Hoops Habit
Fansided

Every NBA Team’s Signature Season

By Duncan Smith

Feb 22, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts with forward Draymond Green (23) after making a three point shot against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts with forward Draymond Green (23) after making a three point shot against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Orlando Magic, 1994-95
Record: 57-25
Lost in NBA Finals

With all due respect to Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy, when anybody who was a kid in the 1990s thinks about the Orlando Magic, they think of Shaquille O’Neil and Anfernee Hardaway. Nothing said “basketball” to a ’90s kid more than Shaq and Penny, especially if you didn’t love Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Shaq scored 29.3 points per game and added 11.4 rebounds, while Penny averaged 20.9 points and 6.2 assists per game in 1994-95 and the young Magic (whose roster was actually not young at all outside of the 22-year old Shaq and the 23-year old Penny) led the NBA in offensive rating, averaging an outstanding 115.1 points per 100 possessions.

The Magic grinded their way through the playoffs, beating the Boston Celtics in four games, the Chicago Bulls in six games and the Indiana Pacers in seven games, but the Houston Rockets were just too much in the NBA Finals.

Shaq averaged 28 points and 12.5 rebounds and Hardaway tacked on 25.5 points, but Hakeem Olajuwon and the rest of the Rockets overwhelmed the Magic in their first-ever NBA Finals appearance.

Next: Oklahoma City Thunder