The 10 greatest moments in Orlando Magic history

10. The First Win

Oct. 13, 1989: Magic defeat Pistons in first preseason game

The Orlando Magic might be the only team that could count a preseason game among their biggest moments in franchise history. But for a city that was always in the shadow of other cities in Florida and had to prove itself as an emerging market, any major statement is going to resonate.

So how about the first preseason game in the first home game in the brand new Orlando Arena against the defending champion Detroit Pistons?

Never mind the Pistons treated it like a preseason game. Never mind the stats did not matter. Orlando treated it like a Finals game. They sold out the building and cheered like it was their first playoff game.

When the Magic won the game 118-109. It did not matter that it was a preseason game. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars and the defending champions were still playing their top guys at the end of the game. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy and gave the game that unusual energy.

The party for Orlando kept going well into the night on Church Street. It might have been strange to the visiting champions. But this was the first time the Magic had played basketball. This was the first time Orlando had that big-city feel.

It felt like the Magic had arrived.

That first expansion season was a surprising one for sure.

The team started 7-7 before the losing began. The team picked up only 11 more wins the rest of the season. That is what expansion teams do. But the Magic made each night at the new Orlando Arena a party.

From the very first game in the franchise’s history, the city was in love with its team. And the Magic had seemingly arrived. A win over the champs always has meaning. Especially for a team so new.