Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

The Orlando Magic’s most memorable Christmas matchups

By S.W. Guest

Dec 20, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic dancers perform in their Christmas costumes during the second half of a basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks at Amway Center. The Atlanta Hawks won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic dancers perform in their Christmas costumes during the second half of a basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks at Amway Center. The Atlanta Hawks won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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1. Tracy McGrady vs LeBron James, 2003

Back in 2003 neither the Orlando Magic nor the Cleveland Cavaliers were up to much.

That said, Cleveland had recently drafted LeBron James, while Orlando’s roster boasted one of the NBA’s best scorers in Tracy McGrady. In what turned out to be a classic battle between the two, T-Mac eventually prevailed, outscoring James 41-34 en route to a hard-fought overtime win.

Next: Watch the Full Game in the Magic Video Vault

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel said there was an unsung hero in this game:

"Of course, his heroics got lost in a Christmas Day basketball love-in between T-Mac and LeBron in front of a sell-out crowd at The ‘House. Tracy McGrady and LeBron James embraced at the end, and only a manger scene would have caused more swooning by adoring worshipers. No matter what Juwan Howard did in the Magic’s 113-101 overtime victory against the Cleveland Cavs, he was not about to upstage the headliners. McGrady’s 41 points trumped King James’ 34, and T-Mac nailed a coffin-closing 3-pointer to give Orlando a seven-point lead with one minute left. Howard really had won the game for the Magic (8-22), providing them with their seventh victory in the past 10 outings. He scored eight of his 19 points — half of the Magic’s 16 points in overtime — and hit four consecutive shots."

Unfortunately it was one of just 21 win the team recorded that season, McGrady’s last in pinstripes.

Next: Penny and the Magic get revenge