The Orlando Magic kick off their 2026-27 regular season against an Eastern Conference foe: the Atlanta Hawks. The Magic host the Hawks on Oct. 21.

In general, the start of the Magic's season will be interesting. It will give insights into how the Magic look under head coach Sean Sweeney in the regular season. The early production the Magic have will also be worth keeping an eye on.

The Magic will have their work cut out for them in the first five games of the season. Orlando plays the Hawks, the Timberwolves, the Knicks and the Raptors twice.

However, this matchup against Atlanta is a bit more interesting. It features a great forward battle and is also the perfect game to start the season with. This matchup should serve as a great baseline for Orlando's early success. Orlando should aim to have a season like the Hawks did in 2025-26. Walking away with a win over Atlanta in this first game would be big because of that.

Headlined by Paolo Banchero and Jalen Johnson

It will be interesting to see which forward comes away with the better individual performance and the victory.

The Hawks drafted Johnson in 2021, while the Magic drafted Banchero in 2022. Both also played college at Duke. Both are All-Star candidates this season.

In the 2025-26 regular season, Johnson averaged more points, rebounds, assists and steals than Banchero. Johnson also shot better from the field and from beyond the arc.

Banchero outplaying Johnson would be a great way to start the season. It would set the tone for what Magic fans can expect of Banchero this season.

A good baseline

Atlanta has a solid starting lineup with CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu -- one that features plenty of length, defense and athleticism. All five of Orlando's starters will have their work cut out for them, as they try to implement Sean Sweeney's new more free-flowing offense. (At press time, it was still unclear if Franz Wagner will be available).

Atlanta surged in the second half of last season under coach Quin Snyder, and especially after the trade of Trae Young to Washington. The Hawks finished sixth in the East, although they fell to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs; the Knicks then rolled to a championship. McCollumn will be counted on again to provide perimeter scoring, whicle Daniels and Alexander-Walker are both recent Most Improved Player winners.

If the Magic outperform the Hawks to open the season, it bodes well for what they can do in the East this season -- a conference that includes improved teams in Indiana, Miami and Philadelphia, among others.