Alexander-Walker hushes a building on Sweeney's first night

Sean Sweeney's first game as Magic coach ended with a visiting guard telling his building to be quiet. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 31 for Atlanta, hit a three and flashed a hush at the Kia Center crowd, then buried a 25-footer that made it 128-123 with 51 seconds left. The Hawks won 132-125. It was the opener for both teams, and Orlando's sixth straight loss to Atlanta.

The game had no business being that tidy at the end. The teams changed leads 22 times, 11 of them in the fourth quarter. Orlando led 33-28 after one and by as many as 10. Atlanta answered with a 44-29 second quarter, two separate 12-0 runs, and a 72-62 halftime lead. Paolo Banchero brought the Magic back. He scored 22 before the break, sparked an 11-0 run, and a three-point play gave Orlando its first second-half lead, 98-95, with two minutes left in the third. Orlando won the quarter 38-27.

Alexander-Walker scored 11 of his 31 in the fourth. The two late threes pushed a 122-121 game to a five-point lead the Hawks did not give back. He shot 5 of 8 from deep and 10 of 13 at the line. Dyson Daniels had 20 points and five steals. Jalen Johnson had 20, 14 rebounds and six assists. C.J. McCollum had 19. Atlanta scored 24 points off 20 Orlando turnovers, 18 of those points off 13 giveaways in the first half, and outscored the Magic 60-50 in the paint.

Banchero was excellent and it did not matter. He made his first five shots, finished 10 of 12, and left with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. each had 22. Desmond Bane had 18. Reuters reported that Banchero and Johnson had words after the horn. Nobody published the conversation. The scoreboard already had the last word.