Detroit Pistons’ role in kick-starting the Orlando Magic

Jonathan Abrams of Grantland wrote a fantastic oral history of the 1990s Orlando Magic – Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson. They were a budding elite team that never reached the top (thanks in part to Joe Dumars).

The story starts with the Magic’s inaugural season:

"David Steelebroadcaster, Orlando MagicThe first preseason game was against Detroit in October of ’89. They were coming off the championship and Orlando beat them. The crowd went crazy. My call is embarrassingly excited for a preseason game."

"John Gabrielteam executive, later general manager, Orlando MagicEverybody ran off the floor like we’d just won the world championship. Chuck Daly was so gracious in the press conference. A reporter asked if he was taking it easy on the expansion team. He goes, “Heck no, they beat our butts.”"

"Brian SchmitzOrlando SentinelIt sounds funny, but that’s probably in the top-five all-time Orlando highlights, just because everybody thought it was a playoff game and you knew the Pistons didn’t really care."

The Magic appreciated Chuck Daly’s graciousness so much, they later hired him as their coach.

I just thought it was fun to hear about a seminal moment involving the Pistons from another perspective.