Highlights
One of the NBA's 30 clubs, the Magic began play in the 1989-90 season as an expansion entry and became Orlando's first professional sports team. Bringing basketball to a city with deep football roots was the brainchild of Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt, who solicited the help of longtime NBA executive Pat Williams during a chnace meeting in church. They pulled off what many labeled as a long-shot. Williams left his job as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers to join the effort and the league granted Orlando an expansion team. The early years were full of losing, but the Magic won the draft lottery in 1992 and their luck changed. They chose Shaquille O'Neal out of LSU. Shaq, as he came...
One of the NBA's 30 clubs, the Magic began play in the 1989-90 season as an expansion entry and became Orlando's first professional sports team. Bringing basketball to a city with deep football roots was the brainchild of Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt, who solicited the help of longtime NBA executive Pat Williams during a chnace meeting in church. They pulled off what many labeled as a long-shot. Williams left his job as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers to join the effort and the league granted Orlando an expansion team. The early years were full of losing, but the Magic won the draft lottery in 1992 and their luck changed. They chose Shaquille O'Neal out of LSU. Shaq, as he came to be known, led the Magic to the NBA Finals in the 1994-95 season. Orlando was swept in the Finals by the Houston Rockets in four games. O'Neal left the team as a free agent in 1996 to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons in the 2006-07 season, led by Dwight Howard, another all-star center. The club also made news off the floor as the city and county approved the building of a new arena, an issue that had become a political football for owner Rich DeVos.
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Hey, Buddy, can you spare a billion bucks?
Sentinel ColumnistSo I was talking to Orlando's finance director a couple of months back about the downtown venues. And she said the city would sell bonds early next year to build the Florida Citrus Bowl and performing-arts center. My jaw dropped so far I could have...Tags: Citrus Bowl, Rich DeVos, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Harry Potter, State Budgets
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Attack on Paul Pierce gave Tony Battie perspective on his life, strengthened their bond
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERBOSTON — Sometimes, teammates are forever teammates. No matter if a trade or a transaction separates them and sends them to different cities, some bonds are unbreakable. There are a lot of reasons why Orlando Magic center/forward Tony Battie is so...Tags: Tony Battie, Bars and Clubs, Basketball, Dining and Drinking, Paul Pierce
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12-4
The Orlando Magic's record puts the team on pace to match last season's tremendous start. For more see Brian Schmitz's blog online at OrlandoSentinel.com/basketblog -
Delay of game? Orlando leaders play catch-up on venues financing
Sentinel Staff WritersRenovation of the aging Florida Citrus Bowl stadium won't begin until at least 2010 -- a year late -- and may have to wait even longer, Orlando officials acknowledge. A global credit crunch has made the sale of a bond issue almost impossible, they say....Tags: Champs Sports Bowl, Basketball, National Basketball Association, Citrus Bowl, State Budgets
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With Jameer Nelson injured, Anthony Johnson and Hedo Turkoglu are stepping up
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERIn a cackling Orlando Magic locker room that was still loose and free-flowing some 15 minutes after their 105-90 skate past Washington Thursday night, the old man of the crew sat alone playing it cool. Even in an impromptu carnival, it's hard to get...Tags: Basketball, Stan Van Gundy, National Basketball Association, Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu
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Howard leads Magic past Pacers
Dwight Howard's time with the U.S. Olympic team last summer is showing more and more benefits for the Orlando Magic. Howard came home from the gold-medal performance determined to be a more dominating force for the Magic this season and he certainly was...Tags: Hedo Turkoglu, Basketball, Anthony Johnson, Indiana Pacers, Rashard Lewis
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Injuries at guard mean more minutes for reserves J.J. Redick and Courtney Lee
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERAt the beginning of the season there was a running joke surrounding the Orlando Magic's roster. It was all about the village in waiting that they seemed to have at shooting guard behind offseason free agent acquisition and starter Mickael Pietrus. A...Tags: Jameer Nelson, Keith Bogans, Stan Van Gundy, Basketball, J.J. Redick
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November sweet for Orlando Magic
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERIt might look like a pedestrian victory, just another game against a sub-.500 team, just another night when Dwight Howard resembled a monster in an old sci-fi flick with 32 points, 21 rebounds and four blocks. But with a suddenly depleted roster and a...Tags: Basketball, Stan Van Gundy, National Basketball Association, Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard
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76ers searching for answers after rout
MCT| Maurice Cheeks said the message he left with his team was the strongest of the season. Andre Iguodala said the loss was a little worse than any other he has endured in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform. Thaddeus Young said the team did nothing right on the...Tags: Basketball, Elton Brand, National Basketball Association, Baseball, Kevin Garnett
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Orlando Magic cruise to convincing 105-90 win over Washington Wizards
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERWASHINGTON, D.C. — You never know which one of these trendy Orlando Magic teams is going to show up. In its last-second victory in Philadelphia Wednesday night, it was what has been at times a scary Magic team. That one starts strong but lets its...Tags: Amway Arena, Basketball, Stan Van Gundy, National Basketball Association, Antawn Jamison
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Dwight Howard has 26 points, 14 rebounds in Magic's win over Wizards
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Dwight Howard had 26 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, and Hedo Turkoglu added 20 points and a season-high 10 rebounds to help the Orlando Magic beat the Washington Wizards 105-90 on Thursday night. Orlando has won eight of its last...Tags: Hedo Turkoglu, Stan Van Gundy, Etan Thomas, Basketball, Caron Butler
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It's time to show compassion 365 days a year
Sentinel ColumnistThanksgiving marks a time of compassion overload. Everywhere you turn, somebody wants to help. Orlando Magic officials served meals Thursday morning at the Coalition for the Homeless. Orange County Commissioner Mildred Fernandez joined the Magic in...Tags: Salvation Army, Religious Festivals, Society, Charity, Local Elections
Dec 2, 2008
|Column| Orlando Sentinel
Dec 1, 2008
|Story| Orlando Sentinel
Nov 29, 2008
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Nov 30, 2008
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Nov 29, 2008
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Nov 29, 2008
|Story| Associated Press
Nov 30, 2008
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Nov 30, 2008
|Story| Orlando Sentinel
Nov 29, 2008
|Story| Allentown Morning Call
Nov 28, 2008
|Story| Orlando Sentinel
Nov 27, 2008
|Story| Associated Press
Nov 28, 2008
|Column| Orlando Sentinel
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