The1994–95 Orlando Magic season was the sixth season for theOrlando Magic in theNational Basketball Association.^[1] After building through theNBA draft in the previous years, the Magic made themselves even stronger by signing free agentsHorace Grant, who won three NBA championships with theChicago Bulls from 1991 to 1993,^[2][3][4] andBrian Shaw during the off-season.^[5][6][7]

The Magic got off to a fast start by winning 22 of their first 27 games of the regular season, and then later on holding a 37–10 record at the All-Star break.^[8] Despite losing seven of their final eleven games in April, the Magic won theAtlantic Division title with a 57–25 record, earning the first seed in theEastern Conference, and qualifying for their secondNBA playoff appearance;^[9][10] they also finished with a 39–2 home record at theOrlando Arena, which was tied for second-best in NBA history.

Shaquille O'Neal continued to dominate the NBA by averaging 29.3 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, and was named to theAll-NBA Second Team, while second-year starPenny Hardaway averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and was named to theAll-NBA First Team, and Grant gave the Magic one of the most dominant starting lineups in the league, averaging 12.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, as he was selected to theNBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition,Nick Anderson provided the team with 15.8 points and 1.6 steals per game, and led them with 179 three-point field goals, while three-point specialistDennis Scott played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 12.9 points per game and contributing 150 three-point field goals,Donald Royal contributed 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game as the team's starting small forward, and Shaw contributed 6.4 points and 5.2 assists per game off the bench.^[11]

During theNBA All-Star weekend at theAmerica West Arena inPhoenix, Arizona, O'Neal and Hardaway were both selected for the1995 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, while head coachBrian Hill was selected to coach the Eastern Conference; it was Hardaway's first ever All-Star appearance.^[12][13][14] Meanwhile, Anderson participated in theNBA Three-Point Shootout.^[15][16] O'Neal also finished in second place inMost Valuable Player voting, while Hardaway finished in tenth place,^[17][18] and Scott finished in fifth place inSixth Man of the Year voting.^[19][18]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the1995 NBA playoffs, the Magic overwhelmed theBoston Celtics with a 124–77 victory in Game 1.^[20][21][22] Despite losing Game 2 at home, 99–92,^[23][24][25] the Magic would eliminate the Celtics at theBoston Garden to win the series, 3–1; these matches would be the final two basketball games ever played at the Garden.^[26][27][28] Coincidentally, O’Neal played his final game in Boston 16 years later with the2010–11 Boston Celtics before retiring from the NBA at 39 years old.^[10]

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Magic were matched up against the 5th-seededChicago Bulls; the Bulls were on an emotional high asMichael Jordan had just returned from his baseball career to play basketball.^[29][30][31] Jordan was now wearing number 45 for the Bulls, as his number 23 jersey was retired. The Magic won the first game at home, 94–91.^[32][33]

Tensions rose when Anderson indicated that Jordan was no longer the same player when Anderson was quoted by the media saying, "No. 45 doesn't explode like No. 23 used to. No. 23, he could just blow by you. He took off like a space shuttle. No. 45, he revs up, but he really doesn't take off." The comment motivated Jordan to return to number 23 and the Bulls evened the series with a 104–94 road win in Game 2.^[34][35][36] With the series tied at two games a piece, the Magic won Game 5 at home, 103–95.^[37][38] The Magic would eliminate the Bulls in Game 6 as the Magic won, 108–102 to advance to the conference finals.^[39][40][41]

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Magic would defeatReggie Miller, and the 2nd-seeded andCentral Division championIndiana Pacers in a tough seven-game series that saw the home team win every game.^[42][43][44] The Magic were off to their first everNBA Finals appearance.

In the1995 NBA Finals, the Magic faced off against the 6th-seeded and defending NBA championHouston Rockets; O'Neal would be up againstHakeem Olajuwon in a battle of All-Star Centers. Game 1 was played in Orlando and the game was lost at the free-throw line; Anderson missed four consecutive free throws with the Magic up by three at the waning seconds of the game, and the Rockets tied the game at the buzzer. The Rockets would then win Game 1 in overtime, 120–118.^[45][46][47] The Magic would not recover from their Game 1 loss, as the Rockets swept the series in four straight games.^[48][49][50] Following the season,Anthony Avent was traded to theVancouver Grizzlies expansion team,^[51][52] andTree Rollins retired.

For the season, the Magic added new blue pinstripe road uniforms, while the black pinstripe jerseys became their alternate.^[53] Both uniforms remained in use until 1998.

The Magic did not make another appearance in the NBA Finals until2009.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College / Team
1	27	Brooks Thompson	PG	United States	Oklahoma State
2	31	Rodney Dent	C	United States	Kentucky

• Shaquille O'Neal –All-NBA 2nd team,Scoring Champion,All-Star
• Penny Hardaway –All-NBA 1st Team,All-Star
• Horace Grant –All-Defensive 2nd Team
• Brian Hill –All-Star East Head Coach

Player Transactions Citation:^[54]

• Orlando Magic on Database Basketball
• Orlando Magic on Basketball Reference

• Orlando Magic seasons
• Eastern Conference (NBA) championship seasons
• 1994 in sports in Florida
• 1995 in sports in Florida

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from August 2023
• Articles with hCards