Magic and Hawks Clash in Highly Anticipated Eastern Conference Showdown

On Friday, the Orlando Magic will host the Atlanta Hawks in a highly anticipated clash between two Eastern Conference rivals. Both teams were consensus picks to make the postseason this year, and they last met in April's play-in tournament, where the Magic emerged victorious with a 120-95 win.

Despite their early playoff exit, the Magic have retained their core nucleus and added key newcomers in the offseason. One of those additions, Desmond Bane, made an immediate impact in Orlando's season-opening 125-121 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The former Memphis Grizzlies guard scored 23 points in his Magic debut, providing a much-needed offensive boost to a team that struggled to score last season.

The Hawks, on the other hand, had a disappointing start to their campaign, falling 138-118 at home to the Toronto Raptors. New faces like Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard debuted for Atlanta, but the team trailed by as many as 29 points and allowed the Raptors to score 86 points in the paint.

Both teams will be eager to avoid a return to the play-in tournament and establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference. With their revamped rosters and high expectations, the Magic and Hawks are set to provide an intriguing early-season matchup for NBA fans.