1996–97 Orlando Magic season

1996–97 Orlando Magic season
Head coachBrian Hill (fired)
Richie Adubato (interim)
PresidentBob Vander Weide
General managerJohn Gabriel
OwnerRichard DeVos
ArenaOrlando Arena
Results
Record45–37 (.549)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Atlantic)
Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst round
(lost to Heat 2–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionWKCF
Sunshine Network
RadioWDBO

The 1996–97 Orlando Magic season was the eighth season for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association.[1] After losing All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal via free agency to the Los Angeles Lakers during the off-season, the Magic acquired Felton Spencer from the Utah Jazz,[2][3][4] and signed free agents Gerald Wilkins,[5][6][7] Derek Strong,[8][9] and Danny Schayes.[10] However, after only playing just one game for the team, Spencer was then traded along with Donald Royal, and Jon Koncak to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Rony Seikaly.[11][12][13]

Early into the regular season, the Magic traveled overseas to Tokyo, Japan to play two games against the New Jersey Nets at the Tokyo Dome. In the first game on November 7, 1996, the Magic were the road team and defeated the Nets by a score of 108–85; Penny Hardaway led the team with 23 points, while Wilkins scored 18 points off the bench.[14][15][16] In the second game on November 8, the Magic were the home team and defeated the Nets by a score of 86–82; Hardaway led the team with 29 points, while Horace Grant finished with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.[17][18][19] Each game recorded an attendance of 38,639 at the Tokyo Dome.[16][19]

With the addition of Seikaly, Wilkins and Strong, the Magic got off to an 8–4 start to the regular season in November, but then struggled losing ten of their twelve games in December, falling below .500 in winning percentage with a 10–16 record at the end of the month. However, the team won 11 of their 15 games in January, and later on held a 24–20 record at the All-Star break.[20] The team posted a five-game losing streak after the All-Star break, as head coach Brian Hill was fired 49 games into the season, and Hardaway was generally blamed for leading a player revolt that resulted in his dismissal; Hill was replaced with assistant coach Richie Adubato as an interim coach for the remainder of the season.[21][22][23] Under Adubato, the Magic posted a six-game winning streak in February, and finished in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 45–37 record, earning the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.[24]

Hardaway averaged 20.5 points, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, despite only playing 59 games due to knee injuries,[25][26][27] while Seikaly averaged 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Grant provided the team with 12.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. In addition, three-point specialist Dennis Scott contributed 12.5 points per game, and led the Magic with 147 three-point field goals, and Nick Anderson provided with 12.0 points and 1.9 steals per game, along with 143 three-point field goals, but struggled shooting just .404 in free-throw percentage. Off the bench, Wilkins contributed 10.6 points per game, while Strong averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Brian Shaw provided with 7.2 points and 4.1 assists per game, and Darrell Armstrong contributed 6.1 points and 2.6 assists per game.[28]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Hardaway was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Hardaway scored 19 points along with 2 steals, as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 132–120.[29][30][31] Seikaly finished tied in twelfth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Grant finished tied in sixth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[32]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, the Magic faced off against their in-state rivals, the 2nd–seeded and Atlantic Division champion Miami Heat, who were led by All-Star guard Tim Hardaway, All-Star center Alonzo Mourning, and Jamal Mashburn. Prior to the playoffs, Grant was out due to a season-ending wrist injury, and was replaced with Strong as the team's starting power forward.[33][34][35] The Magic lost the first two games to the Heat on the road at the Miami Arena, which included a 35-point margin loss in Game 1 by a score of 99–64, in which the Magic struggled only shooting .306 in field-goal percentage.[36][37][38] In Game 3 at home at the Orlando Arena, despite the Heat leading by 20 points early in the second quarter, and losing Seikaly for the rest of the series due to a foot injury, the Magic won the game by a score of 88–75, in which Penny Hardaway scored 42 points.[39][40][41] The Magic won Game 4 over the Heat at home, 99–91 to even the series, as Hardaway scored 41 points.[42][43][44] However, the Magic lost Game 5 to the Heat at the Miami Arena, 91–83, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.[45][46][47] As of 2026, this was the only NBA playoff matchup between both teams from Florida.

The Magic finished ninth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 711,311 at the Orlando Arena during the regular season.[28][48] Following the season, Scott was involved in controversy after a public outburst at a youth basketball camp in Sterling, Virginia during the off-season, in which he threatened to retire from the NBA due to a contract dispute with the Magic;[49][50][51] he was later on traded to the Dallas Mavericks after seven seasons in Orlando.[52][53][54] Meanwhile, Shaw was traded to the Golden State Warriors,[55][56][57] and Adubato was fired as head coach.[58]

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team
1 27 Brian Evans SF  United States Indiana
2 49 Amal McCaskill C  United States Marquette

Roster

1996–97 Orlando Magic roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
G/F 25 Nick Anderson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1968–01–20 Illinois
G 10 Darrell Armstrong 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1968–06–22 Fayetteville State
G 5 Dell Demps 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1970–02–12 Pacific
F 34 Brian Evans 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1973–09–13 Indiana
F 54 Horace Grant 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1965–07–04 Clemson
G 1 Penny Hardaway 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971–07–18 Memphis
C 00 Amal McCaskill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1973–10–28 Marquette
F 24 Danny Schayes 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1959–05–10 Syracuse
G/F 3 Dennis Scott 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 229 lb (104 kg) 1968–09–05 Georgia Tech
C 4 Rony Seikaly 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1965–05–10 Syracuse
G 20 Brian Shaw 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1966–03–22 UC Santa Barbara
F 33 Derek Strong 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1968–02–09 Xavier
F 42 David Vaughn 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1973–03–23 Memphis
G 21 Gerald Wilkins 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1963–09–11 Chattanooga
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Updated: February 18, 1997

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Miami Heat 6121.744–29–1232–916–8
x-New York Knicks 5725.695431–1026–1519–6
x-Orlando Magic 4537.5491626–1519–2213–11
x-Washington Bullets 4438.5371725–1619–2214–10
New Jersey Nets 2656.3173516–2510–3111–13
Philadelphia 76ers 2260.2683911–3011–3011–14
Boston Celtics 1567.1834611–304–371–23
1996–97 NBA East standings
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls6913.841–
2 y-Miami Heat6121.7448
3 x-New York Knicks5725.69512
4 x-Atlanta Hawks5626.68313
5 x-Detroit Pistons5428.65915
6 x-Charlotte Hornets5428.65915
7 x-Orlando Magic4537.54924
8 x-Washington Bullets4438.53725
9 Cleveland Cavaliers4240.51227
10 Indiana Pacers3943.47630
11 Milwaukee Bucks3349.40236
12 Toronto Raptors3052.36639
13 New Jersey Nets2656.31743
14 Philadelphia 76ers2260.26847
15 Boston Celtics1567.18354
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

1997 playoff game log
First round: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 24 @ Miami L 64–99 Derek Strong (15) Nick Anderson (12) Penny Hardaway (3) Miami Arena
15,200		 0–1
2 April 27 @ Miami L 87–104 Penny Hardaway (26) Derek Strong (16) Brian Shaw (4) Miami Arena
15,200		 0–2
3 April 29 Miami W 88–75 Penny Hardaway (42) Penny Hardaway (8) Darrell Armstrong (8) Orlando Arena
17,248		 1–2
4 May 1 Miami W 99–91 Penny Hardaway (41) Darrell Armstrong (9) Penny Hardaway (4) Orlando Arena
16,555		 2–2
5 May 4 @ Miami L 83–91 Penny Hardaway (33) Derek Strong (12) Penny Hardaway (6) Miami Arena
15,200		 2–3
1997 schedule

Player statistics

Regular season

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Derek StrongPF 82212,00451973472069924.46.3.9.6.28.5
Gerald WilkinsSG 80262,202173173541284827.52.22.2.7.210.6
Brian ShawPG 77311,867194319672655224.22.54.1.9.37.2
Rony SeikalyC 74682,61570192491071,27735.39.51.2.71.417.3
Horace GrantPF 67672,4966001631016584537.39.02.41.51.012.6
Darrell ArmstrongPG 6701,0107617561941115.11.12.6.9.16.1
Dennis ScottSF 66622,166203139741982332.83.12.11.1.312.5
Nick AndersonSG 63612,1633041821203275734.34.82.91.9.512.0
Penny HardawayPG 59592,22126333293351,21037.64.55.61.6.620.5
Danny SchayesPF 45654012514151613312.02.8.3.3.43.0
David Vaughn IIIPF 356298957815818.52.7.2.2.42.3
Amal McCaskillC 17110922735286.41.3.4.2.31.6
Brian EvansSF 140598712204.2.6.5.1.11.4
Kenny Smith†PG 60472400177.8.3.7.0.02.8
Dell DempsSG 2010001025.0.0.0.5.01.0
Donald Royal†SF 112911001229.01.01.0.0.012.0
Felton Spencer†C 11196100419.06.01.0.0.04.0
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Magic only.

Playoffs

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Penny HardawayPG 55220301712715544.06.03.42.41.431.0
Derek StrongPF 55195504226139.010.0.8.4.412.2
Nick AndersonSG 55130293392826.05.8.6.61.85.6
Brian ShawPG 548298111016.41.81.6.2.22.0
Danny SchayesPF 5292125212218.42.41.0.4.24.4
Dennis ScottSF 519495201518.81.81.0.4.03.0
Gerald WilkinsSG 5014494024728.81.8.8.0.49.4
Darrell ArmstrongPG 501432117815728.64.23.41.6.211.4
Rony SeikalyC 3386160131928.75.3.0.31.06.3
Amal McCaskillC 207310053.51.5.5.0.02.5
Brian EvansSF 207021023.5.01.0.5.01.0

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ "Orlando Magic". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
  2. ↑ Evans, Richard (August 10, 1996). "Jazz Deal Away Spencer in Trade with Orlando". Deseret News. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Jazz, Magic Make Trade". The Spokesman-Review. Wire Services. August 10, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ Povtak, Tim (August 11, 1996). "It's Spencer for Hire". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  5. ↑ "League Voids Howard's Contract with Heat". Tampa Bay Times. August 1, 1996. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Orlando Signs Gerald Wilkins". United Press International. August 1, 1996. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  7. ↑ Povtak, Tim (November 13, 1996). "Wilkins Is Back Knock on Wood". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  8. ↑ Povtak, Tim (August 27, 1996). "Magic Add Strong, Delete Wolf". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Furthermore". The Washington Post. August 27, 1996. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  10. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (October 23, 1996). "Heat's Hardaway Less Than Impressed". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Seikaly Traded to the Magic". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 3, 1996. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Seikaly Gets Wish, Goes to Magic". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 3, 1996. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (November 3, 1996). "All Aboard...Seikaly". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  14. ↑ Pollack, Andrew (November 8, 1996). "Before 38,600 Fans in Tokyo, Nets Run Out of Luck". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  15. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (November 8, 1996). "Magic Beat the Clock, the Nets". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Orlando Magic at New Jersey Nets Box Score, November 7, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Hardaway Leads Magic to Sweep of the Nets". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 9, 1996. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Iverson Helps Sixers Get Into Win Column". The Daily Gazette. Associated Press. November 9, 1996. p. C2. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
  19. 1 2 "New Jersey Nets at Orlando Magic Box Score, November 8, 1996". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
  20. ↑ "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Magic Complaints Send Hill Packing". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 19, 1997. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  22. ↑ Guest, Larry (March 31, 1997). "The Last Days of Brian Hill". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Magic Players Were United Against Hill". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 1, 1997. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  24. ↑ "1996–97 Orlando Magic Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  25. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (November 16, 1996). "Surgery to Sideline Hardaway 2-6 Weeks". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  26. ↑ Fry, Darrell (November 16, 1996). "Magic Now a Penny Short". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Hardaway on Injured List". The New York Times. December 19, 1996. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  28. 1 2 "1996–97 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  29. ↑ Fry, Darrell (February 8, 1997). "On to the Next Stage". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  30. ↑ "1997 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  31. ↑ "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  32. ↑ "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  33. ↑ Perkins, Chris (April 25, 1997). "Grant Misses Opener with Wrist Injury". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  34. ↑ Povtak, Tim (April 30, 1997). "Grant Accuses Team of Fouling Up Injury". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  35. ↑ Perkins, Chris (April 30, 1997). "Doctors Debate Grant Injury". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Heat's Hot, and Magic's Certainly Not". Deseret News. Associated Press. April 25, 1997. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Heat Sizzle, While Magic All But Disappear". Deseret News. Associated Press. April 28, 1997. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  38. ↑ "1997 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Game 1: Orlando Magic at Miami Heat Box Score, April 24, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  39. ↑ Roberts, Selena (April 30, 1997). "Not So Fast, Say Hardaway and Magic". The New York Times. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  40. ↑ "Hardaway Scores 42 to Keep Magic Alive". The Washington Post. April 30, 1997. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  41. ↑ "1997 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Game 3: Miami Heat at Orlando Magic Box Score, April 29, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  42. ↑ Brown, Clifton (May 2, 1997). "No Illusion: Hardaway and Magic Dazzle Again". The New York Times. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Magic 99, Heat 91". The Washington Post. May 2, 1997. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  44. ↑ "1997 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Game 4: Miami Heat at Orlando Magic Box Score, May 1, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  45. ↑ Wine, Steven (May 4, 1997). "Heat 91, Magic 83". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  46. ↑ Brown, Clifton (May 5, 1997). "The Other Hardaway Insures a Heat-Knicks Series". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  47. ↑ "1997 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Magic vs. Heat". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  48. ↑ "1996–97 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  49. ↑ Allen, Mike; Weil, Martin (July 12, 1997). "Magic's Scott Expresses "Rage," Abruptly Departs Youth Camp". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  50. ↑ "Scott Gives Himself a Bad Rap". Orlando Sentinel. Staff Reports. July 13, 1997. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  51. ↑ Asher, Mark (July 16, 1997). "Scott Says Drug Question Triggered Camp Outburst". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  52. ↑ "PLUS: BASKETBALL; Dallas-Orlando Trade". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 25, 1997. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  53. ↑ "Nelson Still Dealing, Gets Scott from Magic". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. September 25, 1997. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  54. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (September 25, 1997). "Trade Lets Magic Get Rid of Scott". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  55. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Warriors Send Price to Magic". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 28, 1997. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  56. ↑ Johnson, L.C. (October 28, 1997). "Magic Pay Price for Scoring". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  57. ↑ Steele, David (October 28, 1997). "Warriors Ship Out Price; Point-Guard Glut Gone; Magic Deal Shaw, Vaughn". SFGate. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  58. ↑ Dame, Mike (May 5, 1997). "Magic Players Want to Keep Adubato Around". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.