Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Watch classic Orlando Magic games on NBATV on Sunday

By Philip Rossman-Reich

CHICAGO - MAY 18: Shaquille O'Neal #32, Horace Grant #32 and Dennis Scott #3 of the Orlando Magic huddle against the Chicago Bulls during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 18, 1995 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO - MAY 18: Shaquille O'Neal #32, Horace Grant #32 and Dennis Scott #3 of the Orlando Magic huddle against the Chicago Bulls during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 18, 1995 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers
ORLANDO – MAY 31: Shaquille O’Neal #32 of the Orlando Magic dunks against Reggie Miller #31 of the Indiana Pacers in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 1995 NBA Playoffs on May 31, 1995 at Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida. The Orlando Magic defeated the Indiana Pacers 108-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Centers of the Universe: Shaq and Yao (6 a.m., 12:30 p.m.)

This half-hour documentary really does not have anything to do with the Orlando Magic. Yao Ming entered the league in the 2003 season when Shaquille O’Neal was long gone from Orlando. It should still be an interesting watch (whenever it was recorded originally). It is framed as a conversation between the two rivals where they discuss how they grew up in the game and made it to the NBA.

1995 Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 — Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers (1 p.m.)

There are two games everyone remembers from the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals battle between the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers.

The first is the crazy back and forth finish of Game 6 where Rik Smits hit a shot that may have been after the buzzer and the lead changed hands three times in the final 30 seconds. It is one of the great finishes in NBA history (NBATV is oddly not airing that game during the Pacers’ day on Friday).

And then there is Game 7, the Magic’s biggest victory and their arrival to the Finals in a blowout victory.

Game 2 was another close game where Shaquille O’Neal put the team on his back to take down Rik Smits, Antonio Davis and Dale Davis and the Pacers’ brutal front line. He scores 39 points in the 119-115 victory to give Orlando what felt like a commanding 2-0 series lead.