Allen Iverson is the greatest Orlando Magic killer of all time

Allen Iverson enters the Hall of Fame tonight along with Shaquille O’Neal. Iverson may well be the greatest Magic killer of all time.

The first time Allen Iverson played the Orlando Magic, the Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers were in two different places.

The Magic were beginning their descent, but were still a very capable and dangerous team. Iverson entered the league in 1997, the year after Shaquille O’Neal left the Magic. Orlando would still make the Playoffs, and Anfernee Hardaway was still an All Star.

The Philadelphia 76ers were largely irrelevant in the NBA scene. Losing to the Sixers was akin to losing to the Sixers today. They were a perpetually young and underachieving team. The Magic were title contenders.

Iverson served notice early though. He scored 14 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Magic in his first matchup in Philadelphia.

The Magic went 12-1 against the 76ers from 1994-96. That late November game marked a sea change for the rivalry between the Magic and 76ers — and ultimately Allen Iverson’s supernova-like performances against them.

On April 1, 1997, Iverson officially turned the tide. He scored only 15 points and dished out 11 assists that day, but the 76ers dominated the Magic to a 12-point win. It was Philadelphia’s first win in Orlando since the 1992 season.

His scoring numbers that day were modest, but Iverson was the spark plug of Philadelphia’s victory. It was clear he was going to be something once the Sixers figured out a crowded scoring group that featured Derrick Coleman and Jerry Stackhouse. Iverson stood out even as he began growing his scoring legend.

Against the Orlando Magic, that legend seemed to grow more and more. As he enters the Hall of Fame — alongside former Magic legend Shaquille O’Neal — Iverson might very well be one of the greatest Orlando Magic killers of all time.

Yes, there were others. Michael Jordan was lethal to the Orlando Magic time and time again throughout his career. He is probably at the top of the list.

Iverson though is not too far. And it is not just his raw scoring statistics. He impacted the Magic’s direction in the late 1990s and had some truly iconic moments in his career against the Magic.

Iverson averaged 27.7 points and 7.2 assists per game in 40 games against the Magic in his career. He averaged more against other teams in his career. For the Magic though, he reserved some of his greatest games.

Iverson’s first Playoffs appearance put the nail in the coffin for the late-90s Magic.

The Orlando Magic were the third seed in the 1999 Playoffs, facing the upstart 76ers and Iverson tortured Darrell Armstrong, Anfernee Hardaway and whoever else the Magic would throw at him.

In a four-game upset series, Iverson averaged 28.3 points per game and 6.0 assists per game while shooting a 49.5 percent effective field goal percentage. He scored 30 points in three of those four games. This was his first Playoff appearance.

Iverson added more insult to injury when he scored 60 points in February 2005, during Dwight Howard’s rookie year.

Those two moments are seminal moments in Iverson’s career. Perhaps not quite him stepping over Tyronn Lue in the 2001 NBA Finals, but still iconic moments in Iverson’s career.

The Magic, like just about every other team, plays a small bit in the stories of several great players. They are not always the featured player. Iverson though seemed to bring his best out for moments against the Magic.

His 60-point game in 2005 was a quintessential Iverson moment. This was his career-high in scoring for his career that was known for his scoring. He shot 17 for 36 (another clear Iverson line) and torched a lethargic Magic team.

It was the example of an Iverson game in many ways. He darted into the lane with his speed and handles to get shots. He went among the trees and scored at his will. Iverson was a savant of defiance and speed at all times.

The Magic were often a victim of that. Just like most of the league was throughout his Hall of Fame career.

In Magic history, Iverson burned them even more than usual. There were not multiple Playoff appearances. But like Michael Jordan and Chauncey Billups — two all-time Magic killer too — Iverson was the harbinger of death for an era of Magic basketball. And then someone who kept reminding them of how far they had to go to get back to his level.