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| Tony Ranze/AFP/Getty Images |
The Magic will be matched up with the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed, the Toronto Raptors, in the first round, which begins on Saturday. It is the third time in franchise history that Orlando has been the No. 7 seed. That's tied for the most with the No. 3 seed.
Orlando and Toronto have met before in the playoffs as the Magic beat the Raptors in five games during the 2007-08 season in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 match-up. It was Orlando's first series win in 12 years. That said, we instead look back on Orlando's playoff history as a No. 7 seed:
1996-97: (2) Miami Heat 3, (7) Orlando Magic 2
Series: Miami won games 1, 2 and 5; Orlando win games 3 and 4.
With Shaquille O'Neal departing prior to the start of the season and head coach Brian Hill fired at midseason, the Orlando Magic led by Anfernee Hardaway finished with a 45-37 record during the 1996-97 season and headed south to open the playoffs against the second-seeded Miami Heat. It was the first time in Orlando history that the Magic opened the playoffs without home-court advantage.
In the first two games in South Florida, Orlando wasn't remotely competitive, falling 99-64 in Game 1 and 104-87 in Game 2 -- a contest where the Magic trailed by 25 at halftime. Early on in Game 3, it looked as though the Magic would roll over and get swept as they fell behind 42-25 midway through the second quarter. That's when Hardaway would take over the series and bring Orlando to life.
The Magic closed the first half on a 17-0 run to draw even at halftime before holding Miami to 33 points in the second half and cruising to an 88-75 victory. Hardaway finished with 42 points and eight rebounds while no other Orlando starter scored more than two. The Magic got uncharacteristic production from a young Darrell Armstrong in Game 3 as the third-year man chipped in with 21 points, eight assists and four steals.
In Game 4, it was again the Penny Hardaway show. The Orlando All-Star finished with 41 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Derek Strong's performance lived up to his last name as he finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in a 99-91 Magic win. Armstrong added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Orlando led by 14 at the break and the contest never got closer than five in the second half as Orlando forced a decisive game back in Miami.
In the decisive Game 5 back in Miami, Penny Hardaway finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but it was Miami's Hardaway -- Tim -- who would provide the lasting memory. Miami guard Tim Hardaway had shot just 4-for-19 from the field and 0-for-6 from deep in the decisive contest until the game's decisive possession.
Orlando had cut a 17-point Miami lead down to three with the shot clock winding down and less than 15 seconds to play when Tim Hardaway hit a step-back trey over Magic guard Nick Anderson to ice the contest in a 91-83 clinching victory for the Heat. Tim Hardaway finished with 11 points and 11 assists. Alonzo Mourning's 21 points and 12 rebounds paced Miami. Strong tallied 13 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando while Armstrong continued to be a force off the bench with 12 points, four assists and two steals.
2000-01: (2) Milwaukee Bucks 3, (7) Orlando Magic 1
Series: Milwaukee won games 1, 2 and 4; Orlando won Game 3.
After the Milwaukee Bucks were able to oust the Orlando Magic's "Heart and Hustle" team for the final playoff spot during the 1999-00 season, the two teams matched up in the first round in what would be Tracy McGrady's first playoff series as a member of the Magic.Orlando finished 43-39 during the season while Milwaukee went 52-30.
McGrady finished with 33 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Game 1, but on a dismal 12-for-34 shooting. Pat Garrity was 5-for-7 off the bench to finish with 14 points for the Magic, but was the only other Orlando player in double-figures. Scott Williams was the unlikely hero for the Bucks, tallying team-highs of 19 points and 16 rebounds while leading six Bucks in double figures in a 103-90 win for Milwaukee.
McGrady again carried Orlando in Game 2 at the Bradley Center, totaling 35 points, six rebounds and seven assists while Bo Outlaw came up big with 17 points and seven rebounds. For the second straight game however, the Magic came up short late in a 103-96 loss. Ray Allen led the Bucks with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while Sam Cassell added 26 points in the victory.
Orlando headed home for Game 3, hoping to avoid the sweep and when things got tough, McGrady would not let the Magic lose. McGrady came up big with 42 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks while Darrell Armstrong recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Garrity added 16 points.
The Magic led by 14 with less than five minutes to play in the fourth quarter, but Glenn Robinson's jumper with 35 seconds to play gave the Bucks a 108-107 lead. McGrady answered with a 3-point play before Allen's dunk capped a 23-9 Milwaukee run to end regulation and force overtime.
After trailing 114-113 in the overtime, McGrady scored consecutive baskets to cap a 6-0 Orlando run. Tim Thomas had a look for 3 for the Bucks that would have evened the game late in overtime, but it went awry and Orlando survived, 121-116. McGrady's 42 points tied Hardaway's franchise playoff record on a night in which he was honored as the league's Most Improved Player.
Early on in Game 4, it looked like Orlando was going to send the series back to the Bradley Center. The Magic led 36-22 after a quarter and held a 4-point advantage at the break, but they had no answer for the Bucks in the second half as Milwaukee eliminated Orlando, 112-104.
McGrady had his lowest scoring output of the series with a team-high 25 points on 10-for-26 shooting to go with eight assists. Rookie Mike Miller added 22 points in the defeat while Armstrong added 16 points and eight dimes.
Allen's 26 points on 9-for-13 shooting led the Milwaukee charge while Cassell added 25 points and six assists. Robinson scored 17 points while Thomas recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds off the Milwaukee bench.
Mike Ferguson is the founder of Magic Memories. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.
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