Only one game separates the Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks for the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed. The two teams will square off for the first of two matchups in their final four games on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The team that wraps up the seventh seed will have home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. This could be the first of three meetings in the next week between the 38-40 Magic and the 37-41 Hawks.

Atlanta hosts Orlando on Sunday in the regular season finale on Sunday, and the play-in opener pits the No. 7 seed against No. 8 next Tuesday.

This will be the third matchup of the season between the Hawks and Magic. They split the first two matchups in February, with Orlando winning on the road in the second game, 114-108.

Hawks vs. Magic predictions and best bets

Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.

The Magic have won two straight games and five of their last seven. Atlanta has lost five of its last seven. The Hawks have an easier schedule than Orlando over the next two games, giving the home team another additional incentive to take this game.

Atlanta’s next two matchups are against Brooklyn and Philadelphia before it faces the Magic again. Orlando will go against Boston and Indiana. The Pacers might still have something to play for in terms of wrapping up the No. 4 seed in the East.

This will be a definite contrast between styles again. Orlando features an elite defense, and the Hawks have one of the worst in the league. On the flip side, Atlanta boasts one of the more prolific offenses in the NBA, and the Magic’s offense is notoriously one of the weakest.

Orlando ranks third in the league in Defensive Rating, and 27th in Offensive Rating. But as noted by NBA.com, over its last eight games, Orlando’s offense actually ranks in the top half of the league.

Atlanta’s offense ranks fifth in the NBA at 118.0 points per game and the defense ranks 27th in points allowed (119.8). When these opponents get together, though, you can lean on Orlando’s defense affecting the Over/Under more.

The Hawks and Magic combined for 218 and 222 points in the first two matchups of the season. Orlando is 4-1 to the Under in its last five games. The Magic are 15-11 to the Under as a home favorite.

Wagner is one of the Magic’s top options to deliver a healthy amount of points against the Atlanta defense. The Hawks rank 28th in points allowed to small forwards, per FantasyPros. In his first game at home vs. the Hawks this season, he scored a season-high 37 points.

In four of his last seven games, Wagner has scored 24-plus points and finished with 25 in the second matchup with Atlanta. In a must-win game, expect him to soar past the projected points prop against a vulnerable defensive opponent.

Hawks vs. Magic moneyline odds analysis

Why Orlando could win as the favorite

Best odds: -165 at bet365

Paolo Banchero is coming off a monster game against Washington on April 3, as he finished with 33 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and eight assists. He has scored 30-plus points 17 times this season. Wagner has led the team in scoring 32 times. He scored 27 vs. Washington.

Orlando has won 11 of its last 21 home games vs. the Hawks. Banchero scored 31 and 36 points in the two meetings with Atlanta this season. In the second game, the Magic overcame a 19-point first half deficit to earn a six-point win. The Hawks were held to 39 percent shooting from the field.

As highlighted by NBA.com, Orlando knows how to win when it must late in the season. In 2023-24, the Magic clinched a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season. “I think having that experience last year of having to play all 82 to the very end helps us do the same this year,” Banchero said.

Why Atlanta could win as the underdog

Best odds: +140 at Caesars Sportsbook

In a 13-point win over Utah on Sunday, the Hawks racked up 43 assists, which was their most in a game since 1993. They also hit 22 three-point field goals, tying the team’s high mark for the season. Trae Young had 23 points and 15 assists, his 31st career outing with 20-plus points and 15-plus assists.

Young has 847 total assists this season, the most by any player in the NBA since 2016-17 and 162 more assists than the next closest player. He leads the NBA in clutch assists and free throws and has the best plus/minus of any NBA player who has appeared in 35-plus games. He scored 38 points in the last matchup vs. Orlando.

Dyson Daniels leads the league in total steals and steals plus blocks. In his last eight games at Orlando, Caris LeVert is averaging 16.0 points. Zaccharie Risacher has the highest Offensive Rating of any rookie in the Eastern Conference.