1996–97 Orlando Magic season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Magic's eighth season in the National Basketball Association.[1] After losing Shaquille O'Neal via free agency to the Los Angeles Lakers in 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 playing just one game for the team, Spencer was then dealt along with Donald Royal and Jon Koncak to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Rony Seikaly.[11][12][13][14] Early into the season, the Magic played two games against the New Jersey Nets in Tokyo, Japan.[15][16][17][18] After an 8–4 start in November, the Magic struggled losing 10 of their 12 games in December, and held a 24–20 record at the All-Star break.[19] The team lost five straight after the All-Star break, as head coach Brian Hill was fired 49 games into the season, and Penny Hardaway was generally blamed for leading a player revolt that resulted in his dismissal.[20][21][22] Hill was replaced with assistant Richie Adubato for the remainder of the season, as the Magic finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 45–37 record.[23]

1996–97 Orlando Magic season
Head coachBrian Hill (fired)
Richie Adubato (interim)
General managerJohn Gabriel
PresidentBob Vander Weide
Owner(s)Richard 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.com
Local media
TelevisionWKCF
Sunshine Network
RadioWDBO

Hardaway averaged 20.5 points, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game,[24][25][26][27] despite only playing 59 games due to knee injuries,[28][29][30][31] while Seikaly averaged 17.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Horace 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 Nick Anderson provided with 12.0 points and 1.9 steals per game, 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, and Brian Shaw provided with 7.2 points and 4.1 assists per game.[32]

The Magic entered the playoffs without Grant, who was out with a wrist injury, and was replaced with Strong as the team's starting power forward.[33][34][35] In the Eastern Conference First Round, the Magic faced off against their in-state rivals, the Miami Heat. After losing the first two games on the road to the Heat, the Magic would win the next two games at home to tie the series at 2–2; Hardaway scored 42 points in Game 3, and 41 points in Game 4.[36][37] However, the Magic lost Game 5 on the road to the Heat, 91–83.[38][39][40][41] As of 2023, this was the only playoff matchup between both teams from Florida.

Following the season, Scott was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after a meltdown about a contract dispute at a basketball camp during the off-season,[42][43][44][45][46] while Shaw was dealt to the Golden State Warriors,[47][48][49] and Adubato was fired as head coach.[50]

Draft picks
Main article: 1996 NBA draft
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.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G/F 25 Anderson, Nick 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1968–01–20 Illinois
G 10 Armstrong, Darrell 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1968–06–22 Fayetteville State
G 5 Demps, Dell 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1970–02–12 Pacific
F 34 Evans, Brian 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1970–09–13 Indiana
F 54 Grant, Horace Injured 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1965–07–04 Clemson
G 1 Hardaway, Penny (C) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971–07–18 Memphis
C 00 McCaskill, Amal 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1973–10–28 Marquette
F 24 Schayes, Danny 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1959–05–10 Syracuse
G/F 3 Scott, Dennis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 229 lb (104 kg) 1968–09–05 Georgia Tech
C 4 Seikaly, Rony Injured 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1965–05–10 Syracuse
G 20 Shaw, Brian 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1966–03–22 UC Santa Barbara
F 33 Strong, Derek 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1968–02–09 Xavier
F 42 Vaughn, David 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1973–03–23 Memphis
G 21 Wilkins, Gerald 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1963–09–11 Chattanooga
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: 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

Record vs. opponents
1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta –3–11–31–33–12–01–11–32–01–13–12–01–11–24–02–03–11–33–14–01–12–02–02–01–14–01–12–02–1
Boston 1–3–0–40–41–21–11–10–41–10–21–20–21–10–41–30–20–40–40–41–31–11–10–21–10–23–10–20–20–4
Charlotte 3–14–0–0–43–11–12–02–22–02–02–21–11–11–22–22–04–03–11–24–01–10–22–02–02–02–20–22–03–1
Chicago 3–14–04–0–3–12–02–03–12–01–14–02–01–12–24–02–03–12–23–04–02–02–02–02–02–03–11–12–02–1
Cleveland 1–32–11–31–3–2–01–12–21–10–23–12–01–10–42–22–04–01–32–23–01–11–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–3
Dallas 0–21–11–10–20–2–3–10–20–40–41–12–20–40–20–21–31–11–11–12–01–31–32–21–31–30–21–33–10–2
Denver 1–11–10–20–21–11–3–0–21–31–30–21–30–40–21–10–41–10–20–21–12–20–42–22–20–41–10–43–11–1
Detroit 3–14–02–21–32–22–02–0–2–01–13–12–01–10–43–12–04–01–22–22–10–21–11–12–01–13–11–12–04–0
Golden State 0–21–10–20–21–14–03–10–2–0–41–11–30–40–21–11–32–00–21–12–00–42–21–34–00–42–00–43–10–2
Houston 1–12–00–21–12–04–03–11–14–0–1–13–13–10–21–14–02–01–10–22–02–22–24–03–13–11–12–23–12–0
Indiana 1–32–12–20–41–31–12–01–31–11–1–2–01–11–32–22–02–21–31–33–01–11–11–11–11–14–00–22–01–3
L.A. Clippers 0–22–01–10–20–22–23–10–23–11–30–2–2–20–22–01–31–10–21–11–12–20–42–24–01–32–01–34–00–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–11–14–04–01–14–01–31–12–2–1–12–03–12–01–11–12–04–01–34–02–23–11–11–34–02–0
Miami 2–14–02–12–24–02–02–04–02–02–03–12–01–1–4–01–13–11–32–23–12–01–12–02–00–23–10–22–03–1
Milwaukee 0–43–12–20–42–22–01–11–31–11–12–20–20–20–4–0–22–11–22–23–11–10–20–21–11–13–11–12–01–3
Minnesota 0–22–00–20–20–23–14–00–23–10–40–23–11–31–12–0–2–01–11–11–13–12–20–44–00–41–11–34–01–1
New Jersey 1–34–00–41–30–41–11–10–40–20–22–21–10–21–31–20–2–2–21–32–21–10–21–12–01–10–30–22–01–3
New York 3–14–01–32–23–11–12–02–12–01–13–12–01–13–12–11–12–2–3–13–21–11–12–02–00–23–01–12–04–0
Orlando 1–34–02–10–32–21–12–02–21–12–03–11–11–12–22–21–13–11–3–2–21–12–01–11–11–14–00–21–11–3
Philadelphia 0–43–10–40–40–30–21–11–20–20–20–31–10–21–31–31–12–22–32–2–1–11–10–21–10–21–30–22–01–3
Phoenix 1–11–11–10–21–13–12–22–04–02–21–12–20–40–21–11–31–11–11–11–1–1–34–03–12–20–21–32–21–1
Portland 0–21–12–00–21–13–14–01–12–22–21–14–03–11–12–02–22–01–10–21–13–1–2–24–01–30–22–24–00–2
Sacramento 0–22–00–20–20–22–22–21–13–10–41–12–20–40–22–04–01–10–21–12–00–42–2–3–11–31–10–44–00–2
San Antonio 0–21–10–20–22–03–12–20–20–41–31–10–42–20–21–10–40–20–21–11–11–30–41–3–0–41–11–31–30–2
Seattle 1–12–00–20–22–03–14–01–14–01–31–13–11–32–01–14–01–12–01–12–02–23–13–14–0–2–01–34–02–0
Toronto 0–41–32–21–31–32–01–11–30–21–10–40–21–11–31–31–13–00–30–43–12–02–01–11–10–2–1–11–12–2
Utah 1–12–02–01–11–13–14–01–14–02–22–03–13–12–01–13–12–01–12–02–03–12–24–03–13–11–1–4–02–0
Vancouver 0–22–00–20–20–21–31–30–21–31–30–20–40–40–20–20–40–20–21–10–22–20–40–43–10–41–10–4–1–1
Washington 1–24–01–31–23–12–01–10–42–00–23–12–00–21–33–11–13–10–43–13–11–12–02–02–00–22–20–21–1—

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
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

NOTE: Please write the players statistics in alphabetical order by last name.

Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Playoffs
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards and honors

Transactions

References
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  3. "Jazz, Magic Make Trade". The Spokesman-Review. Wire Services. August 10, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
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