What is your best Magic memory?

[davey_wavy]

Woke up this chilly morning in Punta Gorda FL, sitting in my magic man-cave, just reminiscing about a lot of things. I thought about the Magic, and said what’s been the greatest moment I’ve ever experienced since 1989 as a fan. I’m 39, so the early days were great but I wasnt old enough to know what it was I was experiencing (including see Nick steal the ball from Mike at the Orena with my dad). As an adult, the best moment I would say was seeing Hedo beat the Celtics at home with the 3. I was upper bowl right in front of the railing, and was just so happy and grateful to be there. Crowd was nuts, I was nuts, just a fantastic moment in collection of many. What’s yours?

[Skybox]

My boss at the time gave me front row tix he bid on at a charity thing (and didn’t have any interest in). It’s not really a Magic thing, but I got to see tiny Allen Iverson just dismantle an NBA team from just a few feet away. It must have been the Heart n Hustle year. Being on the floor, I could really appreciate how amazing it was that he could even get a shot off against long, focused NBA defenders - let alone make most of them. I just remember one guy after another trying to slow him down. Monty Williams put his hand on AI’s head and got really physical with the much smaller AI…and it didn’t matter.

I’ve been to a lot of games, but Iverson, up close, was a completely unique experience.

[T-Cat]

Orlando Magic drafting Dwight Howard!

[eyriq]

Rashard Lewis game winner against the Cavs in the playoffs. Epic.

[Driguez]

One of my favorites is Dwight’s game winning alleyoop against the Spurs.


https://youtu.be/_FKXpQr5KEU?si=bDoGUoMyYauf9PyU
(Could never figure out how to embed YT)

[CocoaFan]

Getting to hand out the ball at the start of the game. My 12 year old son and I got to shoot shots before the game, then my son was dribbling the ball around and Darrell Armstrong trying to steal it from him. We got to stand in the huddle before the game and I'm 5'10" and it seemed like everyone in the huddle was a foot taller than me. It was a weird sensation. Lots of fun.

[Skybox]

One of my favorites is Dwight’s game winning alleyoop against the Spurs.


https://youtu.be/_FKXpQr5KEU?si=bDoGUoMyYauf9PyU
(Could never figure out how to embed YT)

good one... i was 6th row for that one

[RichCollab]

Watching Darryl Armstrong play. Suggs is the same heart and hustle with the willingness to sacrifice their bodies.

[MagicMatic]

Trading Jonathan Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, and Matisse Thybule for Markelle Fultz.

[DiplomaticMagic]

Some random memories of mine

When I was 11 years old, my parents couldnt afford cable or league pass. So I would "watch" the play-by-play on NBA.com to see the latest play, and that is how I followed Tracy McGrady's 62 pt game live.

In early middle school, high school years, I still had no way of watching Magic games. I couldnt afford league pass, but NBA.com offered free radio broadcasts, and that is how I followed Magic games. The most memorable one was Dwight Howard's game winning dunk vs Spurs. I heard that game live and it was insane, one thing people forget about that game is that Jameer Nelson scored like 18 pts in a row at one point. (Maybe not in a row, but he was on a heater)

The very first Magic game I attended was in 2008, it was vs Rockets. Back in the day, they would open the arena, like an 60-90 minutes before tip off, and we could go courtside and see whoever was warming up. And the players would go sign autographs when they finished. I still have Jameer Nelson, Tony Battie, Carlos Arroyo, Adonal Foyle and Brian Cook's autographs on sheets of paper and on the game pamphlets. Anyway we lost that game, I remember Rafer Alston killing us in the 4th quarter. And Adonal Foyle hit a tip-in shot to tie the game at the end of regulation but it was waved off but on the replay, it looked like he got it off in time. If this was social media era, I think it wouldve gotten a lot more controversy anybody remember this game?

One more thing, I was still listening to games on NBA.com, and I think I was the only one listening to the games, because at halftime they would ask to write in a question, and eventually would giveaway courtside tickets, well I wrote in almost every game, and like 65% of the time, it was my question they read and I won the courtside tickets. When I won, they were surprised that I was not local and a high school student . They put me on air to answer the question, and the question was do we need to upgrade at point guard, and I nervously said no, Jameer Nelson is a good player and Carlos Arroyo is a good pg off the bench lol. Btw Dennis Neumann and Richie Adubato were the best in the business, yes it sucked having to listen to radio, but they were an absolute joy to listen to and they made the games so visual and exciting.

Anyway I think our series vs. Cavs in 09 was the peak moment in my fandom. Nobody thought we were going to win except Charles Barkley. I remember being scared **** after the first half, but we stormed back and won the game. I think the OT Win in Game 4 is my favorite Magic game of all-time.

Its been a dull years but still some good memories, the last 3 playoff series, we've had, we won game 1 every time?? I remember Big Baby having a great series vs Indiana. The DJ Augustin gamewinning 3 was really memorable to me because it ended being such a good day for me in other ways besides basketball.

I hope my next great memory is in this years playoffs, I hope to make it to Orlando for a home game but Im also broke right now

If you actually read this post, I appreciate you because this is a lot of TLDR

[Message Boar]

2009 series vs Cleveland is what first comes to mind for me, at least when I don't think about it too much.

[Def Swami]

That entire '09 playoffs run.

[drsd]

Watch on YouTube

[richi_v25]

I was going to college in Boston watching Orlando beat Boston to go to the finals is probably my favorite memory. I went to some bar all decked out in Magic gear to watch one of the games and when the locals started to get grumpy i showed them my Florida id and said i was just visiting so they became cool.

[richi_v25]

In the other side my worse memory was watching the heart and hustle team miss the playoffs, i was in middle school and almost cried i was so sad knowing our team was getting rebuilt that summer.

[Bensational]

The ‘09 Finals was my personal fav. I flew out from Australia to see the Magic play live for the first time. Saw them win their first finals game in Orlando, and then got to see the championship trophy raised in Orlando (unfortunately by Kobe). Still, was one of my favourite moments.

Fingers crossed I can get over again this year to see some playoff action. I don’t think life will let me this time around though.

[Howard Mass]

When Nick Anderson poked the ball away from Michael Jordan.

It's one of many great memories.

[SS_MagicMark]

Receiving the first batch of uncut season tickets in the mail. I still have them (used, of course).

That first preseason game against the Pistons after the years of buildup.

I also remember getting really excited when the Nuggets took Chris Jackson in 90, because it meant that Dennis Scott was going to fall to us. (I was young.)

Winning a game-worn jersey on Fan Appreciation Night in 91.

Seeing the newly-retired Magic Johnson hit the game winner over Isiah at the 92 ASG.

The 93 season finale when thousands of fans hung around after our victory to see if the Heat could knock off Indiana to send us to the playoffs. They didn't, so screw Miami, but that one ping pong ball we got as a result came through for us.

Game 7 against the Pacers in 95 and the 1st half of Game 1 against the Rockets when we were kicking their ass. I went to a Pacers game in Indiana the following season, and wore my Magic sweater. Their mascot saw it and playfully beat me up in my seat.

The 2000 season finale when the Heart & Hustle team was playing for a playoff spot, then the hype of that offseason, getting Hill & T-Mac, with Duncan a real possibility.

Drafting Reece Gaines in 03, since I'm a Louisville homer. That was about the only good memory of that season.

[The-Stallion70]

Basically everything Tracy Mcgrady did. I loved watching him.

The 09 Finals run was also great.

[MasterGMer]

When Magic landed the NO.1 pick and picked Paolo