who did the orlando magic lose to in the finals
Los Angeles Lakers
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2009 NBA Finals The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s championship series for the 2008–09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers (who were also the defending Western Conference champions), and the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic. The Lakers defeated the Magic, four games to one, to win the franchise's 15th NBA championship. The 63rd edition of the championship series was played between June 4 and June 14 and was broadcast on U.S. television on ABC. The Lakers earned their berth into the playoffs by winning the Pacific Division. The
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in the conference finals, thanks to all-star defensive player of the year center Dwight Howard's 40 points and 10 rebounds in Game 6, to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995, only to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Following the season, Türkoğlu was traded to the Toronto Raptors in a three-team deal and Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee were all dealt to the New Jersey Nets. Traded out during season:<br> The first half of the 2008–09 season went very well for the Magic. After 41 games, the Magic were 33–8,
2008–09 Orlando Magic season
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record set in 1981–82. However, the Celtics lost seven out of the following nine games, and eventually finished with a 62–20 record. They failed to defend their title as they lost to the Orlando Magic in the Conference Semifinals in seven games. The Magic would go on to the NBA Finals, their second NBA Finals appearance, only to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. On June 26, the Celtics selected shooting guard J. R. Giddens with the 30th and center Semih Erden with the 60th overall picks in the 2008 NBA draft, and traded cash considerations in
2008–09 Boston Celtics season
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2009–10 Orlando Magic season The 2009–10 Orlando Magic season was the 21st season of the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Magic were coming off of an NBA Finals defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. It was also the Magic's last season having the Amway Arena as their home arena. In the playoffs, the Magic swept the Charlotte Bobcats in four games in the First Round, swept the Atlanta Hawks in four games in the Semifinals, before losing to the Boston Celtics in six games in the Conference Finals. As a result of previous
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2008–09 Cleveland Cavaliers season The 2008–09 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 39th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They finished the regular season with 66 wins and 16 losses, easily surpassing the previous franchise best of 57–25 from the 1988–89 and 1991–92 seasons. In the playoffs, the Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons in the First Round in four games, swept the Atlanta Hawks in the Semifinals in four games, before losing to the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals in six games. The Magic would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in the
2008–09 Cleveland Cavaliers season
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in a 99–85 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. On June 25, 2009, Carter was traded, along with Ryan Anderson, to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. Orlando hoped Carter would provide center Dwight Howard with a perimeter scorer who can create his own shot—something the Magic lacked in losing the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers. On February 8, 2010, he had a season-high 48 points, 34 in the second half, when the Magic rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat the New Orleans Hornets 123–117. Carter helped the Magic reach the
Vince Carter
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the Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando met the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The combination of Jordan, Scottie Pippen and rebounder Dennis Rodman was too much for the Magic, and Orlando was swept 4–0. In the offseason, O'Neal left as a free agent to the Los Angeles Lakers, dealing a huge blow to the Magic franchise. In the middle of the season, urged by player discontent, management fired coach Brian Hill and named Richie Adubato as interim coach for the rest of the season. Under Adubato, the Magic went 21–12 to compile a 45–37
Orlando Magic
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the Boston Celtics, in the Eastern Conference semifinals, behind assistant coach Patrick Ewing's guarantee that they would win Game 7 of that series. In their first conference finals since 1996, the Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, which were led by the season's MVP, LeBron James. After dropping the first two games in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Magic finally won their first ever game in the Finals in Game 3. Despite Nelson's return to the team for the Finals, the Lakers won the series and the championship by beating the Magic in five games. In the 2009
Orlando Magic
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as Dwight Howard scored 40 points, a career high for him in a playoff game. The Magic won the series 4-2, the Eastern Conference championship, and the right to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals. After dropping the first two games in the series, the Magic finally won their first ever game in the finals in Game 3. With the franchise losing their first six finals games 1995 and 2009 combined, it was the second most games a team had lost in the finals before earning their first win. However, in Game 4 the Magic lost
2008–09 Orlando Magic season
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2009 NBA Finals The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s championship series for the 2008–09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers (who were also the defending Western Conference champions), and the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic. The Lakers defeated the Magic, four games to one, to win the franchise's 15th NBA championship. The 63rd edition of the championship series was played between June 4 and June 14 and was broadcast on U.S. television on ABC. The Lakers earned their berth into the playoffs by winning the Pacific Division. The
2009 NBA Finals
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Celtics (103) @ Los Angeles Lakers (94) 2009 Finals, Game 2: Orlando Magic (96) @ Los Angeles Lakers (101) (OT) McCutchen is married with two children and resides near Asheville, North Carolina. In the offseason, he is an avid photographer who is also active in ranching. Monty McCutchen Monty McCutchen (born February 14, 1966) is a former professional basketball referee who has worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1993-1994 season. 2017 Finals, Game 3 Golden State Warriors (118) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (113) 2016 Finals, Game 7 Cleveland Cavaliers (93) @ Golden State Warriors (89) 2016 Finals, Game
Monty McCutchen
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the Celtics elevated their play and consistently, and dominated opponents much as they did during their 2008 championship run. They eliminated the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic to advance to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. The 2010 Finals went to a decisive seventh game in Los Angeles, where the Celtics led well into the third quarter before the Lakers mounted a comeback and held on for the victory. In the 2010–11 NBA season, Garnett and the Celtics started strong, winning 23 of their first 26 games. On December 30, 2010, Garnett injured his
Kevin Garnett
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the 2008–09 NBA season, the Magic reached the 2009 NBA Finals for the first time since 1995. However, they lost in 5 games to the Los Angeles Lakers. Türkoğlu decided to opt out of his contract. On July 9, 2009, Türkoğlu was signed and traded to the Toronto Raptors as a part of a four-team deal among the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies, which also included Shawn Marion. On March 28, 2010, Türkoğlu was a healthy scratch for the Raptors, his first benching since March 10, 2006, when he was still an Orlando Magic player. This
Hedo Türkoğlu
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their last six games, the Magic made a blockbuster trade deal with the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards. They traded Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickaël Piétrus to Phoenix for Hedo Türkoğlu (who led them into the 2009 NBA Finals when they lost 4–1 against the Los Angeles Lakers), Jason Richardson and Earl Clark. Rashard Lewis was traded to Washington for 3-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas. The Magic finished the season with 52 victories, good for 2nd in the Southeast Division. But they were ousted in six games by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2011 NBA
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the Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. The final NBA game at Amway Arena was Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on May 26, 2010; the Magic won the game, telecast on ESPN on ABC. The Celtics would then win Game 6 in Boston, advancing to face the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. Other sporting events include the 1992 United States Figure Skating Championships and the IHL Finals in 1996, 1999 and 2001, when the Orlando Solar Bears won the Turner Cup in the IHL's last season of operations. During the 1993–94 NHL season,
Amway Arena
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first playoff meeting between the Lakers and the Magic. 2009 NBA Playoffs The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP. The Boston Celtics lost a best-of-7 series after leading 3–2 for the first time to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Before that, their first round series with the Chicago Bulls set an NBA Playoff record for the most
2009 NBA Playoffs
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Cleveland Cavaliers 4–2. Howard had a playoff career-high 40 points to go with his 14 rebounds in the deciding Game 6, leading Orlando to the NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years. In the NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers took the first two home games, before a home win by the Magic brought the deficit to 2–1. In Game 4, despite Howard putting up 21 rebounds and a Finals record of 9 blocks in a game, the Magic lost in overtime. The Lakers went on to clinch the series with a win in Game 5. For the
Dwight Howard
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both PlayStation 2 and Xbox and received positive reviews. In 2009, AND1’s longest-tenured endorsee Rafer “Skip 2 My Lou” Alston would lead the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals versus the Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles Lakers. Skip wore the AND1 Cubics throughout the ‘09 season, all the way through the NBA finals. After another one of his high-scoring playoff games, Magic teammate Dwight Howard said this about Skip: “He wasn’t Rafer Alston [tonight], he was the playground legend ‘Skip 2 My Lou”. When he plays like the playground legend, he’s tough to guard. The Magic ultimately lost the series
AND1
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2009 NBA Playoffs The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP. The Boston Celtics lost a best-of-7 series after leading 3–2 for the first time to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Before that, their first round series with the Chicago Bulls set an NBA Playoff record for the most overtime games (4) and periods (7) played. The Houston
2009 NBA Playoffs
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would then win Game 1 in overtime. The Magic would not recover from their Game 1 loss as the Rockets swept the series in 4 straight. For the season, the Magic had new blue pinstripe road uniforms, while the black pinstripe jerseys became their alternate. Both uniforms lasted until 1998. Orlando did not make another appearance in the NBA Finals until 2009. The Orlando Magic signed Horace Grant. (1) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Boston Celtics: "Magic win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series) (1) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Chicago Bulls: "Magic win series 4-2" Last Playoff
1994–95 Orlando Magic season
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leading the Southeast Division, as well as having one of the top four records in the league. On January 13, 2009, they scored an NBA record 23 three-pointers against the Sacramento Kings. Nine of the twelve Magic players who played that night scored at least one three pointer. At the start of February, Jameer Nelson, their all-star starting point guard, went down with a shoulder injury which caused him to miss the remainder of the season. The Magic then began a stretch where they did not win or lose consecutive games for almost the entire month. The Magic did make
2008–09 Orlando Magic season
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used Ahmad Rashād (Bulls sideline) and Hannah Storm (SuperSonics sideline). Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary "Unstoppabulls" for NBA Entertainment. This was the 50th NBA Finals played. The Bulls were coming off a season in which Michael Jordan returned from an 18-month retirement, only to lose in the second round of the playoffs to the Orlando Magic. Heading into the upcoming season, Chicago was no longer the same team as they were in their most recent championship season of , having lost key members of their first three-peat core in John Paxson who retired, while Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, B.
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which stood as the franchise mark until the 2012–13 season. Head coach Pat Riley was named Coach of The Year for the third time. In the first round of the playoffs, the Heat won their first ever playoff series by defeating the Orlando Magic in five games. In the semifinals, they defeated the New York Knicks in a full seven game series after trailing 3–1. However, they would lose in five games to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The team's season roster is featured in NBA 2K18. The Heat did not have any draft picks in 1996.
1996–97 Miami Heat season
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the first round, thus ending the Magic's season. In the 1994–95 season, the Magic's sixth season, All-Star forward Horace Grant was acquired as a free agent from the Chicago Bulls. The Orlando Magic compiled a 57–25 record, best in the East and winning the Atlantic Division title, becoming the second-fastest team (behind the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, who were in their third season) to advance to the NBA Finals in league history. In the playoffs, the Magic defeated the Boston Celtics, Bulls, and the Indiana Pacers, advancing to the NBA Finals where O'Neal, Hardaway and the young Magic bowed to
Orlando Magic
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Conference Finals (1) Orlando Magic vs. (2) Indiana Pacers: "Magic win series 4-3" This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first meeting. (1) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Houston Rockets: "Rockets win series 4-0" This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Magic. 1995 NBA Playoffs The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994–95 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon was named
1995 NBA Playoffs
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1989–90 Orlando Magic season The 1989–90 NBA season was the Magic's 1st season in the National Basketball Association. Several years after local developer and banker Jim Hewitt began promoting the idea of an NBA franchise in Florida, he was awarded the Orlando Magic. His first move was to hire Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Pat Williams. Together, the two convinced the NBA to give Orlando a franchise after local fans made $100 deposits on season-ticket reservations. On November 4, a sold out crowd watched the Magic lose their first ever game at the Orlando Arena. The final score was 111–106 to
1989–90 Orlando Magic season
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trades made by the Orlando Magic, they did not have any draft choices. However, the NBA still had Adidas make a Draft Cap, which would have been given to a potential draft choice. The hat was available for public purchase on the NBA's official webstore. The Magic have been involved in the following transactions during the 2009–10 season. z – clinched home court advantage through NBA Finals<br> y – clinched division title<br> x – clinched playoff spot Though he was not expected to get much playing time, Adonal Foyle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on October 21, a
2009–10 Orlando Magic season
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Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average" 1989–90 Orlando Magic season The 1989–90 NBA season was the Magic's 1st season in the National Basketball Association. Several years after local developer and banker Jim Hewitt began promoting the idea of an NBA franchise in Florida, he was awarded the Orlando Magic. His first move was to hire Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Pat Williams. Together, the two convinced the NBA to give Orlando a franchise after local fans made $100 deposits on season-ticket reservations. On November 4, a sold out crowd watched the Magic lose their first ever game at the Orlando
1989–90 Orlando Magic season
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the team traded rookies Drew Gooden and Gordan Giriček to the Orlando Magic for Mike Miller. The Grizzlies finished sixth in the Midwest Division with a 28–54 record. Second-year star Pau Gasol led the team with 19.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Despite their awful season, the Grizzlies would lose their chance to pick second in the 2003 NBA draft to the Detroit Pistons, who had lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the New Jersey Nets in the playoffs. Following the season, Brevin Knight was traded to the Phoenix Suns, and Michael Dickerson retired after just
2002–03 Memphis Grizzlies season
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Finals to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors in seven games. During the series' pivotal game seven, and without an injured Chris Paul, the Rockets would set an NBA Playoff record by missing 27 straight 3-point shots. The Rockets would lose to the Warriors that game by a score of 101–92, missing out on their chance to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995, when they swept the Shaq/Penny-led Orlando Magic in four games to win their second and most recent NBA Championship. The Rockets were expected by many to face the Cleveland Cavaliers or
2017–18 Houston Rockets season
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far as to argue that "there should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense". That year, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals for the 5th time in 9 years, but would eventually lose to the Boston Celtics. The following year, they returned and won in a 4-1 rout over the Orlando Magic. In 2009, Kupchak signed 2004 Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, famous for his role in the Pacers-Pistons Brawl, as a free agent. The Lakers made it to their seventh NBA Finals in 11 years, winning in a championship re-match against
Mitch Kupchak
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the NBA finals. (2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Detroit Pistons (2) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks (1) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Orlando Magic "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average" During the 1995–96 season, Dennis Scott set the record for most three-point field goals scored in a regular season with 267. The following players were selected to play in the East v West All-Star game 1995–96 Orlando Magic season The 1995–96 NBA season was the Magic's seventh season in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason,
1995–96 Orlando Magic season
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Orlando. In two seasons with the Magic, he played in 111 games, starting 12, and participated in the 2009 NBA Finals. His contract expired at the conclusion of the 2009-10 NBA season, making him a free agent. Anthony Johnson (basketball) Anthony Mark Johnson (born October 2, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player who last played with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. At 6'3" (1.91 m), he played the point guard position. He found success in pro basketball, becoming the first NBA D-League player to participate in an NBA Finals. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Johnson played
Anthony Johnson (basketball)
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Lakers beat the Suns, who defeated them in the first round in 2006 and 2007. The Celtics defeated the Magic, who eliminated them in 2009. And in the finals, the Lakers beat the Celtics who defeated them in the 2008 NBA Finals. Game 5 of the Magic-Celtics series was the last game played at Amway Arena (formerly known as Orlando Arena and TD Waterhouse Centre). The Magic, who last year upset the top-seeded Cavaliers in 6 after they went 8-0 through the first two rounds, also went 8-0 through two playoff series, only to suffer the same fate as the
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the Magic and the other new expansion team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, to determine their order for the NBA Draft and the expansion draft. The Magic won the coin toss and chose to have the first pick in the expansion draft and pick 11th in the NBA Draft, while the Timberwolves picked second in the expansion draft and 10th in the NBA Draft. The previous season's expansion teams, the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, were not involved in this year's expansion draft and did not lose any player. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK =
1989–90 Orlando Magic season
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players on Orlando's roster with NBA finals experience. However, neither saw playing time during the series, as Lue was inactive with an injury and Johnson lost his minutes to teammate Jameer Nelson, who returned from a shoulder injury in time for the Finals. Trevor Ariza, the Lakers starting small forward, faced the team who traded him to the Lakers in 2007. The Orlando Magic won both games in the regular-season series: After an evenly battled first quarter, the Magic took the lead thanks to field goals and assists from point guard Jameer Nelson, who was playing his first game since
2009 NBA Finals
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Magic falter; playing a program with no Smith compositions for the first time in six seasons, the corps just missed finals, finishing 13th. In 1999, Magic performed a program of Chuck Mangione music, and slumped further to a 14th-place finish in Madison. Never truly financially stable, Magic of Orlando went inactive after the 1999 season to try to build a stronger fiscal base. In order to keep the name in front of the public, the organization marched a small corps called Micro Magic that did exhibition performances at a number of DCI shows and other events in 2000 and 2001.
The Magic Drum and Bugle Corps
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top seed has been eliminated since the Dallas Mavericks' first round loss to the Golden State Warriors in 2007. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics went on to eliminate the Orlando Magic in six games. In reaching the Finals the Boston Celtics became the first team in NBA history to do so with a better regular season road record than home. Also, the Boston Celtics became the second team in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals after beating the team with the best record, Cleveland Cavaliers, and team with second-best record in the league, Orlando Magic, after the
2010 NBA Finals
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against the then reigning champions Detroit Pistons, which the Magic won. Anderson was quoted as saying the atmosphere and the people watching the game was "like Game 7 of the NBA Finals". On November 4, 1989, the Magic played their first season game at the Orlando Arena (O-Rena) against the visiting New Jersey Nets, who won 111–106 in a hard-fought game. The Magic's first victory came two days later, as the Magic defeated the New York Knicks 118–110. The inaugural team compiled a record of 18–64 with players including Reggie Theus, Scott Skiles, Terry Catledge, Sam Vincent, Otis Smith, and
Orlando Magic
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Williams signed with the Orlando Magic. The move reunited Williams with Stan Van Gundy, his former coach in Miami, who pushed the team to make the signing. Orlando was also located just south of Gainesville, where he had gone to college. Williams played in all 82 games for the Magic that year, including 18 starts when Jameer Nelson was injured. He also played in all 14 of their playoff games, as the Magic advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in six games. He re-signed with the team on August 3, 2010. On September
Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)
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champions, Orlando Magic, a team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway, who had reached the finals the previous year and were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. The Bulls won the regular-season series against the Magic, 3–1. To start the series, the Bulls took Game 1 in a 38-point blowout on May 19. Behind Jordan's 35 points, Chicago defeated Orlando on May 21. In Game 3, the Bulls continued their winning ways by taking a 3–0 series lead against the Magic. Completing the series sweep, the Bulls won Game 4 by five points behind a 45-point performance
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to the Lakers 99-91 in overtime; the Lakers took a 3-1 series lead and won again in Game 5, thus ending the Magic's longest playoff run in team history and ending up 1-8 in the finals. Magic break the 3 point record with 23 on January 13 in Sacramento. 2008–09 Orlando Magic season The 2008–09 Orlando Magic season was the 20th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team finished the regular season with a 59–23 record, the most wins since the 1995–96 season. The Magic would go on to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in six
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in 2004, this time in the new Pepsi Center. The Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year (and finally defeated the New York Knicks on their way to doing so), but found the Magic too powerful to overcome. Coincidentally, they met all 3 playoff opponents (Orlando, Atlanta, and New York) they had in 1994, just in a different order. Since the NBA playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the Jazz became the second team (along with the 1994 Sonics) to win at least 60 regular season games and lose in the first round, when they
1995 NBA Playoffs
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to the NBA Finals to face the Orlando Magic. The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals in a 4-1 series, earning Vujacic his first NBA championship. In Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, Vujačić led the Lakers' bench with 9 points, including two three-pointers. With 11 seconds left in Game 7 and the Lakers leading by only two points, Vujačić helped made two crucial free throws that sealed the Lakers' victory over the Celtics in a Game 7 for the first time in the longstanding Lakers-Celtics rivalry. On December 15, 2010, Vujačić was traded to
Sasha Vujačić
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deficit, the Magic tied the series with a home game victory in Game 6 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals by winning Game 7 on the road, ending Boston's 32-0 undefeated record when leading the series 3-2. Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing had guaranteed a win in Game 7. Returning to the conference finals for the first time since 1996, the Magic's opponent was the Cleveland Cavaliers, who compiled the league's best regular season record led by the season's MVP, LeBron James. That didn't stop the Magic as they closed the series out at home in Game 6, winning 103-90
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61 games with Mashburn averaging 13.4 points in 30 starts. In the playoffs the Heat defeated the Orlando Magic in a difficult 5 games in the first round, followed by a grueling seven game series win against the New York Knicks. Miami made its first ever Conference Finals against the defending champion Bulls, and would lose the first three games of the series before managing a win in Miami in game four, with Mashburn scoring 17 points. The Bulls proved too much for the Heat and won the series in the 5th game in Chicago. Mashburn averaged 10.5 points in
Jamal Mashburn
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contract with the Hawks. As a rookie in 2009–10, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.7 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes (.396 FG%, .837 FT%), playing in 71 games (three starts) and ranking 10th among rookies in assists. He finished the regular season in style, setting then career-highs in several categories with a 24-point, 15-assist, five-rebound effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 14, hitting 11-of-19 from the field and playing all 48 minutes. He went on to play sparingly in the team's playoff run, a run that saw the Hawks lose to the Orlando Magic in the Conference semi-finals.
Jeff Teague (basketball)
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In the playoffs, Cleveland swept the Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks to earn a matchup with the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals. In Game 1 of the series, James scored 49 points on 66 percent shooting in a losing effort for the Cavaliers. In Game 2, he hit a game-winner to tie the series at 1–1. Cleveland would lose the series in six games, and following the loss in Game 6, James immediately left the floor without shaking hands with his opponents, which was an act that many media members viewed as unsportsmanlike. For the series, he averaged 38.5
LeBron James
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from retirement in March 1995, following a brief baseball career and made the 1995 NBA Playoffs, losing to the Orlando Magic in six games. The Phoenix Suns finished with 56 wins in the 1993–94 season, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the Houston Rockets after leading 2–0 in the Western Conference semifinals. The following year, Phoenix took a commanding 3–1 lead against a sixth-Seeded Houston team only to lose again, losing Games 5 and 7 on their home court, the last of which was decided on a 3-pointer by Mario Elie and an ensuing free throw session. The Rockets
1993 NBA Finals
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points per game, and were both selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game. In the first round of the playoffs, led by the trio of Allen, Robinson and Sam Cassell, the Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic in four games. It was the first time the Bucks made it out of the NBA playoffs' first round since 1988–89. Then, in the semifinals, they would defeat the 6th-seeded Charlotte Hornets in seven games after trailing 3–2. However, they would lose in seven games in the conference finals to regular season MVP Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. Following the season, Hunter was
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the Heat won their first championship in game six. The Lakers returned to the finals in 2008, against the Boston Celtics. Renewing the teams' rivalry, this marked the 11th time that these two teams met in the Finals, the last meeting happened in 1987. The Celtics, who defeated the Lakers 4–2, were led by their "Big Three" superstars of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, who was also named Finals MVP. The Lakers bounced back from their 2008 loss and returned to the Finals in 2009, where they faced the Orlando Magic, led by Defensive Player of the Year
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scoring margins greater than 20 points. The Magic carried this momentum into game 3 away from home, winning a closer fought match 102-96. The Atlanta Hawks won game 4, avoiding the sweep, but the Magic were too strong and won game 5 at home to clinch the series 4-1. The Eastern Conference finals saw the Magic face the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, a team they had eliminated in the previous years playoffs. The dominant Chicago Bulls would prove to be too strong for the Orlando Magic this year, sweeping the series 4-0 and denying the Magic consecutive trips to
1995–96 Orlando Magic season
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music from "Cirque du Soleil", returned the corps to semifinalist status at Jackson, Mississippi, placing 16th of 29 corps. In 1994, Magic would finally break into the ranks of DCI's Top Twelve finalists. "Cirque De Magique, Part Deux" would propel the corps to an 11th-place finish in Foxboro, Massachusetts. With Smith's "Danse Animale", Magic would place 12th in 1995 at Buffalo, and rise to 8th at home in Orlando with his "Twelve Seconds to the Moon" in 1996. 1997's show was part-Smith, part-others, and the corps placed 10th, again in Orlando. A third season of Finals in Orlando saw the
The Magic Drum and Bugle Corps
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Meeting: Not available (first playoff series) (1) Orlando Magic vs. (2) Indiana Pacers: "Magic win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Eastern Conference First Round (Indiana won 3-0) Although both centers played well, Olajuwon is generally considered to have outplayed O'Neal. Olajuwon outscored O'Neal in every game of the series and became one of the few players in NBA history to score at least 30 points in every game of an NBA Finals series: "Rockets win series 4-0" "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average" 1994–95 Orlando
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in finals. In 2003, the Magic maintained its finalist status at DCI in Orlando, again placing 11th. However, mounting debt forced another reorganization and a move to Clermont, Florida, where the corps would also open a bingo hall. The 2004 season witnessed the corps once more falling from finals, placing 17th at DCI Finals in Denver, Colorado. In 2005, the corps would change its name to The Magic, but it would fail to make semifinals at Foxboro, ending the season in 21st place. The Magic managed to move up only one place in 2006, placing 20th at DCI in Madison.
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wrist for sixth man Hedo Türkoğlu, a shin injury to Grant Hill, a rib cage injury to Nelson, and a three-game suspension to Francis for kicking a photographer. The Magic ended a few games out of the playoffs. On May 23, 2005, the Magic's plans were disrupted by the abrupt resignation of general manager and Chief Operating Officer John Weisbrod. In addition, the Magic announced the following day that Brian Hill, the coach who led the Magic to the NBA Finals under O'Neal and Hardaway, would return as head coach. The Magic drafted Spanish Fran Vázquez with the 11th pick
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Howard won Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. In the playoffs the Magic swept the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first team in NBA history to win their first eight playoff games by 20 or more points. However, the Magic would lose to the Boston Celtics in six games of the Eastern Conference Finals, marking the final games held at Amway Arena. The Magic moved to the Amway Center the next season, then proceeded to lose in the first round for two straight years to the Hawks and the Indiana Pacers, respectively. After
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Magic would beat the Indiana Pacers in a tough 7-game series that saw the home team win every game. The Magic were off to their first ever NBA Finals. The Magic faced off against the 6th-seeded and defending NBA Champion Houston Rockets. Shaq would be up against Hakeem Olajuwon in a battle of All-Star Centers. Game 1 was played in Orlando and the game was lost at the free throw line. Anderson missed four consecutive free throws with the Magic up by three at waning seconds of the game and the Rockets tied the game at the buzzer. The Rockets
1994–95 Orlando Magic season
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had publicly "guaranteed" that Orlando would win game 7. In the next round, Orlando was given little chance by many to defeat the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, but a combination of three-point shooting and the inside presence of Dwight Howard created a matchup nightmare for Cleveland on defense, and Orlando ultimately won in six games. In Game 6, Howard's stellar performance with 40 points and 14 rebounds helped the franchise earn its second Finals appearance (they were swept by the Houston Rockets in the Finals during Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway era). Although the Magic won both regular-season matchups with the
2009 NBA Finals
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Ewing's last-second shot did not go in the basket. With a 1-point win, the Pacers qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season. As with their first and second-round opponents, the Pacers played a young talented Orlando Magic team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway in a rematch of the previous postseason. The Pacers pushed Orlando to a 7th game before losing the series. The following season was the most challenging in franchise history but despite that the Pacers duplicated their record from the previous season, 52–30, with Davis averaging 8.8 points a games with 6.1
Antonio Davis
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Conference champion Orlando Magic in six games. The Magic eventually went to the NBA Finals, but were unable to stop the 6th-seeded and eventual two-time NBA Champion Houston Rockets, as they were swept in four straight hard-fought games. Following the season, B.J. Armstrong left in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft, and Will Perdue was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average" (4) Charlotte Hornets vs. (5) Chicago Bulls: "Bulls win series 3-1" (1) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Chicago Bulls: "Magic win
1994–95 Chicago Bulls season
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1995–96 Orlando Magic season The 1995–96 NBA season was the Magic's seventh season in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Magic signed unrestricted free agent Jon Koncak. Coming off their trip to the NBA Finals, where they were swept in four games by the Houston Rockets, the Magic clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 60–22 record, a regular season record which still stands as the best in franchise history. This despite missing Shaquille O'Neal for the first 22 games of the season due to a thumb injury. Anfernee Hardaway stepped up in O'Neal's absence and was awarded
1995–96 Orlando Magic season
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1–9. J. J. Redick, Mickaël Piétrus, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, and were all affected. Redick, Pietrus, and Howard were out until December 6, while Nelson did not return until December 9. Ryan Anderson contracted the illness as well, however he had suffered a sprained foot on November 6 which also kept him out of action. 2010–11 Orlando Magic season The 2010–11 Orlando Magic season was the 22nd season of the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This was their first season at the Amway Center. In the playoffs, the Magic lost to the Atlanta Hawks in six games
2010–11 Orlando Magic season
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the Bulls. The Magic won the first game 94–91. Tensions rose when Nick Anderson indicated that Jordan was no longer the same player when Anderson was quoted by the media saying, "Number 23, he could just blow right by you! Number 45, he revs up, but doesn't really take off." The comment motivated Jordan to return to number 23 and the Bulls evened the series. In Game 5, the Magic won the game 103–95. The Magic would eliminate the Bulls in Game 6 as the Magic won 108–102 to advance to the Conference Finals. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the
1994–95 Orlando Magic season
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losing again like 2004 to the hand of Boston Celtics. In the 2008–09 season, they did not meet in the playoffs. The Spurs were eliminated for the first time in the first round since the 1999–2000 season, while the Lakers went on to win the NBA Championship against the Orlando Magic. The 2011 Playoffs was the first time since 2006 that neither appeared in the Western Conference Finals and for only the second time since 1999, neither team made the NBA Finals. A new rivalry was formed with the arrival of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to the Lakers in
Lakers–Spurs rivalry
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to the "CollegeInsider.com" Mid Major All-Decade team. Considered an outside chance to be selected in the 2006 NBA draft, Loughton had six NBA trials with the New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors. After going undrafted, he joined the Orlando Magic for the 2006 Orlando Summer League. He later signed with Aguas Gandia of Spain for the 2006–07 season, going on to average 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. In April 2007, he signed a two-year deal with the Perth Wildcats. In 2007–08, the Wildcats lost in game 3 of the semi-finals
Alex Loughton
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then beat the 62-20 San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals, to reach the Finals against the Orlando Magic, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. When Houston swept the series in four straight games, they became the first team in NBA history to win the championship as a sixth seed, and the first to beat four 50-win teams in a single postseason en route to the championship. Olajuwon, who had averaged 35.3 points and 12.5 rebounds against the Spurs and regular-season MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, was named the Finals MVP, becoming only the second player
Clutch City
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winning the conference championship. In the Finals against the Orlando Magic, several games were close, but the Lakers still won 4–1 and were crowned NBA Champions for the first time in 7 years. Kobe Bryant was named the Finals MVP. On July 3, 2009, the Lakers signed Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest to a five-year contract to replace Lakers forward Trevor Ariza who signed with the Rockets. The Lakers once again won the Western Conference and made it to their third straight finals. In the 2010 NBA Finals, the Lakers were rematched with the Boston Celtics. Faced against much of
History of the Los Angeles Lakers
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victory in overtime to force Game 5 in Orlando. Dwight Howard poured in 32 points in that victory. The Celtics seemed to lose control of the series, as the Magic scored another victory in Game 5, making the series 3-2, to force it back to Boston. Boston fans began to become anxious, especially after recently seeing the NHL's Boston Bruins lose their playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers even though the Bruins had a 3-0 lead initially. No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a post-season series. However, Orlando fell short as the Celtics
2010 NBA Playoffs
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4-2) (2) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Pacers win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Eastern Conference Finals (New York won 4-3) (1) Orlando Magic vs. (2) Indiana Pacers: "Magic win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Eastern Conference First Round (Indiana won 3-0) 1994–95 Indiana Pacers season The 1994–95 NBA season was the Pacers' 19th season in the National Basketball Association, and 28th season as a franchise. After appearing in their first Conference Finals, the Pacers improved their fortunes by adding Mark Jackson, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. The move would pay off as
1994–95 Indiana Pacers season
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1995 NBA Finals The 1995 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1994–95 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The series pitted the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. The pre-series hype and build-up of the Finals was centered on the meeting of the two centers opposing each other: Shaquille O'Neal of the Magic and Hakeem Olajuwon of the Rockets. Going into the series the matchup was compared to the Bill Russell–Wilt Chamberlain matchup of the 1960s. The Rockets became the first team in NBA history to beat four 50-win teams in a single
1995 NBA Finals
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a record-extending sixth Finals appearance of the decade and a record-extending 30th Finals appearance overall, the most for any NBA team. The Magic were overlooked by many to even reach the Eastern Conference Finals, as they played in the shadows of the #1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, led by regular-season MVP LeBron James, and defending champion #2-seed Boston Celtics. However, after dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers in six games, the Magic stunned the Celtics by winning Game 7 in Boston. The Celtics were previously 32–0 when leading a series 3–2, and 17–3 previously in Game 7s at home. Orlando assistant coach Patrick Ewing
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Conference Semifinals by the 5th-seeded Phoenix Suns in five games. It was the first time in nine years that the Lakers did not reach the Western Conference Finals, ending a run that started in 1981—the longest series of consecutive NBA Conference Finals appearances since Bill Russell's Boston Celtics in 1969. Ninth-year head coach Pat Riley resigned after the season and was replaced by Mike Dunleavy. He would return to coach the New York Knicks for the 1991–92 season. Following the season, Orlando Woolridge was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Magic Johnson won the league's MVP trophy—his third in four years—in
1989–90 Los Angeles Lakers season
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to win 1,000 games, with the Lakers defeating the Celtics in their first matchup since the last year's finals. He was the fastest to win 1,000 games, surpassing Pat Riley, who had taken 11 more games than Jackson. Jackson again coached the Lakers to the NBA Finals in 2009, defeating the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets in the process. In the Finals, the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 4–1, clinching Jackson's 10th NBA championship as head coach and surpassing the record for most championships won by a head coach previously held by him and Red Auerbach. On February
Phil Jackson
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NBA franchise. The league awarded the Orlando Magic an expansion spot in 1987, with the team making its debut in 1989. Serving as the franchise's inaugural manager, Williams helped the Magic reach the NBA Finals in 1995 by drafting Shaquille O'Neal and trading a draft pick for Penny Hardaway. The following year, he was promoted to senior vice president of Magic parent company RDV Sports, Inc.. In his NBA career, Williams lead his teams to 23 NBA Playoffs and five NBA Finals. He won four NBA draft lotteries, including back-to-back winners in 1992 and 1993 and most recently in 2004.
Pat Williams (basketball)
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the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to the Orlando Magic, a team that would be swept in the NBA Finals. With him leading the way, the Bulls swept the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points en route to a combined record of 87–13 in regular season and postseason play. As for the Magic, it ended a three-year run of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal went
1996 NBA Playoffs
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the second round to the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics in seven games, after a hard-fought duel involving LeBron James and Paul Pierce. The Cavaliers would earn the league's best record for the next two years (66 and 61 wins, respectively) and boast the NBA's MVP in James. However, they were unable to win it all, losing to the Orlando Magic in six games of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals and the Celtics in six games of the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals (allowing the Lakers to win the Finals twice against the Magic and Celtics). The latter playoff defeat would
2007 NBA Finals
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continued to gain momentum in the playoffs, beginning with a sweep of the Miami Heat in the first round, followed by a five-game defeat of the New York Knicks in the second round. The conference finals was a rematch of the previous season's series with the Orlando Magic, but it was a no-contest, as the Bulls swept the Magic to gain entry into the Finals. The SuperSonics were led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, with George Karl as head coach. The team was considered a perennial title contender throughout the mid-1990s, but the closest they came to reaching the
1996 NBA Finals
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in NBA history, 72–10; this record was later surpassed by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors. Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg and won the league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards. In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series (Miami Heat 3–0, New York Knicks 4–1, Orlando Magic 4–0). They defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4–2 in the NBA Finals to win their fourth championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time, surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards. He also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP Awards
Michael Jordan
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with a convincing 3–1 series win over the Boston Celtics. They followed it up with a six-game ouster of Michael Jordan (returning from an 18-month retirement) and the Chicago Bulls in the second round, and in the conference finals, they vanquished the Indiana Pacers in a tough seven-game series. The Orlando Magic won both games in the regular season series: By winning his second straight NBA Finals MVP award, Hakeem Olajuwon became the sixth player to win the award on multiple occasions, joining Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan. Jordan and Olajuwon at the time
1995 NBA Finals
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Coincidentally, this feat would also be achieved by the New Jersey Devils that same year, when they won the Stanley Cup over the Detroit Red Wings. The Orlando Magic (making their first ever NBA Finals appearance) began the 1995 NBA Finals at home, hosting the defending champion Houston Rockets. With the Magic up by three points late in Game 1, Nick Anderson missed four consecutive free throws in the closing seconds of the game, and Kenny Smith hit a three-pointer, tying the game and sending it to overtime as well as setting a new record with the most three-pointers in
1995 NBA Finals
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2008 NBA playoffs, during Game 3 against the Orlando Magic, Billups injured his right hamstring when Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson tangled with Billup's left leg on a drive to the bucket. Billups would sit for the 3 remaining games of the series. Billups and the Pistons again made it to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics, but lost the series 4-2 to the eventual champions. On November 3, 2008, Billups was traded to the Denver Nuggets, along with Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb, for Allen Iverson. Pistons GM Joe Dumars said that it was "the hardest and toughest"
Chauncey Billups
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attention for being undefeated after day one, but was eliminated after he picked up three losses in the first three rounds of day two. Players: 311 Prize Pool: $194,898 Format: Kamigawa Block Constructed "(Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa)" Head Judge: Mike Guptil Geoffrey Siron from Belgium won Pro Tour London, defeating Tsuyoshi Fujita in the finals. In the Top 8 Siron did not lose a single game. Players: 314 Prize Pool: $200,130 Format: Booster Draft "(Champions of Kamigawa-Betrayers of Kamigawa-Saviors of Kamigawa)" Head Judge: Jaap Brouwer Antoine Ruel defeated Billy Moreno in the finals to become champion of Pro
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2005
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West to take on extremely high minute loads. He averaged 42 minutes per game throughout the postseason, and in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic (which the Cavs lost in 6 games due in part to, again, outside shooting struggles from Williams and West) he played over 45 minutes per game, more than any other player in the series. In addition to this, he drew the defensive assignment of Hedo Türkoğlu, who had a 7-inch height advantage, to allow James to play the "rover". West was able to stop Türkoğlu's facilitation of the Magic offense in spurts, but
Delonte West
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in 28 years), and twice went to the NBA Finals, in 1995 and 2009. Orlando has been the second most successful of the four expansion teams brought into the league in 1988 and 1989 in terms of winning percentage, only after the Miami Heat. In September 1985, Orlando businessman Jim L. Hewitt approached Philadelphia 76ers general manager Pat Williams as they met in Texas on his idea of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. Intrigued by the project, Williams signed on as the front man of the investment group one year later as he left the 76ers. On June 19,
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Lakers prevailed. The series switched to Orlando for games 3, 4, and 5. In Game 3 the Magic shot 75% in the first half and 62.5% in the game, both NBA Finals records, to win by 4 and bring the series to 2-1. Game 4 was another close game. Derek Fisher hit two key 3-pointers, one with 4.6 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, and the other with 31.3 seconds to go in overtime. The Lakers moved within one win of their 15th championship by beating the Orlando Magic 99-91 to open a 3-1 series lead. The Lakers
2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season
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Divac in the 2002 Western Conference finals for their theatrics. O'Neal said he would never exaggerate contact to draw a foul. "I'm a guy with no talent who has gotten this way with hard work." In a 2006 interview in "Time", O'Neal said if he were NBA commissioner, he would "Make a guy have to beat a guy--not flop and get calls and be nice to the referees and kiss ass." However, in a matchup against the Orlando Magic on March 3, 2009, O'Neal flopped against center Dwight Howard. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy was "very disappointed cause [O'Neal] knows
Flop (basketball)
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Jameer Nelson Jameer Nelson (born February 9, 1982) is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. He played college basketball for the Saint Joseph's Hawks, where he was named national college player of the year in 2004. Drafted 20th overall in the 2004 NBA draft, Nelson spent the first ten years of his NBA career with the Orlando Magic. In 2009, he was named an All-Star and helped lead the Magic to the NBA Finals. He has also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons. Nelson attended Chester High School in Chester,
Jameer Nelson
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Courtney Lee was the recipient of the hit from his teammate. Lee left the game and did not return. Suffering a fractured sinus, it was announced that Lee was expected to have surgery and could miss the remainder of the postseason. Neither player's absence would prove costly to Orlando in Game 6, who won the series with a blowout on the road, and Lee returned to action in the next series wearing a protective face mask, such as one worn by Richard Hamilton. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Magic faced the defending champion Boston Celtics. Facing a 3–2 series
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in the Western Conference. They defeated the Jazz in five games, the Rockets in seven and the Nuggets in six, to win the Western Conference title. They then won their 15th NBA championship by defeating the Orlando Magic in five games in the NBA finals. Bryant was named the NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his career. The Lakers, who had added Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace ) in place of Trevor Ariza in their starting lineup, finished the 2009–10 season with the best record in the Western Conference for the third straight time. On January 13,
Los Angeles Lakers
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MVP, was outplayed by Olajuwon in the Conference Finals: Olajuwon averaged 35.3 points on .560 shooting (Robinson's numbers were 23.8 and .449) and outscored Robinson 81–41 in the final two games. When asked later what a team could do to "solve" Olajuwon, Robinson told "LIFE" magazine: "Hakeem? You don't solve Hakeem." The Rockets won every road game that series. In the NBA Finals, the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic, who were led by a young Shaquille O'Neal. Olajuwon outscored O'Neal in every game, scoring more than 30 points in each and raising his regular season rate by five while O'Neal's
Hakeem Olajuwon
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He was also the recipient of four NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards, tied for the record with Ben Wallace. The 1992 NBA draft marked the entrance into the league of Shaquille O'Neal, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic. Immediately drawing comparisons to Wilt Chamberlain, the 7'1" (2.15 m), 325-pound (147 kg) O'Neal was billed as potentially the most physically dominating player ever. By his third season, he led the league in scoring and led the Magic to the NBA Finals, where they were swept by the Houston Rockets. After the 1995–96 season, he signed with the rebuilding
Center (basketball)
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potential series in the playoffs, and perhaps, the finals. In recent years, players and coaches have complained about playing on Christmas Day, saying that takes time away from families. In 2009, Orlando Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy requested that the NBA do not schedule any more games on Christmas Day, saying "I actually feel sorry for people who have nothing to do on Christmas Day other than watch an NBA game" and said that the day is best spent with family. The Magic coach was fined for his comments. In 2010, there were complaints from both sides before the game
National Basketball Association Christmas games
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NBA Championship contested the NBA Finals. The two teams met again five years later in 2011, the second Finals appearance for both franchises, with the Mavericks winning the rematch over the Heat. This was the second NBA Finals matchup of teams from Florida and Texas, after the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic contested the 1995 NBA Finals. Until the Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals, it was the last Finals loss by a team from Texas (the Rockets lost in 1981 and 1986) against eight championships (five by the Spurs, two by the Rockets,
2006 NBA Finals
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an inbound pass from Chauncey Billups in Game 1 to help Lakers beat the Nuggets. In Game 3, the Lakers led by two points with 37.1 seconds remaining when Ariza stole Kenyon Martin's pass to Carmelo Anthony near midcourt to help Lakers take a 2-1 lead. The Lakers eventually won the series 4–2, sending them to the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. In Game 4 of the Finals, Ariza, who was 0-for-6 in the first half, scored 13 in the third quarter to help the Lakers win in overtime and finished the game with nine rebounds and three 3-pointers.
Trevor Ariza
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reserve players Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings), Amir Johnson (Boston Celtics), Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic), and Elfrid Payton (Orlando Magic). The White Team included starters Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), and Michael Carter-Williams (Milwaukee Bucks), with reserve players Mason Plumlee (Portland Trail Blazers), Terrence Jones (Houston Rockets), Arron Afflalo (New York Knicks), and Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors). C. J. Watson (Orlando Magic) was included in the roster announcement but did not play. The United States' 12-man roster will begin its exhibition schedule
2016 United States men's Olympic basketball team
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who, despite being a large market (and Houston being the USA's fourth most populous city), being one of the best teams in the early-to-mid-1990s, winning the title in 1994 and 1995, and featuring a superstar in Hakeem Olajuwon, were not featured on NBC at the level of the other three teams, felt as if they were being snubbed. From to (NBC's run of covering the NBA), the Bulls, Lakers, and Knicks played in six, four and two NBA Finals respectively, every Finals featuring one or more of those teams except 1995, when the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic to win
National Basketball Association criticisms and controversies
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only the fourth since the NBA Finals returned to a 2–3–2 format in . Los Angeles added its eleventh title in that city to go with its five in Minneapolis to move a step closer to the Celtics' league-leading seventeen championships and gain revenge for their defeat in 2008. The Lakers had won the previous season’s NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic for the franchise's 15th championship. The Celtics won their previous NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2008. This was the 12th Finals played between the two rival teams. The Celtics won nine of their previous 11 Finals
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Irish Greyhound Derby finalist Manorville Magic and Scottish Greyhound Derby champion Airmount Grand. The competition received a blow before it had even started when Lartigue Note who was trialing in preparation for the first round broke a hock and had to be retired. Runs to note in the early rounds were Graciously's 30.09, just three spots off the track record but he did not accrue enough points to make the semi-finals. Manorville Magic and Airmount Grand both won twice before the semi-finals but the latter failed to gain enough points for a final place. In the two semi-finals Manorville Magic,
1989 Irish Greyhound Derby
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Miami Heat ensued, which Toronto also won. The Raptors, who were one of the four teams that never reached the NBA Conference Finals in their histories, appeared in the third round for the first time in their twenty-first season, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which they ultimately lost the series 4–2. The Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals and became champions. In preparation for their title push, the Raptors conducted a series of trades, including on February 14, 2017, when Terrence Ross and a first-round pick were traded for Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic, and on February 23, 2017,
Toronto Raptors
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selected Nick Anderson with the eleventh overall pick and Michael Ansley with the 37th pick. In 1992, the Magic won the NBA Lottery and with the first pick, they drafted Shaquille O'Neal, who went on to be selected as an All-Star a record-tying 14 consecutive times. In 2004, the Magic drafted a future All-Star, Dwight Howard. Throughout the years, the Magic had traded away some of their picks as well as traded for other teams' picks. As a result of the various trades, the Orlando Magic had three first round picks in 1998 and 2000. Orlando Magic draft history The
Orlando Magic draft history