Head coach Brian Hill Record 60–22 (.732) | Arena Orlando Arena | |
Place Division: 1st (Atlantic)
Conference: 2nd (Eastern) Playoff finish East Conference Finals
(eliminated 0–4) Television SportsChannel Florida, Sunshine Network, WKCF | ||
The 1995–96 NBA season is the Magic's seventh season in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Magic signed unrestricted free agent Jon Koncak. Coming off their to trip to the NBA Finals, the Magic clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 60–22 record. A regular season record which still stands as the best in franchise history. This despite missing Shaquille O'Neal for the first 22 games of the season due to a thumb injury. Anfernee Hardaway stepped up in O'Neal's absence and was awarded Player of the Month for November. The season saw Dennis Scott take a place in the league history books by scoring 267 three-point field goals, a single season record since broken by Stephen Curry, while O'Neal and Hardaway were both selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.
Contents
- Player stats
- Playoffs
- East First Round
- East Conference Semifinals
- East Conference Finals
- Player Stats
- Awards and honors
- League records
- All Stars
- References
Despite the franchise best record, the Magic were beaten to top seed in the East by the dominant Chicago Bulls, who finished with a then all-time best record of 72–10. In the playoffs, the Magic swept the Detroit Pistons in 3–0 in the opening round. The second round saw the Magic meet the Atlanta Hawks, a match-up they would win 4–1.
The Eastern Conference Finals matched up the Magic with the Chicago Bulls, the team they had eliminated in the previous year's playoffs. This year though, the Bulls would be too strong sweeping the Magic 4–0. Thereby, the Magic became the first team by eliminated from the playoffs in a sweep for three consecutive seasons since the 1950 Chicago Stags.
Following the season, the All-Star center O'Neal left the team, signing as a free agent for the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Bowie was released, and Koncak was traded to the Golden State Warriors, but was released and then retired.
Player stats
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
Playoffs
The Magic opened up their playoffs campaign on April 26 against the Detroit Pistons, a game they won convincingly 112-92 at home in the Orlando Arena. The Magic would also win game 2 at home before clinching the series, and a sweep, of the Pistons in game 3 away from home at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The second round put the Magic against the Atlanta Hawks. The Magic opened the series with two convincing wins at home, both with scoring margins greater than 20 points. The Magic carried this momentum into game 3 away from home, winning a closer fought match 102-96. The Atlanta Hawks won game 4, avoiding the sweep, but the Magic were too strong and won game 5 at home to clinch the series 4-1.
The Eastern Conference finals saw the Magic face the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, a team they had eliminated in the previous years playoffs. The dominant Chicago Bulls would prove to be too strong for the Orlando Magic this year, sweeping the series 4-0 and denying the Magic consecutive trips to the NBA finals.
East First Round
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Detroit Pistons
East Conference Semifinals
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
East Conference Finals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Orlando Magic
Player Stats
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
Awards and honors
League records
During the 1995–96 season, Dennis Scott set the record for most three-point field goals scored in a regular season with 267.
All Stars
The following players were selected to play in the East v West All-Star game