Orlando Magic Coach Doc Rivers appealed to his team's professionalism before tipoff Saturday night, hoping they'd guard against a letdown after whipping the Atlanta Hawks 24 hours earlier.

The Magic didn't guard against a letdown -- or guard many of the Hawks, for that matter, in the rematch.

Exposing the Magic's pitiful excuse for defense, the Hawks won 107-104 at Philips Arena, recovering from a 35-point blowout in Orlando on Friday night.

If the Magic didn't understand Rivers' message before their abysmal effort, they heard him loud and clear afterwards. Rivers threw a tirade in the dressing room that practically peeled the paint off the walls. He ripped into his team's lack of defense, energy and urgency.

"That was just despicable," Rivers said. "Not a good way to start a road trip."

Their four-game winning streak snapped, the Magic (11-10) venture to the West Coast to play five games in eight days.

As poorly and unattentive as they played, the Magic still had a chance, but Tracy McGrady missed a drive with 17 seconds left and the score 106-104. Then, after Nazr Mohammed made one of two free throws, McGrady missed a long 3-point attempt for the tie.

"You can't have a team look down on you like you're a cupcake," said Hawks forward Mark Strickland.