{"id":705891,"date":"2026-04-08T21:08:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705891\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T21:08:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:08:26","slug":"orlando-magic-responds-to-quin-snyders-remarks-about-dirty-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/705891\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Magic responds to Quin Snyder’s remarks about dirty play"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Atlanta Hawks may have blown out the Orlando Magic by 29 points earlier this month, completing the season sweep between the two teams. <\/p>\n

But the fourth quarter still had some spice to it.<\/p>\n

With less than eight minutes left, Magic big Goga Bitadze was ejected after making a non-basketball play on Hawks big Jock Landale. Bitadze committed a hard foul on Hawks’ fifth-year big, leading to an awkward fall, which resulted in Landale spraining his ankle.<\/p>\n

The situation immediately led to a shoving match between the two teams, with Landale, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and forward Jonathan Kuminga at the center of it. While we’re one week removed from the incident, the reaction still spilled over into this week.<\/p>\n

Goga Bitadze grabs and pulls Jock Landale hard to the floor, while Landale was in mid-air, causing him to get injured (with replays)<\/p>\n

Things heat up!<\/p>\n

Tre Maddox takes down Dyson Daniels to the floor with a tackle<\/p>\n

Landale splits the free throws and headed to the locker room\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/I1AR8RZv5V<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 2, 2026<\/a>Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley did not take kindly to Quin Snyder’s recent comments:\"Magic<\/p>\n

Apr 05, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley looks on during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder called the play<\/a> “dirty” in a radio appearance with 92.9 The Game. And the fourth-year Hawks head coach stated that this wasn’t the first time the Magic committed a dirty play against his team.<\/p>\n

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley responded to those remarks ahead of the Magic’s 80th regular season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.<\/p>\n

“First and foremost, I never ever, ever, ever want to see a guy go down,” he said. “That’s not the intent. That’s not the intent of physicality. That’s not the intent of us being a physical, aggressive team. Are we dirty? No.”<\/p>\n

The sprained ankle will sideline Landale, who’s played in 23 regular season games (two starts) since getting traded to Atlanta ahead of the deadline, for the rest of the regular season.<\/p>\n

“That was a week ago and I can see the point of why he’s talking about it because he loses a guy in his rotation. But that was a week ago. … We’re playing the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that’s who we focus on.”<\/p>\n

Bitadze was not suspended or fined for his actions.<\/p>\n

I expect there will be no love lost between the two teams when they meet again. Although that likely won’t be until next season.<\/p>\n

While they can still technically secure a top-5 seed, which the Hawks possess, the Magic’s most realistic ceiling as the regular season winds down is the No. 6 seed. At 43-36, they are currently two back of Atlanta and one back of Toronto. <\/p>\n

Orlando closes the season with Minnesota, Chicago and Boston, respectively, who has the two-seed all but sealed. Tip-off for Wednesday’s game inside Kia Center will be at 7:00 p.m. EST.<\/p>\n