Editing Orlando Magic (section)

==Rivalries==

===Miami Heat===
{{Main|Heat–Magic rivalry}}

The Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat had a rivalry because both teams are located in Florida, thus the rivalry was known as the Sunshine State rivalry. Another ingredient to the rivalry was the high-caliber players on both teams such as Orlando's [[Shaquille O'Neal]] and [[Penny Hardaway]] to Miami's [[Alonzo Mourning]] and [[Tim Hardaway]]. The two had met each other in the NBA playoffs for the first time in [[1997 NBA playoffs|1997]], with Miami beating Orlando 3–2, they have not met in the playoffs since.

The rivalry intensified during the 2000s and early 2010s with the rising stardom of Miami's and Orlando's [[Dwyane Wade]] and [[Dwight Howard]], respectively, along with Miami's acquiring high caliber stars such [[LeBron James]] from the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] and [[Chris Bosh]] from the [[Toronto Raptors]] and in 2010, resulting in fierce competition between the two.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SCANLON |first=DICK |date=November 27, 2005 |title=Magic's Hot, Not Heat, Surviving 3-Pointers |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2005/11/27/magics-hot-not-heat-surviving-3-pointers/25864426007/ |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=The Ledger |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2005/11/27/magics-hot-not-heat-surviving-3-pointers/25864426007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 30, 2006 |title=Wade-less Heat struggle against Magic |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2006/12/31/wade-less-heat-struggle-against-magic/31507364007/ |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=Gainesville Sun |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2006/12/31/wade-less-heat-struggle-against-magic/31507364007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 28, 2007 |title=Magic overcome Heat, Wade |url=https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/12/29/magic-overcome-heat-wade/28599355007/ |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/12/29/magic-overcome-heat-wade/28599355007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 18, 2009 |title=Heat is turning rivalry with Magic around |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-18-la-sp-nba-game18-2009dec18-story.html |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-18-la-sp-nba-game18-2009dec18-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=October 21, 2010 |title=Lack of Dwyane Wade waters down Magic-Heat preseason rivalry game |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2010/10/21/lack-of-dwyane-wade-waters-down-magic-heat-preseason-rivalry-game/ |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=Orlando Sentinel |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2010/10/21/lack-of-dwyane-wade-waters-down-magic-heat-preseason-rivalry-game/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stoda |first=Greg |date=October 28, 2010 |title=Commentary: Miami Heat-Orlando Magic rivalry reaches a new level, starting Friday night |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nba/2010/10/28/commentary-miami-heat-orlando-magic/7285694007/ |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=The Palm Beach Post |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nba/2010/10/28/commentary-miami-heat-orlando-magic/7285694007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=James |date=October 29, 2010 |title=Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat: Is This the Best Rivalry in the NBA? |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/504931-orlando-magic-vs-miami-heat-is-this-the-best-rivalry-in-the-nba |access-date=December 31, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |archive-date=December 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231170357/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/504931-orlando-magic-vs-miami-heat-is-this-the-best-rivalry-in-the-nba |url-status=live }}</ref>

When Dwight Howard departed from the Magic to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in August 2012, the rivalry softened. The Orlando Magic have been going through a process of rebuilding ever since then.

===Atlanta Hawks===
The [[Atlanta Hawks]] and the Orlando Magic had an intense rivalry, mostly stemming from playoff competitions and the rising stardom of [[Dwight Howard]] and [[Josh Smith]], both from the [[2004 NBA draft]] and who were both raised in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].

The two teams faced each other three times in the [[1996 NBA playoffs|1996]], [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]], and [[2011 NBA playoffs]]. The Magic defeated the Hawks in the second round of the 1996 playoffs 4–1, and swept the second-round series 4–0 in the 2010 playoffs, while the Hawks eliminated the Magic 4–2 in the first round of the corresponding 2011 playoffs.