twitter.com/ad7Slq4f5Q
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 11, 2019
The Magic outscored the Hawks 35-26 in the third, taking a 98-74 lead into the fourth quarter. They maintained the lead in the fourth, with the Hawks only slightly chipping away when the reserves took over late in the quarter.
Vucevic finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Magic, who shot 47.3 percent for the game. Isaac - who scored in double-figures for the sixth time in seven games and had at least two blocks for the seventh time in eight games - had 17 points, five blocks, three rebounds and two steals. Fournier had 17 points and seven assists.
Augustin recorded his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 assists, while committing zero turnovers in the game.
D.J. hit 'em with the remix pic.twitter.com/1WN4aN7q70
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 11, 2019
The Magic overall had 29 assists and just eight turnovers, with no player committing more than one in the game.
Gordon had 12 points in 26 minutes, Ross had 18 off the bench (including a four-point play), and Wes Iwundu added 10 points.
Alex Len led the Hawks with 16 points off the bench. Kevin Huerter and John Collins each had 15 points. Trae Young finished with 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
The Magic complete their three-game road trip on Tuesday when they travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans. They then return to Orlando to host the seventh-seeded Hornets (27-28) in their final game before the All-Star break.