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No Magic Act: Orlando an Instant Contender
The Orlando Magic joined the NBA for the 1989-90 season. The franchise had only a brief period of adjustment before establishing itself as a contender. With the drafting of center Shaquille O'Neal in 1992, the Magic became instantly competitive and one of the league's most popular teams.Nearly four years before the team sank its first basket, local developer and banker Jim Hewitt began promoting the idea of an NBA franchise in Orlando. He lured then Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Pat Williams to Florida. Williams went to work selling Orlando Magic T-shirts, caps, and other merchandise and persuaded locals to make $100 deposits on season-ticket reservations.
All of this was done to impress the NBA with a show of support from central Florida hoops fans. On July 2, 1986, Hewitt's group was one of five that each put up $100,000 to be considered for a potential NBA expansion team. The payoff came nearly a year later, on April 22, 1987, when the NBA Board of Governors voted to add four new franchises: Charlotte and Miami for the 1988-89 season, and Orlando and Minnesota for 1989-90. The price of admission was $32.5 million per team.
1989-90: Former Sixers Lead Magic
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The Magic selected 12 players in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, including Reggie Theus, Scott Skiles, Terry Catledge, Sam Vincent, Otis Smith, and Jerry Reynolds. Then, in the NBA Draft, Orlando selected University of Illinois guard-forward Nick Anderson with the 11th overall pick.
The club's inaugural season started on a positive note before taking a more typical expansion-team downswing. The Magic began play on November 4, 1989, before a sellout crowd at the Orlando Arena. The debut lineup consisted of Terry Catledge, Jerry Reynolds, Dave Corzine, Reggie Theus, and Sam Vincent. Orlando lost to the New Jersey Nets, 111-106, despite a strong performance from Catledge, a fifth-year forward who produced the first double-double in team history with 25 points and 16 rebounds.
Two nights later the Magic chalked up the first victory in team history by defeating the New York Knicks, 118-110, behind a 24-point contribution from Theus. Two nights after that the team had its first winning streak and a winning record (2-1) after a 117-110 victory against the Cavaliers at Cleveland. Orlando went 7-7 in its first month, the best start ever by an expansion team.
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The Magic were one of the league's most prolific offensive teams in 1989-90, scoring 110.9 points per game to rank fifth overall. However, Orlando was the league's worst club defensively, allowing opponents 119.8 points per game. It all added up to a first-year record of 18-64. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the other expansion team to begin play in 1989-90, finished at 22-60. Orlando notched three of its victories against the New Jersey Nets, who finished with a league-worst 17-65 record.
None of this mattered to Orlando fans, who were happy just to be witnesses to the NBA spectacle. The Magic had 33 consecutive sellouts at home, playing to an average of 15,060 fans. Terry Catledge (19.4 ppg) and Reggie Theus (18.9) were the team's leading scorers for the season. Five other players-Sam Vincent, Jerry Reynolds, Nick Anderson, Otis Smith, and Sidney Green-also averaged in double figures. Green was the top rebounder with 8.1 boards per game, followed by Catledge with 7.6.
1990-92: Great Scott! Orlando Acquires A Deadly Marksman
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After an 0-6 start and an 11-33 mark through January, the Magic began playing a team-oriented brand of ball, with predictably positive results. Orlando made its first mark in the all-time NBA record book on December 30, when scrappy 6-1 point guard Scott Skiles racked up 30 assists in a game against the Denver Nuggets. By late February, Orlando had already surpassed its previous season's win total. The Magic closed out the season with victory No. 31, a 120-110 win at New Jersey that gave Orlando the most improved won-lost record among NBA teams.
Skiles had a terrific season, averaging team highs of 17.2 points and 8.4 assists. He was named NBA Most Improved Player at season's end. In keeping with the team concept, five other Magic players averaged more than 12.9 points. The team was also better defensively, as opponents scored 109.9 points per game, 10 points fewer than the previous season.
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The following year was disappointing after the promise of the previous campaign. The Magic slid to 21-61 in 1991-92 and did not enjoy a single winning month. Scott missed all but 18 games of the season with injuries, and Nick Anderson sat out 22 contests.
There were some encouraging early performances, however. In November, Anderson set a team single-game steals record by swiping 8 against the Washington Bullets. In the same month Terry Catledge pocketed 22 rebounds against Philadelphia. But then Orlando went 0-15 in December, part of a 17-game losing streak. The Magic finally broke out of the tailspin with a 104-103 victory against the SuperSonics in Seattle on January 8, with Sam Vincent contributing 35 points.
Scott provided 19.9 points per game in his 18 appearances. Anderson also posted a 19.9 average in his 60 contests. Six other players averaged in double figures, including Catledge, Vincent, Scott Skiles, Jerry Reynolds, Anthony Bowie, and rookie center Stanley Roberts. Catledge topped the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg), and Skiles paced the club in assists (7.3 apg). Orlando was still a winner at the box office-all 41 home games were sellouts.
1992-93: The Most Important Day In Franchise History
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Everything changed for the better when "Shaq" joined the squad. Dennis Scott, Terry Catledge, Scott Skiles, and Nick Anderson remained in the starting lineup, but instead of Greg Kite as the team's starting center, the Magic now had O'Neal. Injuries to Scott (28 missed games) and reserve big man Brian Williams (61 missed games) defused some of the team's momentum, but Orlando's 1992-93 record improved 20 games, to 41-41, marking the best turnaround in the NBA that season.
O'Neal, with his huge stature, shaved head, and bright smile, became one of the most recognizable figures in basketball, arguably second only to the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan as the game's top personality. On February 21 O'Neal started in the NBA All-Star Game at Salt Lake City. He was the first rookie to be voted an All-Star starter since Michael Jordan in 1985.
On March 27 the Magic recorded season victory No. 32, a new club record. And O'Neal wasn't the only Orlando player capable of making history. Dennis Scott hit a club-record 9 three-pointers against the Bucks on April 13, only one shy of the NBA record set a week earlier by Brian Shaw of Miami.
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Three days later, on April 23, Nick Anderson toasted the Nets for a franchise-record 50 points, breaking Terry Catledge's 1990 mark by a single point. Anderson sat out the entire first quarter, then shot 17-for-25 from the field and 12-for-12 from the foul line.
Orlando ended its most successful season yet with a victory over the Atlanta Hawks. For the year, Orlando was strong at home, with a 27-14 mark, but the team struggled on the road at 14-27. The team climbed out of the Atlantic Division basement to finish fourth, just two games behind New Jersey. Despite its respectable 41-41 record, the Magic missed the playoffs because Indiana had the same record in the Eastern Conference and edged the Magic via a tiebreaker formula.
Nevertheless, it was a successful season that held much promise for the future. O'Neal led the team in scoring with 23.4 points per game. His 1,893 points on the season were a team record, as was his .562 shooting from the field. He also averaged 13.9 rebounds and rejected 3.53 shots per game. He was the only NBA player to rank in the top 10 in four categories, finishing second in rebounding, second in blocks, fourth in field goal percentage, and eighth in scoring. O'Neal was named NBA Rookie of the Year for 1992-93.
His achievements were all the more remarkable since many observers felt that O'Neal was a raw talent with unrefined skills who was getting by mostly on physical superiority. Nevertheless, as a personality, O'Neal had few peers. He appeared in advertisements for shoes and soft drinks, made a hit rap record called Shaq Diesel, and appeared in a movie about college basketball entitled "Blue Chips."
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After the season the Magic made some changes on the bench. Matt Guokas stepped down as head coach. Orlando elevated assistant coach Brian Hill to the head coaching role. Hill brought with him 24 years of high school, college, and professional coaching experience, and was a popular choice among Magic players.
Having just missed the playoffs in 1993, the Magic entered the NBA Draft Lottery with the best record among non-playoff teams and the worst chance of winning the first pick. Only 1 of the 66 balls in the lottery machine had Orlando's name on it. Miraculously, that ball came up before any other, and Orlando ended up with its second straight No. 1 overall pick. The last team to have picked first in successive drafts was the Houston Rockets, which selected Ralph Sampson in 1983 and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984.
1993-94: Magic Acquire A Million-Dollar "Penny"
The Magic used the No. 1 pick to their advantage by engineering the biggest draft-day trade in recent history. The University of Michigan's Chris Webber seemed a clear choice for the No. 1 selection, but Orlando coveted Memphis State guard Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, whom Golden State seemed likely to select with the No. 3 pick. So, after the Magic picked Webber and the Warriors selected Hardaway, the teams swapped draftees, with Orlando also receiving three future first-round draft choices.
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In 1993-94 Orlando rose above the ranks of the expansion teams. Not only did the club win 50 games and make the playoffs, but with Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway, the Magic also became one of the top attractions in professional sports. Hardaway began the year as the club's shooting guard, leaving the veteran Scott Skiles at the point guard position.
However, by midseason Hardaway was in his natural position at the point, and Nick Anderson moved back to the off guard slot. For the season, Hardaway tallied 16.0 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. He ranked sixth in the league in steals (2.32 per game), was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and finished a close second to Chris Webber for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
Despite Hardaway's accomplishments, the fate of the Magic still rested on the broad shoulders of O'Neal. The big center, criticized by some for spending time in the offseason making films, records, and commercials instead of working on his offensive skills, dunked on his critics with an average of 29.3 points per game. He battled the San Antonio Spurs' David Robinson for the league scoring crown throughout the year, eventually settling for second place when Robinson poured in 71 points in the last game of the season. O'Neal also led the league in field goal percentage (.599), ranked second in rebounding, and sixth in blocked shots. He started in the NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year.
The Magic reached the All-Star break with a 27-20 record, went 23-12 for the remainder of the season, and finished in second place in the Atlantic Division. But the Indiana Pacers, the surprise team of the playoffs, began their run to the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping Orlando in the first round. Following the season O'Neal led Dream Team II to a gold medal at the 1994 World Championship of Basketball.
1994-95: Magic Stake Claim To "Beast Of East" Mantle
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Although the Magic were crushed by the Houston Rockets in a four-game NBA Finals sweep, the loss in no way diminished the accomplishments of the young squad. By winning consistently in the regular season and prevailing in tough playoff matches, the Magic had served notice that they could be an NBA power for years.
Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway gave the team a young, talented, and enviable nucleus. O'Neal, in his third year in the NBA, ranked first in the league in scoring (29.3 ppg), third in rebounding (11.4 rpg), second in field goal percentage (.583), and sixth in blocked shots (2.43 per game).
In the NBA Finals, O'Neal for the most part evenly battled the more seasoned Hakeem Olajuwon. (Olajuwon, the NBA Finals MVP, had gotten the best of league MVP David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.)
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While Orlando's two young stars figured prominently in the team's success, the key for the Magic in 1994-95 was the offseason acquisition of Horace Grant. An All-Star forward with a penchant for winning, Grant came to Orlando as a free agent, toting the three championship rings he had won as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Grant's toughness and veteran leadership, not to mention his rebounding (9.7 rpg) and field goal percentage (.567), proved crucial to the young team. At season's end he earned his third straight selection to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
1995-96: Orlando Bullied
The 1995-96 Magic, behind the talented starting lineup of Shaquille O'Neal, Horace Grant, Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott and Anfernee Hardaway, proved that they were indeed among the league's elite, and that the previous year's trip to the Finals was no fluke.Orlando stormed to a 60-22 record, easily the best in the Atlantic Division. However, in the Eastern Conference race, the Magic was upstaged by the incredible 72-10 campaign of the Chicago Bulls, who were lifted by the acquisition of Dennis Rodman and the return of Michael Jordan. All year it appeared as if the two teams were on a collision course to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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O'Neal finished 3rd in the league in scoring (26.6 ppg), 3rd in field goal percentage (.573) and 9th in blocked shots (2.13 bpg). Hardaway finished 6th in steals (2.02 spg) and 11th in scoring (21.7 ppg) and assists (7.1 apg). Scott, a lethal three-point marksman, had the best season of his career. In addition to setting personal bests in minutes, points, rebounds and assists, Scott notched a place in the league record books with 267 three-point field goals, a single season high.
As expected, Orlando dispatched Detroit and Atlanta to set up the matchup with Chicago. The two teams met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 1995, with Orlando prevailing four games to two, despite Jordan's return to the NBA. The rematch had all the makings of a classic. Jordan, O'Neal, Scottie Pippen, Hardaway, Rodman and Grant. In four games, it was over. The Bulls advanced, winning the four games by an average margin of 16.7 points. For the Magic, it marked the third straight year that their season ended in a postseason sweep. Grant, nursing an injured elbow, played in only one game of the series.
Adding injury to insult, the Magic were left to ponder a future without franchise center Shaquille O'Neal. The immensely popular All-Star, who had led their team from also-ran to title contender, signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.
1996-97: Magic Shows Heart Amidst Mayhem
They lost Shaquille O'Neal to free agency and several players to injuries and endured the turmoil of a midseason coaching change. But nevertheless, the Orlando Magic finished 45-37 and came within a game of upsetting the Miami Heat in the first round of the 1997 NBA Playoffs.
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Darrell Armstrong, seldom used during the regular season, was the surprise catalyst during the postseason comeback. The 5-11 Armstrong symbolized the fight and determination that the Magic showed all season, sparking the team at the point and allowing Hardaway to swing over to the two guard spot and focus on scoring, which he did so well.
The season began on a high note with the acquisition of center Rony Seikaly, a capable NBA veteran, to at least partially fill the void created by the loss of O'Neal. Seikaly averaged 17.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg and assumed offensive leadership of the team when Hardaway was lost to injury early in the season. Hardaway's knee was one of many ailments that sidelined Magic starters for 80 games.
When the Magic lost five straight games after the All-Star break to fall to 24-25, the team replaced coach Brian Hill with assistant Richie Adubato, who led the Magic to a 21-12 record the rest of the way. Hardaway led the way with 20.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 5.6 apg, while Horace Grant added 12.6 ppg and 9.0 rpg. Grant missed the playoffs with a wrist injury, giving the Magic another obstacle to overcome against the Heat. And with Hardaway and Armstrong leading the way, they came closer than anyone thought possible to doing just that.
1997-98: Can Daly, Erving Work Their Magic?
The Magic organization was buoyed in June by the arrival of two Hall of Famers: Chuck Daly and Julius Erving. Daly, a two-time NBA Champion as coach of Detroit, joined the organization in June to guide the young franchis. The astute Doctor J came on board as executive vice president, and it seemed like the Magic were back on track to challenge the powers of the Eastern Conference. A furious run of injuries tempered Orlando's improvement, but the team finished 41-41, and just out of reach of the final playoff spot.
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With Hardaway out, Nick Anderson was forced into the role of team leader, and he did not let his teammates down. Anderson led the team in scoring in Hardaway's absence at 15.3 ppg. The only remaining player from the 1989 Orlando expansion team, Anderson himself missed 15 games with a broken left hand in December and January, but bounced back to perform well during the second half of the season.
Another pleasant surprise was forward Charles "Bo" Outlaw. The free agent acquisition took on a bigger role than expected with all the injuries and filled in well, leading the Magic in field-goal percentage (.554), blocked shots and steals, providing a quick, athletic complement to Horace Grant, who led the team in rebounding at 8.1 rpg.
Orlando's other pivotal frontcourt player, center Rony Seikaly, was dealt to New Jersey on Feb. 19 with Brian Evans for veterans David Benoit, Yinka Dare and Kevin Edwards plus a first-round draft pick.
On March 27, Daly notched his 600 career victory with a 100-75 win over Houston, the 15th coach in NBA history to win that many games. He was the fifth fastest head coach to reach that mark, following Pat Riley, Red Auerbach, Jerry Sloan and Don Nelson.
1998-99: Stellar Season Ends Prematurely
After posting a .500 record the previous year, the Orlando Magic took the East by storm during the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season. Chuck Daly's squad tied Miami and Indiana for the conference's best record (33-17) and was nearly unbeatable at home (21-4).The Magic made an early exit from the playoffs, however, when they ran into Allen Iverson and an energetic Philadelphia 76ers squad in the first round.
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Penny Hardaway led the team in scoring (15.8 ppg) and was sixth in the NBA with 2.22 steals per game. Nick Anderson averaged 14.9 points, scored his 10,000th career point on Feb. 8 and poured in 40 against New Jersey on April 30.
The Magic added two first-round picks to the mix. Forward Matt Harpring averaged 8.2 points and was named to the All-Rookie First Team, and center Michael Doleac took All-Rookie Second Team honors.
Orlando also was the scene of a family reunion, as Dominique and Gerald Wilkins became NBA teammates for the first time. The Wilkins brothers scored a combined 38,404 points during their careers.
Despite the three-way tie in the East, Miami took the Atlantic Division title and the conference's top seed in the playoffs because of a tiebreaker. Indiana was No. 2 by virtue of being the Central Division champion; Orlando took the third seed and was pitted against No. 6 Philadelphia.
After the teams split the first two games in Orlando, the series shifted to Philadelphia. Buoyed by a frenzied crowd at First Union Center, the Sixers grabbed a 97-85 victory behind Iverson's 33 points and 10 steals. Iverson poured in a series-high 37 points and dished out nine assists in Game 4 as Philadelphia eliminated Orlando 101-91.
1999-2000: A Doc in the House
With several transactions before and during the 1999-2000 campaign, no one knew what to expect from the Orlando Magic. Orlando had 11 players on its roster with three or less years of NBA experience. They also had five players that were not even selected in the NBA draft. In fact, four of them � John Amaechi, Darrell Armstrong, Bo Outlaw and Ben Wallace � were in the starting lineup. However, the Magic had plenty of two things during that refreshing season: heart and hustle.
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From June 14, 1999 until February 24, 2000, General Manager John Gabriel made 37 player transactions, involving 38 different players. The Magic also stockpiled nine first round draft selections over the next five years and created salary cap flexibility. He was named the 1999-2000 NBA Executive of the Year. Along the way, Gabriel may have acquired the biggest free agent possible � first-year head coach Glenn �Doc� Rivers.
Rivers earned universal acclaim by getting the most out of his squad each and every night. He led the Magic on a seven-game winning streak, the franchise�s longest such streak in four years. Rivers also performed �magic� by getting production from every player in uniform, as Orlando�s reserves accounted for almost half (48.2 percent) of the team�s scoring, the best bench scoring in the NBA.
For his efforts, Rivers was named the 1999-2000 NBA Coach of the Year. He became the first coach in league history to capture the award without leading his team to the playoffs, the third to win the honor with a team that posted a record of .500-or-below, and the fifth rookie to be named the NBA�s top coach.
Armstrong, the team captain, led the Magic in scoring, assists, steals and minutes played, averaging 16.2 ppg., 6.1 apg., 3.3 rpg. and 2.06 stlpg. in 31.6 minpg. The epitome of �heart and hustle,� Armstrong was third in the NBA in free throw percentage, tied for third in steals and 16th in assists. He started in all 82 games, one of 26 players in the league to play and start in every regular season outing.
2000-01: A Star is Born
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The team took a hard hit when though when Hill played in only four regular season games and had to undergo season-ending surgery in January. Despite the loss of their six-time All-Star, having eight new faces and the eighth-youngest team in the NBA, Doc Rivers guided the Magic to a 43-39 record and a berth into the NBA Playoffs. It marked the sixth time in eight years that Orlando reached the postseason, and the ninth consecutive season that they finished with a .500 mark or better.
The Magic enjoyed a season-high nine-game winning streak from Jan. 30 through Feb. 18. It tied the longest winning streak in franchise history. Orlando also came to play when it counted, posting a 24-17 (.585) record during the second half of the season. The Magic�s ride came to an end with a 3-1 first round playoff loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Orlando also received tremendous output from its lottery selection, Mike Miller. The rookie guard-forward steadily improved during the season and averaged 14.0 ppg., 4.4 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 33.4 minpg. Miller set new franchise records for most three-pointers made (148) and attempted (364) by a rookie (148), and was the only first-year player in the NBA to appear in all 82 games.
For his efforts, he was named the 2000-01 NBA Rookie of the Year and was the lone unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Return to top of page
2001-02: T-Mac's Legend Grows
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The 2001-02 campaign saw the continued emergence of guard Tracy McGrady as a true superstar. He led the team in scoring (25.6 ppg., 4th in NBA), rebounding (7.8 rpg., T-25th) and minutes played (38.3 minpg., T-20th), while finishing second in assists (5.3 apg., T-22nd) and steals (1.57 stlpg., 19th). �T-Mac� was named to the All-NBA First Team and finished fourth in NBA Most Valuable Player voting. He also played in the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, his second appearance in as many years. McGrady was one of only two players in the NBA to average at least 25.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg. and 5.0 apg.
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Despite the adversity, Orlando ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 100.5 ppg., and finished eighth in the league in three-point shooting. They also went 27-14 at the TD Waterhouse Centre, the second-best home record in the Eastern Conference.
Co-captain Darrell Armstrong remained the heart and soul of the club. He led the Magic in assists (5.5 apg., T-19th in NBA), steals (1.91 stlpg., 6th) and free throw percentage (.888, T-3rd) last season.
With players like Mike Miller, Horace Grant and Pat Garrity, Orlando has a strong returning nucleus to build around. During the offseason, they acquired guard Jacque Vaughn, forward Shawn Kemp and rookie forward Ryan Humphrey, giving the Magic needed depth off the bench.
2002-03: Playoff Stunner
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Despite the heart-breaking playoff exit, there were several positives of the 2002-2003 season, many coming in the form of Tracy McGrady. McGrady cemented his reputation as one of the league�s top talents as he was crowned NBA Scoring Champion and finished fourth in MVP Voting. McGrady�s final numbers exemplify how versatile his game is as he averaged 32.1 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, and 5.5 assists per game.
McGrady was not the only Magic standout, however. Rookies Gordan Giricek and Drew Gooden, who were both acquired in a February trade with Memphis, received some post-season accolades of their own. Gooden was named to NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Giricek made Second Team. In addition to the rookie accomplishments, Pat Garrity was selected to compete in the 1-800-CALL-ATT shootout at the 2003 NBA All-Star weekend, where he finished fourth.
The Magic were once again plagued by injuries this season however, most notably was forward Grant Hill. Hill was limited to 29 games before being placed on the injury list due a sore left ankle, one that eventually required surgery.
If Hill can get healthy and the Magic make some off-season moves, they should be back in the playoffs and possibly past the first round.
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2003-04: Tough Year
The Magic had several reasons to be optimistic about their 15th Anniversary season. After taking the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to seven games in the playoffs last year the consensus was that Orlando was on the verge of a special season. With the addition of veteran forward Juwan Howard and point guard Tyronn Lue to help superstar Tracy McGrady, expectations were high.
Unfortunately things just never came together for the Magic in the 2003-2004 season. After winning the season opener in New York, Orlando lost a franchise record 19 straight games. Injuries once again plagued the Magic, and they were never able to recover from their brutal start. Grant Hill was unavailable all season, and Pat Garrity saw action in only one game as he spent the year recovering from knee surgery.
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McGrady was once again electrifying on the court, but it was off-the-court changes that are going to shape the Magic over the next few seasons. Johnny Davis was promoted to head coach in Novermber, and John Weisbrod was named the new General Manager in March. With new leadership in place and a new attitude being formed, the Magic will look to restore optimism and put themselves back in the playoffs.
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