The Orlando Magic couldn’t contain Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who combined for 45 points to guide the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks to a 116-93 win Thursday night at State Farm Arena.
R.J. Hampton scored 15 points while Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony and Ignas Brazdeikis each had 12 for the Magic (21-49), who struggled to 38.7% shooting as they lost their fifth straight.
Bogdanovic finished with a game-high 27 points while Young had 18 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who swept the three-game season series with the Magic.
Atlanta (40-31) improved to 26-11 since Nate McMillan took over as interim coach on March 1 and moved closer to clinching the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Bogdanovic and Young were a combined 16 for 26 from the field while Bogdanovic and John Collins each had four 3-pointers.
The Magic used an 8-0 burst to get within 29-24 early in the second quarter. It was a six-point Atlanta lead when the hosts got going behind Bogdanovic and Young. The two combined for 15 points during a 21-10 run that produced a 56-39 lead.
The advantage reached 20 points at halftime as the Magic shot just 33% and were outscored 28-12 in the paint.
The Hawks pulled out to an 85-55 lead with 4:29 left in the third quarter after Bogdanovic capped a 14-2 run with two free throws.
The Magic put a little dent in their deficit, closing within 18 with 8:22 to play after a 19-7 run, but never threatened the Hawks.
The Magic played without backup center Mo Bamba, who missed his second straight game with a non-COVID-19 illness. Bamba went through pregame warmups but didn’t feel well enough to play. Magic coach Steve Clifford said before the game that Bamba was unable to get through the team’s pregame workout session on Thursday morning.
The Magic take on the 76ers Friday night as both teams complete their final back-to-back set of the season. The 76ers played Thursday night in Miami against the Heat. Friday’s game tips off at 8 p.m.
Orlando’s season finale on Sunday in Philadelphia will start at 7 p.m.
