Orlando Magic

Despite sharing a city with the most magical kingdom of all (albeit one ruled by a mouse), the Orlando Magic have only sporadically managed to live up to their name. The Magic joined the NBA in 1989, one year after their fellow Floridians and soon-to-be state rivals, the Miami Heat. The team spent their first four seasons floundering in the basement of the Eastern Conference, but then made one of the most-anticipated draft picks of all time, the massive powerhouse center Shaquille O’Neal. After winning Rookie of the Year in 1992-93, O’Neal was joined by Penny Hardaway, and the two stars went on to lead the Magic on a playoff run in 1996 that took them all the way to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately for the Magic, b had just returned from playing baseball and was in no mood for fairytale endings. The Chicago Bulls crushed the Magic in four straight games and O’Neal left for the Los Angeles Lakers the following season. The Magic remained a decent playoff team in the ensuing years until 2009, when the defensive arts of Dwight Howard saw them through to the franchise’s second NBA Finals. Again, they came up against tough opponents, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. After an Eastern Conference Finals appearance the following year, a 4-2 series defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics, the Magic seemed to lose their touch in the following decade, making just four playoffs appearances and never going past the First Round. Their past three seasons have been particularly dismal, finishing well outside the playoffs at 14th, 15th, and 13th in the Western Conference. This season, Orlando Magic fans will be hoping that young talents like 2022-23 Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black can pull a few rabbits out of hats in 2023-24 and get their team back into contention. 

How can I get cheap tickets to Orlando Magic games?

As Orlando’s only professional team (until Orlando City SC of the MLS arrived in 2015), the Orlando Magic have long been the thing to do in the city (there are only so many times one can visit Disney World, after all). Even with the team’s fortunes flagging in recent seasons, tickets to Orlando Magic games can be hard to find, particularly for postseason playoff games, in-season tournament games, or rivalry matchups (see below), which all tend to sell out quickly. To find the cheapest tickets to sold out Orlando Magic games, check our TicketX listings and use our handy TicketX seating chart to compare prices and locations. You can purchase your tickets with the lowest commission fees from TicketX with a single click! 

Orlando Magic rivalries

The Orlando Magic‘s biggest rivals are without a doubt their fellow Floridians the Miami Heat. Both teams were very good at similar times in their history (the O’Neal-Hardaway era and Dwyane Wade era for Orlando), leading to some memorable encounters through the years. In their one ever NBA Playoffs encounter in 1997, the Magic came out on top, winning a thrilling series three games to two. The Magic also have a rivalry with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Are Orlando Magic games exciting?

Going to an ​​Orlando Magic game at Kia Center can be fun for the whole family, with a special welcome given to the team’s youngest fans. Along with the basketball, there is always plenty of music and entertainment in the breaks, making it fun for both the hardcore basketball aficionados as well as first-timers. Get your Orlando Magic tickets now from TicketX!