Editing Orlando Magic (section)

===1992–1996: The Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway era===
[[File:Shaquille O'Neal 1998.jpg|thumb|Shaquille O’ Neal in 1998]]
The Magic history was changed on May 17, 1992, when the franchise won the first pick in the [[1992 NBA draft]] Lottery.<ref name="Magic history" /> The Magic selected big-man [[Shaquille O'Neal]] from [[Louisiana State University]], the biggest prize in the draft since the Knicks won [[Patrick Ewing]].<ref name="The Top Pick Is Going to Disney World"/> O'Neal, a {{height|ft=7|in=1}} [[center (basketball)|center]], made an immediate impact on the Magic, leading the team to a 41–41 record.<ref name="1992–93 Standings"/> The Magic again became the NBA's most improved franchise, as they improved by 20 games. O'Neal was the first rookie to be voted an All-Star starter since [[Michael Jordan]] in 1985.<ref name="Magic history" /> He also became the 1992–93 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]]. Despite O'Neal's presence, the Magic missed the [[1993 NBA playoffs]] because they were tied with the [[Indiana Pacers]] for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the Pacers holding the tiebreaker.<ref name=grantland>{{cite web|url=http://grantland.com/1990s-orlando-magic-oral-history/|title=Blue Chips: An oral history of Shaq, Penny, and the Orlando Magic's lost NBA dynasty.|work=Grantland|publisher=ESPN|first=Jonathan|last=Abrams|date=April 6, 2015|access-date=December 7, 2016|archive-date=November 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126075819/http://grantland.com/1990s-orlando-magic-oral-history/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite barely missing the playoffs and receiving the least chance of gaining the top draft pick with only one ball in the lottery, the Magic again won the first pick in the [[1993 NBA draft]] Lottery.<ref name="Magic history" /> Prior to the draft, Guokas stepped down as head coach, and [[Brian Hill (basketball coach)|Brian Hill]] was promoted to become the Magic's second head coach.<ref name="Hill Is Named Coach of Magic"/> In the draft, the Magic selected [[Chris Webber]], but traded him to the [[Golden State Warriors]] for the number three pick, guard [[Penny Hardaway|Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway]] and three future first-round draft picks.<ref name="Warriors in talks with Webber"/> With the combination of O'Neal and Hardaway, the Magic became a dominant team in the NBA, compiling the first 50 win season in franchise history with a 50–32 record.<ref name="1993–94 Standings"/> The Magic were in the playoffs for the first time, ranked the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference; however, the Pacers swept the Magic 3–0 in the first round, thus ending the Magic's season.<ref name="1994 Playoff Results"/>

In the [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95 season]], the Magic's sixth season, [[List of NBA All-Stars|All-Star]] forward [[Horace Grant]] was acquired as a [[free agent]] from the [[Chicago Bulls]].<ref name="Magic history" /> The Orlando Magic compiled a 57–25 record, best in the East and winning the [[Atlantic Division (NBA)|Atlantic Division]] title,<ref name="1994–95 Standings"/> becoming the second-fastest team (behind the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in [[1971 NBA Finals|1971]], who were in their third season) to advance to the NBA Finals in league history.<ref name="Orlando Magic: Did You Know?"/> In the playoffs, the Magic defeated the [[Boston Celtics]], Bulls, and the Pacers, advancing to the NBA Finals where O'Neal, Hardaway and the young Magic bowed to a more playoff-experienced [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and the [[Houston Rockets]], winning their second consecutive championship in a 4–0 sweep of Orlando.<ref name="1995 Playoff Results"/>

In the [[1995–96 NBA season|1995–96 season]], the Magic again were near the top of the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division with a 60–22 record, led by O'Neal and Hardaway; however, the Magic were seeded number two, behind the NBA's second-best all-time 72–10 record of the Chicago Bulls.<ref name="1995–96 Standings"/> In the meantime, general manager Pat Williams was promoted to senior executive vice president and replaced by the vice president of Basketball Operations [[John Gabriel (basketball)|John Gabriel]] on April 29, 1996.<ref name="MAGIC: All-Time Transactions"/> In the playoffs, after the Magic defeated the [[Detroit Pistons]] and the [[Atlanta Hawks]], Orlando met the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.<ref name="1996 Playoff Results"/> The combination of Jordan, [[Scottie Pippen]] and rebounder [[Dennis Rodman]] was too much for the Magic, and Orlando was swept 4–0.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-28/sports/25623963_1_orlando-magic-anfernee-hardaway-magic-three|title=Bull Rush Jordan, Chicago Sweep Past Magic Into Finals Jordan Is The Magic|first=John|last=Smallwood|date=May 28, 1996|work=[[Philadelphia Daily News]]|access-date=December 26, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091843/http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-28/sports/25623963_1_orlando-magic-anfernee-hardaway-magic-three|url-status=dead}}</ref>