The Orlando Magic entered the 2008-09 season coming off their first Southeast Division title and their first playoff series win since 1996. Their roster was nearly intact from the previous season, having added Mikael Pietrus at shooting guard from Golden State.

Orlando opened the season with back-to-back losses to Atlanta and Memphis, but then ran off nine wins in its next 10 games. By the end of November, the Magic were 13-4 and keeping pace with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference.

In December, the Magic put together their longest win streak of the season, winning 7 straight (later matched in January). That streak started with a road win in Utah and included wins over the Spurs, Lakers and Hornets. It finally came to an end on Dec. 29 with a loss in Detroit, but when the calender flipped to the new year, Orlando again ripped off seven straight wins, this time with road wins over San Antonio, Denver and the Lakers.

In late January Magic center Dwight Howard was voted in as a starter for the 2009 All-Star Game, leading all players in total votes. Howard became the first player in NBA history to receive more than 3 million votes for the All-Star Game.

Point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Rashard Lewis were selected to join Howard on the All-Star team, but shortly after that announcement, Nelson was lost for the season with a separated shoulder. Orlando quickly traded for Tyronn Lue to shore up its depth at point guard, then added Rafer Alston from the Rockets at the trade deadline.

Heading into the season's final month, Orlando was neck-and-neck with Boston for the 2 seed in the East, but the Magic went 4-5 in April. They lost three straight games for the first time all season before finishing with a win over the Bobcats in the season finale. Orlando ended the season 59-23, winning the Southeast Division title for the second consecutive year and earning the three seed in the East.

Dwight Howard was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-NBA selection. Stan Van Gundy finished third in the Coach of the Year voting, behind Mike Brown (Cleveland) and Rick Adelman (Houston).

The Orlando Magic entered the 2009 Playoffs as the 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, facing the Phliadelphia 76ers in the first round. Philadelphia won Game 1 of the series in Orlando on a last-second shot by Andre Iguodala. Orlando won the second game, but lost Game 3 on another last-second shot and trailed 2-1 in the series. The Magic then won the next two games -- Game 4 on a Hedo Turkoglu buzzer-beater and Game 5 in blowout fashion -- but would have to play Game 6 without star center Dwight Howard, who was suspended for throwing an elbow in Game 5. Even without their man in the middle, Orlando rolled to victory, advancing to the second round for the second consecutive year.

In the Conference Semifinals, the Magic faced the Boston Celtics, who were playing without star forward Kevin Garnett and backup forward Leon Powe. Still, the Celtics put up a fight, nearly overcoming a 28-point deficit in Game 1 and winning Game 2 in blowout fashion. The Magic returned the blowout back at home in Game 3, but the Celtics won the next two games. Boston took Game 4 on a buzzer-beater by Glen Davis and rallied from a 14-point deficit to steal Game 5. Boston had never lost a best-of-7 series when leading 3-2, but Orlando took Game 6 at home, and dominated Game 7 in Boston, winning by 19 points, to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1996.

Waiting for Orlando were the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had won their first 8 games of the 2009 Playoffs, and looked to be on their way to another blowout win in Game 1. Cleveland led by 15 points at halftime, but Orlando won on a 3-pointer by Rashard Lewis with 14.7 seconds left. Orlando overcame another big deficit in Game 2, and took a 2-point lead with 1 second left on a Hedo Turkoglu jumper, but the Cavaliers responded with a LeBron James buzzer-beating three-pointer to even the series at one game apiece. Back in Orlando, the Magic earned a blowout win in Game 3, and powered through for an overtime victory in Game 4, surviving another buzzer-beating attempt by James. After losing Game 5 in Cleveland, Orlando returned home for a 13-point win in Game 6, earning the franchise's second-ever trip to the NBA Finals.

The Orlando Magic have made two appearance in the NBA Finals, getting swept by the Houston Rockets in 1995 and losing in 5 games to the Lakers in 2009. The Magic lost their first six Finals games before beating the Lakers in Game 3 in 2009, the second-most consecutive losses before a franchise's first Finals win in NBA history.

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