ATLANTA — The formerly titled ‘Magic City Monday’ at State Farm Arena brought together two of the NBA’s hottest teams, each entering the matchup on impressive winning streaks. The visiting Orlando Magic arrived riding a seven-game surge, while the Atlanta Hawks carried even more momentum with nine straight victories. By the final buzzer, it was Atlanta that extended its dominance. Nickeil Alexander-Walker erupted for a career-high 41 points, Jalen Johnson recorded his 13th triple-double of the season, and the Hawks powered past the Magic 124-112 on Monday night. The result pushed Atlanta’s streak to 10 games while bringing Orlando’s run to a halt.
Jalen Johnson delivered another standout performance, finishing with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists in his second consecutive triple-double outing. Dyson Daniels chipped in with 15 points and 12 rebounds, providing valuable support on both ends of the floor. With this win, the Hawks now sit in eighth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, just 1.5 games behind the sixth seed—a position that guarantees a playoff berth and avoids the play-in tournament. The stakes are rising.
“It was a real test against a playoff team,” Alexander-Walker said during his press conference. “And I think, the talk kind of being around, well, we beat nobody and da da da da da, at the end of the day, it’s NBA players, it’s NBA teams. … I think it was just, we continue to handle our business.”
Atlanta’s team-first approach continues to define its recent success. The Hawks recorded 33 assists in the win, marking their 41st game this season with at least 30 assists—the highest total in the NBA. Ball movement has become their identity. Additionally, Atlanta controlled the glass with 15 offensive rebounds, extending a season-best streak of 12 straight games with double-digit offensive boards. That run ranks among the longest active streaks in the league and underscores the team’s effort and physicality.
Fans continue to support Magic City
Just a week prior, the NBA canceled the Hawks’ planned collaboration with the well-known Atlanta nightclub, Magic City. The promotion sparked a mix of reactions, drawing both enthusiasm and criticism from fans and league stakeholders. In response, the NBA addressed the situation publicly.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees.”
Even with the official promotion called off, fan engagement around the theme remained strong inside the arena. Thousands of attendees showed their support by wearing Magic City merchandise throughout the game. The energy never dipped. Clifford “T.I.” Harris took the stage for a halftime performance, adding to the night’s atmosphere, while the venue still served the club’s signature lemon pepper wings—a nod to Atlanta culture that resonated with the crowd. Melvin Barney, the owner of Magic City, also received a warm reception from fans in attendance, highlighting the connection between the city, its culture, and its basketball team.
Atlanta’s victory not only reinforced its position as one of the NBA’s hottest teams but also showcased the franchise’s ability to blend on-court success with off-court cultural relevance. The Hawks are surging. And right now, they look like a team no one wants to face.
