1988-2011
2011-
|
Player info All-stars Awards Alltime Roster | Team info Expansion draft Coaches Draft Playoffs Record vs Opponents Season Standings | Stats Leaders |
Quick facts: Founded: 1988 Arena: Amway Arena Division Championships: 5(1995, 1996, 2009, 2010, 2017) Conference Championships: 2(1995, 2010) NBA Titles: none Playoffs: 15
Founding:
The Magic were one of the four new expansion franchises awarded by the NBA in 1987 along with the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. Initially, the NBA was planning to expand by three teams, with one franchise going to Florida; however, when both Miami, and Orlando ownership groups made successful pitches, the expansion committee decided to expand by four teams, allowing both to have a franchise. The Magic became the first ever major-league professional sports franchise in the Orlando area, following an expansion fee of reportedly $32.5 million
Lucky Be the Magic:
The Magic have been one of the luckiest franchises in NBA history in the NBA lottery. The Magic have won the NBA lottery 3 times, despite being in the lottery only 12 times as of 2015; that is 25%. In comparison the Minnesota Timberwolves have won the pick only once but have appeared in it 18 times.
The Magic have also had good luck drafting star players with the #1 pick. In 1992 they hit the jackpot and drafted Shaquille O'Neal and just a year later became the first team in the lottery era to win the lottery back-to-back when they won it in 1993 and selected Chris Webber. The Magic won the lottery a third time in 2004 when they selected Dwight Howard.
Both O'Neal and Howard were able to lead the Magic to the NBA finals; O'Neal in 1995 and Howard in 2010.
Early Success:
The Magic seen early success as a franchise when they made the NBA finals in 1995, it was just their second ever appearance in the playoffs and their sixth year in existence. They are the second youngest NBA franchise, behind the Milwaukee Bucks who made it in their third year in the NBA, to reach the NBA finals.
Unique Honor:
The Orlando Magic are one of only two teams to beat the Chicago Bulls in a playoff series in the 1990s, and they are the only ones to do it while Michael Jordan was playing.
The Magic beat the Jordan lead Bulls in the 1995 playoffs in route to the franchises first NBA finals run. The Bulls would get revenge the next year and sweep the Magic out of the playoffs in the Eastern Finals, which would be the last games Shaquille O'Neal would ever play for the Magic.
Dwight Howard dunking
|
An often-debated topic among NBA circles is "Who is the greatest franchise in NBA history?". There are lots of very good teams to chose from. Could it be the team with the most NBA titles in 17, the Boston Celtics? Could it be the team with the most consistency in winning titles; the Los Angeles Lakers? Maybe it could be the most consistent team in terms of overall winning the San Antonio Spurs? The Warriors, Bulls, and 76ers also get honorable mentions. All these teams have one thing in common - multiple NBA titles.
One thing not often discussed is who is the greatest NBA franchise who has never won a title? The list is actually quite short, as only eleven NBA teams have yet to win an NBA title. Five of those teams to never win a title are recent having just joined the NBA in the past 35 years. Six of the eleven teams have yet to even make an NBA-finals.
Three of the four teams from the ABA have never won an NBA title, though the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets have both gotten close
|
| Tweet |