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Orlando Magic Team Page

Team Name: Orlando Magic Hometown: Orlando, Florida NBA Eastern Conference » Team History     » Team Schedule

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2008 Orlando Magic Schedule

All times are US/Eastern

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Orlando Magic History

The Orlando Magic officially entered the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1989. It was one of the four new expansion franchises awarded by the NBA along with the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the first professional sports franchise in the Orlando area. Led by a local businessman, Jimmy Hewitt and former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Pat Williams, the Magic hired Matt Guokas as the team's first coach. The inaugural team compiled a record of 18–64 with players including Reggie Theus (the current head coach of the Sacramento Kings), Scott Skiles, Terry Catledge, Sam Vincent (now the current coach of the Charlotte Bobcats), Otis Smith (now current general manager of the Magic), and Jerry Reynolds. In the club's first draft in 1989, the Magic chose Nick Anderson with the 11th pick in the first round.

The club's first game was on November 4, 1989, at the Orlando Arena (O-Rena). Despite playing a hard-fought game, the visiting New Jersey Nets won 111- 106. The Magic's first victory came 2 days later, as the Magic defeated the New York Knicks 118–110. In the 1990 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic selected Dennis Scott with the fourth overall pick. Scott, known as a sharpshooter, helped the Magic compile a 31–51 record. Combined with the fast-paced energy style of Skiles, who was named the NBA's Most Improved Player at the end of the season, the Magic heralded the NBA's most improved record that season.

The club's history was changed dramatically with the 1992 NBA Draft. With the first overall pick, the Magic selected big-man Shaquille O'Neal from Louisiana State University. O'Neal, a 7 ft 1 in center, made an immediate impact on the Magic, leading the club to a 41–41 record. The Magic again were the NBA's most improved franchise, and O'Neal garnered All-Star starter status and the 1992-1993 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Missing out on the playoffs had a silver lining: despite having the NBA's best non-playoff record (and thereby the least chance of gaining the top draft pick with only one ball in the lottery machine), the Magic once again won the NBA draft lottery. In the draft, the Magic selected Chris Webber, but traded him to the Golden State Warriors for the number three pick, guard Anfernee Hardaway (known as "Penny" Hardaway) and three future first-round draft picks. Prior to the draft, Guokas stepped down as head coach, and Brian Hill was promoted to become the Magic's second coach. Also, General Manager Pat Williams was replaced by John Gabriel.

With the lethal combination of O'Neal and Hardaway, the Magic became a dominant team in the NBA, compiling the first 50 win season in franchise history with a 50–32 record. The Magic were in the playoffs for the first time, ranked the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the underdog Pacers team swept the Magic 3–0 in the first round, thus ending the Magic's season. However, in the 1994-95 season, the Magic's sixth season, after acquiring rebounder Horace Grant as a free agent from the Chicago Bulls, Orlando compiled a 57–25 record, best in the East and winning the Atlantic Division title. In the playoffs, the Magic defeated the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and the Indiana Pacers, advancing to the NBA Finals. The Houston Rockets, though, ended Orlando's dream of a championship by sweeping Orlando 4–0 in the Finals to take the crown.

Information excerpted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Magic.

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