The Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks open their 2026-27 NBA Regular Season campaigns at the Kia Center in Orlando on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with live coverage available in the United States on WRDQ, WANF (Atlanta News First), WPCH.2 (Peachtree Sports Network), Prime Video, DAZN, NBA League Pass, and Fubo.
Both Eastern Conference franchises enter the matchup with a 0-0 record to tip off the new NBA campaign. During the 2025-26 regular season, the Atlanta Hawks finished first in the Southeast Division and sixth in the East with a 46-36 record, while the Orlando Magic posted a 45-37 mark and advanced through the Play-In tournament. The teams last met in regular-season action on April 1, 2026, when the Hawks defeated the Magic 130-101.
Where to watch Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks live
Viewers in the United States have multiple over-the-air television and digital streaming options to follow the season opener between the Southeast Division rivals:
- WRDQ (over-the-air TV)
- WANF – Atlanta News First (over-the-air TV)
- WPCH.2 – Peachtree Sports Network (over-the-air TV)
- Prime Video (streaming)
- DAZN (streaming)
- NBA League Pass (streaming)
- Fubo (streaming)
Start time and venue for Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
- Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET (19:00 local venue time in America/New_York)
- Venue: Kia Center, in Orlando, Florida
- Competition and stage: NBA — Regular Season
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How the Orlando Magic arrive for the game
The Orlando Magic debut under head coach Sean Sweeney, who was hired on June 1, 2026, for his first head coaching role in the league. Sweeney replaced Jamahl Mosley, who was dismissed on May 4, 2026, after five seasons following the team’s first-round playoff elimination against the Detroit Pistons, a series in which Orlando lost after holding a 3-1 lead.
Orlando’s projected starting five features point guard Jalen Suggs, shooting guard Desmond Bane, small forward Franz Wagner, power forward Paolo Banchero, and center Wendell Carter Jr., with veteran center Nikola Vučević joining the rotation. Banchero led the team’s offense in the 2025-26 campaign with averages of 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
On the official NBA injury report, the Magic ruled out four players: Anthony Black (right ankle sprain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury management), Izaiyah Nelson (left ankle injury management), and Noah Penda (partial tear in the right hamstring). Jase Richardson is listed as day-to-day due to a back issue. Forward Franz Wagner recovered from a shoulder injury sustained in the final preseason game against the Miami Heat and expressed expectations to play in the opener, though some statistical reports still listed him as day-to-day.
How the Atlanta Hawks arrive for the game
Head coach Quin Snyder begins his fourth season leading the Atlanta Hawks. In the previous campaign, the franchise traded guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline in exchange for veteran guard CJ McCollum, winning 19 of its final 24 regular-season games before falling in six games to the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Evaluating the season opener, Snyder praised the opposing bench: “Well, you know, you have Sean Sweeney, their coach, is a really good coach. And they’re a really good team.”
Atlanta’s projected starting lineup consists of CJ McCollum, shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, guard-forward Dyson Daniels, All-Star forward Jalen Johnson, and center Onyeka Okongwu, while newcomers Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins bolster the defensive rotation. Alexander-Walker enters the season after winning the NBA Most Improved Player (MIP) award in 2025-26, while Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game last season.
Addressing his role on the roster, Johnson highlighted his focus off the court: “I think leadership is something the team wants to see and one I want to do. I want to be one of those guys they can call aside from basketball and have that type of impact with my teammates and have that type of relationship with me.” Regarding absences, the Hawks confirmed power forward Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture suffered in the summer) and rookie center Henri Veesaar (right knee anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered in September, sidelining him for the entire season) as out.
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Officiating for Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
The officiating crew for Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks (Crew Chief, Referee, and Umpire) had not yet been announced, as the league publishes daily referee assignments on the morning of game days, supported by the NBA Replay Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, for video reviews.
Head-to-head history and next game for the Orlando Magic
During the 2025-26 regular season, the Atlanta Hawks swept the four-game series against the Orlando Magic, winning those matchups by an average margin of 15 points. Following Wednesday’s opener, the Orlando Magic remain at home at the Kia Center to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET.
