NBA: Hawks out to solidify playoff position vs. Magic

No team in the Eastern Conference has played as well as the Atlanta Hawks since the All-Star break. Winners in 17 of 20 games since Feb. 19, the Hawks have put a bit of breathing room between themselves and the play-in tournament.

Ahead of a road game with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Atlanta understands the importance of finishing the regular season strong.

The Hawks (43-33) are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2020-21 season and have won 13 consecutive games at home. After a 112-102 win over the Boston Celtics on Monday, fifth-seeded Atlanta owns a half-game lead over the No. 6 Toronto Raptors. They have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, currently slotted as the No. 7 seed and in the play-in.

"Every game is essential," Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said. "We know what we're up against. It hasn't been an easy road for us. We just want to continue to play well and still find ways to get better."

Contributing to the team's turnaround has been the improved 3-point shot of guard Dyson Daniels. The 23-year-old known for his defensive prowess was shooting 12.9% (12-for-93) from distance as of March 20. Daniels, encouraged by Snyder, has drilled two triples apiece in three of his past five outings.

"He's just shooting. You can't make 'em if you don't take 'em," Snyder said of Daniels' recent shooting stretch. "Everybody's got confidence in him taking that shot. If he doesn't feel comfortable shooting in a given possession, that's OK too. He can make other plays. We've seen him do that, as well. I don't want Dyson to overthink it."

Daniels is averaging 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. His 137 steals rank second in the NBA, behind only Cason Wallace (144).

Jalen Johnson paces the Hawks with 22.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists per contest, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker adds a career-high 20.4 points per game.

A victory on Wednesday would mark the Hawks' first four-game season sweep of the Magic since the 2012-13 season.

Orlando (40-35) currently sits in the No. 8 spot in the East, a half-game ahead of both the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets, while trailing the 76ers by a game. Vying to hold on to at least one guaranteed home game in the upcoming play-in tournament, the Magic dropped seven of eight games before earning a much-needed 115-111 victory over Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

If Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley's team can sneak its way into the postseason, it would mark the franchise's first time appearing in three straight playoffs since the stretch from 2007-12. The fifth-year coach said his team has to stay level-headed for that to happen.

"You're not as bad as you are in your losses and you're not as good as you think you are in your wins," Mosley said. "That's why we've got to keep an even keel."

Led by Paolo Banchero's 22.6 and Desmond Bane's 20.3 points per game, the Magic recognize what's at stake in the Southeast Division matchup on Wednesday.

"We know what we're expecting," Mosley said. "(Atlanta) is playing high-level basketball right now. We've got to make sure we understand what they're doing and how we can guard it."

-Field Level Media/Reuters