Orlando Magic NBA Playoffs: The top 10 Orlando Magic playoff performances

3. Get on Penny’s Back

1997 First Round Game 3 — 42 points, 8 rebounds

The Miami Heat routed the Orlando Magic throughout the first two games in South Florida of this 2-versus-7 series. It looked like the Magic were toast, ready to get swept out of the Playoffs for the fourth straight year (1994 in the first round, 1995 in the NBA Finals and 1996 in the Eastern Conference Finals).

Orlando it seemed had some nice pieces but were far from recovered after losing Shaquille O’Neal the previous summer. Anfernee Hardaway could not do things alone. And with Brian Hill fired, the Magic were now a team at a crossroads.

Then Hardaway put the team on his back. The first-team All-NBA player from the previous year showed he still merited respect around the league. He began an assault on the scorer’s book.

It started when the Magic trailed by 20 points in the second quarter. That is when Hardaway began his move, scoring 17 points in the second quarter alone to get to 26 at halftime. He kept the pressure on, playing well alongside Darrell Armstrong’s 21-point effort, to get the win and extend the series one more game.

He kept the pressure on, playing well alongside Darrell Armstrong’s 21-point effort, to get the win and extend the series one more game.

Hardaway was at his best here. He was driving and attacking the defense, using his incredible speed to keep defenders off balance for his strong mid-range jumper or getting all the way to the line.

There will never be another run quite like what Hardaway put together in this series. . . .