The 10 greatest moments in Orlando Magic history

7. Closing the Garden

May 5, 1995: Magic win first playoff series in final game at Boston Garden

The Orlando Magic were the top seed in the Eastern Conference in the 1995 season. They had adopted what owner Rich DeVos told the young team just before the playoffs, “Why not us? Why not now?”

Nobody really believed the young upstart team was ready to win a title yet. But they felt the storm gather.

The young franchise still had to win its first playoff game, let alone its first playoff series. And back then with a best-of-five first round, things could get very nervy.

The Orlando Magic drew the ghosts of the Boston Garden as they faced the Boston Celtics in the first round. And they headed to Boston in a tied series at 1-1. The Magic certainly looked green as the Celtics blew them out in Game 2 of that series.

The Boston fans were in a frenzy for what might be the final games in the Boston Garden. And they were not about to let the Garden close to some expansion franchise with zero titles and pinstripes for uniforms.

The Celtics put a fight, losing 82-77 in Game 3. And Game 4 was tight until Dennis Scott hit a 3-pointer late to give Orlando a 95-29 win, officially eliminating the Celtics.

Shaquille O’Neal officially opened a new era of basketball proclaiming in the locker room, “The Garden is closed.” The broadcast showed fans weeping and struggling to leave the venerated arena. It was indeed sad to see one of the great basketball cathedrals — with its dead spots, poor air conditioning and cramped seating — close.

But the win was significant for that Magic team.

It was their first series win. And a huge weight was off their shoulders. The Orlando Magic needed the confidence boost to face the Chicago Bulls in the next round. Their youth made them underdogs to the experienced Bulls in that series.

But why not us, why not now? They found the momentum and the guts to get all the way to the Finals.