The Orlando Magic, an NBA team based in Orlando, Florida, has a storied playoff history. After being established in 1989, the Magic quickly became a competitive team. In the 1994-1995 season, led by star player Shaquille O'Neal and rookie Anfernee Hardaway, the Magic made their first playoff appearance. They advanced to the NBA Finals but ultimately lost to the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon. In the following years, the Magic continued to be a strong playoff team. In the 1995-1996 season, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals but were defeated by the Chicago Bulls, who went on to win the NBA Championship.

Orlando magic playoff history

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* Playoff history data goes back to the 1946-1947 season.

Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: Ranking every Orlando Magic playoff series

The Orlando Magic have been left dreaming about the playoffs for the last decade, unfortunately.

The good times of their last run deep into the postseason are long in the rearview mirror — all of the top players from that team are out of the league. And the Magic have often found themselves pining for the postseason instead of living up to that legacy.

That pining has turned into a yearning and it feels as close as ever — not just as close as ever but that something special is brewing.

The Magic’s 35th anniversary season this coming year is a celebration of the team’s history. But it also feels full of anticipation for the next postseason memory this team is about to make.

Anchored by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the team has young star power it has not had since Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson were coming up. And while it is still too early to say whether they have the same championship potential, it is undoubtedly exciting.

There are going to be new postseason memories on the horizon. Some tough lessons for sure. Some heartache too. But also excitement. That is what the playoffs bring.

In the 1995-1996 season, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals but were defeated by the Chicago Bulls, who went on to win the NBA Championship. The Magic made it to the Eastern Conference Finals again in the 2008-2009 season, led by superstar center Dwight Howard, but fell to the Boston Celtics. The most successful playoff run in the Magic's history came in the 2009-2010 season.

The Orlando Magic have a long playoff history and plenty of series to celebrate in their long history. It is time to rank the best series in Magic history.

We will get to break down and see whether the 2024 team will make its breakthrough into the Playoffs and whether this will be the start of a long run of postseason appearances. The Magic certainly hope so.

As we celebrate the Magic’s 35th anniversary, we want to look back at the best postseason moments in Magic history.

Even though the Magic have not yet won a championship, they have made plenty of memories in the playoffs. They have been a part of the major storylines in NBA history and made plenty of memories of their own the Magic fans hold onto and treasure.

To celebrate the Magic’s 35th anniversary season, I wanted to rank the best playoff series in Magic history. These rankings are based on the entertainment factor of the series, the Magic and national storylines that came from these series and personal preference.

The one thing that we know for sure, there are plenty of memories from the Magic’s postseason history worth recounting.

Revisiting Orlando’s Playoff History as the No. 8 Seed

After a six-year hiatus, the Orlando Magic are in the NBA playoffs for the second straight season.

The Magic started their stay in the NBA bubble with a pair of wins, but dropped five straight before beating the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night. Still, Orlando did enough to secure a postseason berth.

At 33-40, the Magic will occupy the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Before Orlando takes on the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, we take a look back on their history as the No. 8 seed.

This will be the third time that the Magic hold the final playoff spot. On each of the prior occasions, the opponent was the Detroit Pistons.

2003 First Round: (1) Detroit vs. (8) Orlando

Series: Detroit won 4-3

Overview: Perhaps the most heartbreaking playoff series in franchise history, the Magic had three chances to win one game to advance. Thanks to a 43-point performance from Tracy McGrady to steal Game 1 and back-to-back home wins in Orlando, the Magic held a three games to one series lead.

Unfortunately for the Magic, they would be blown out in each of the final three games. After losing 98-67 in Game 5, Orlando returned home with a chance to close out the series, but the Magic were held to 39 percent shooting and committed 16 turnovers. Chauncey Billups paced Detroit with 40 points while shooting 7-for-14 from deep.

In the decisive Game 7 back in Detroit, Billups scored 37 points. The Pistons led by as many as 26 points before cruising to a 103-88 victory. McGrady, who had averaged nearly 34 points per game for the series, was held to 21 points on 7-for-24 shooting.

It had been seven years since the Magic had advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Orlando would have to wait five more before finally accomplishing the feat.

2007 First Round: (1) Detroit vs. (8) Orlando

Series: Detroit won 4-0

Overview: In the first playoff appearance since blowing the 3-1 series lead in 2003, the Magic were again matched up with the Detroit Pistons. With a roster that included young staples like Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick as well as veterans such as Grant Hill, Bo Outlaw and Hedo Turkoglu, just making the postseason was progress.

The Magic were unable to win a game in the series, but were competitive for most of the series. Orlando cut a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit down to three in the final minute of Game 1, but unable to score over the final 26 seconds.

Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images

Game 4 would be the only game in the series where Orlando held a second-half lead. Darko Milicic’s free throw gave the Magic an 86-83 lead with less than three minutes to play in the contest, but the Pistons responded with a 10-2 run. Orlando twice pulled to within two in the final 11 seconds, but the Pistons made their free throws to clinch the game and the series.

Although the Magic were swept, the series sent a message that the future was bright. Howard averaged nearly 18 points and 15 rebounds during the series, which included a 29-point, 17-board effort in Game 4. Nelson put up 27 points in Game 3 and averaged better than 14 points per game during the series.

Most Common Seeding

The No. 8 seed is now tied for the most common seeding in Orlando playoff history. The Magic have also held the No. 7 seed three times and the No. 3 seed three times.

Orlando has held all eight seeds in its 15 playoff appearances. The Magic have been the No. 2 and 4 seeds each twice. They’ve been the No. 1, 5 and 6 seed each once.

They advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history, led by Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, and Rashard Lewis. However, they were once again unable to secure the championship, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Since then, the Magic have made sporadic playoff appearances but have struggled to advance past the first round. In recent years, the team has been in a rebuilding phase, focusing on developing young talent and establishing a solid foundation for the future. Overall, while the Orlando Magic have had some memorable playoff runs and have been home to many talented players, including Shaquille O'Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, and Dwight Howard, they are still in search of their first NBA Championship. The team and its fans remain hopeful that their playoff history will continue to evolve and eventually lead to a championship season..

Reviews for "The Orlando Magic's Most Exciting Playoff Series: Nail-biting Matchups That Kept Fans on Edge"

1. John - 1 star - The Orlando Magic's playoff history is nothing short of disappointing. They have consistently failed to make a significant impact in the playoffs year after year. It's frustrating to see a team with so much potential repeatedly underperform and let their fans down. I was hoping for some exciting moments and memorable playoff runs, but all I got was disappointment.

2. Lisa - 2 stars - As a long-time fan of the Orlando Magic, I expected more from their playoff history. It's filled with missed opportunities, first-round exits, and lackluster performances. It's disheartening to see a team with talented players fail to deliver when it matters the most. I was hoping for at least a few deep playoff runs, but the Magic's history in the postseason is just a series of let-downs for their fans.

3. Mike - 2.5 stars - I have been following the Orlando Magic for years, and their playoff history is simply mediocre. They often make it to the playoffs but fail to make any significant impact. The lack of consistency and inability to reach the later stages of the playoffs is frustrating. The fans deserve better than repeated early exits and a lack of competitiveness. It's time for the Magic to step up and establish themselves as a contender in the NBA playoffs.

4. Emily - 1.5 stars - The Orlando Magic's playoff history is forgettable, to say the least. They have failed to make a real impact in the postseason for years. It's frustrating to see a team with talented players consistently fall short and fail to capitalize on their potential. It's no wonder they are often overlooked and underrated in the basketball community. The Magic need a serious overhaul if they ever want to be taken seriously as a playoff team.

The Orlando Magic's Playoff Comebacks: Unforgettable Series Turnarounds