SCANNING THE MARKETPLACE…
Nickeil Alexander-Walker saved his biggest shots of the season opener for the final 90 seconds in Orlando. The Hawks guard had been scoring from everywhere all night, and with Atlanta clinging to a 122-121 lead, the sequence started with Jalen Johnson finding him on the perimeter. He rises into a 27-foot step-back three with 1:27 left to make it 125-121, then flashes a hush gesture to the Kia Center crowd. After the Magic answered at the rim, Johnson found him again, and Alexander-Walker buries a 25-footer with 51 seconds remaining for a 128-123 cushion. He finished with 31 points on 8-of-15 shooting, 5-of-8 from three and 10-of-13 at the line as Atlanta won 132-125 on October 21, 2026, its sixth straight win over Orlando.
SCANNING THE MARKETPLACE…