Orlando Magic Information

NBA fans with Orlando Magic tickets know one thing: Dwight Howard’s playing time won’t be limited in the 2005-06 NBA season. After spending his rookie season patiently learning the game behind Grant Hill and Steve Francis, Howard is ready to step into a leading role. The first pick in the 2004 Draft did everything right in his first year. The first high school prospect to start 82 games, Howard impressed coaches and fans with his work ethic, improved his size and strength, and justified his selection with an impressive rookie campaign. The next step for Howard is to make the TD Waterhouse Centre his own personal playhouse.

The NBA touched down in Orlando in 1989, awarding the city a franchise after a prolonged campaign from an influential banker by the name of Jim Hewitt. After years of collecting good faith deposits on season tickets from local citizens in order to prove to the NBA that Orlando was ready for the NBA, the Orlando Magic opened their inaugural season on November 4, 1989 with a 111-106 loss to the New Jersey Nets. On November 6, the Magic celebrated their first win by beating the New York Knicks 118-110. It was the most memorable win in that first year; as the Magic went on to win only 18 games.

The bad 1992 campaign turned out to be a good thing for the Orlando Magic. After finishing the season in last place with a 21-61 record, the Magic landed in the NBA Lottery and came away with Shaquille O’Neal of LSU. O’Neal made a major impact in his first year on the court, notching over 20 points per game and double figures in rebounds. His presence wasn’t enough to put Orlando over the top though, and the Magic once again made the most of it in the NBA Lottery, manufacturing a trade with the Golden State Warriors to net Anfernee Hardaway. That move solidified the Magic and brought them their first playoff appearance in 1994, where they were swept by the Indiana Pacers in 3 games.

Horace Grant joined O’Neal and Hardaway in 1995, giving the Magic a solid core of players. The trio led Orlando to 57-25 record and an Atlantic Division Championship. Facing the Boston Celtics in the first round, Orlando traveled to the famed Boston Garden and came away winners, knocking off the Celtics in four games. Next stop was Chicago, where the Magic eliminated Michael Jordan and the Bulls in six games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Orlando got past the Indiana Pacers in a heated 7-game series. Unfortunately for Orlando, the Houston Rockets and center Hakeem Olajuwon were unstoppable, and Orlando went home after four games. A return to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1996 brought a return match with the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan and company eliminated the Magic in four games and Orlando fans were stunned when Shaquille O’Neal packed up after the season and headed for the Los Angeles Lakers.

With Dwight Howard ready to step into the spotlight, Orlando Magic tickets took a huge step up on the list of hot NBA tickets. Can Howard, Grant Hill, and Steve Francis combine forces and pull a rabbit out of the hat by leading the Magic to the promised land of the NBA Playoffs? The trio combined for 50 points a game in 2004-05, so it won’t take much sleight of hand for TD Waterhouse Centre to be hosting some post-season action in 2005-06.