Magic at Hawks
Markelle Fultz showed the Orlando Magic the impact he can provide now that his shoulder has healed in a season-opening victory, and the point guard enters Saturday’s game against the host Atlanta Hawks looking to build off his 12-point, six-assist performance against Cleveland. Fultz played 23 minutes Wednesday in his first game since last November, driving the Orlando offense by flashing the ability that led Philadelphia to select him with the top overall pick in the 2017 draft.
“We had our best stretch in the first half when he was on the floor,” Magic coach Steve Clifford told reporters of Fultz afterward. “The (lead) was at four or six when he came in in the second half, and his ability to get into the paint and finish plays, it was the difference in the game.” Atlanta also started the season with a standout performance from its point guard, as Trae Young began his second NBA campaign with 38 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a 17-point road victory over Detroit on Thursday. Young shot 11-for-21 from the field and hit six 3-pointers, while the Hawks held Detroit to 37 points in the second half. “Obviously, I’m not a rookie anymore and I felt great out there,” Young told reporters postgame. “Once I hit a couple shots, I knew it was rolling.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), FS Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (1-0): Orlando, which won 22 of its final 31 games a season ago, used two big spurts to take control Wednesday: a 16-0 second-quarter run and eight straight points in the third quarter. Center Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 21 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8-for-16 from the field, and guard Evan Fournier added 16 points. The Magic only went 11-for-19 from the free-throw line, but held Cleveland to 37.5 percent shooting from the field.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (1-0): Atlanta was outscored 12-0 in the final three minutes of the first half Thursday and trailed by five early in the third quarter before taking control with a 29-14 run. John Collins began his season with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while fellow forward Jabari Parker shot 8-for-11 from the field to finish with 18 points off the bench in his Atlanta debut. The Hawks, who averaged an NBA-worst 17 turnovers last season, committed 13 on Thursday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks G Vince Carter became the first player in NBA history to play in 22 seasons Thursday, going scoreless in 10 minutes off the bench.
2. Magic C Mo Bamba, limited to 47 games as a rookie last season due to injuries, scored seven points with seven rebounds in 14 minutes Wednesday.
3. Orlando dominated Atlanta in 2018-19, sweeping the four-game season series and averaging 124 points.