There are two lasting images of the 1995 NBA Finals that ring through history. Both show just how close the Orlando Magic were to winning a championship and how far they were away.
The narrative was set from Game 1 when Nick Anderson missed his four free throws with the Magic up by three at the end of regulation. The Houston Rockets made the kill shot to force overtime and Hakeem Olajuwon’s tip-in delivered the victory.
Four games later, the Magic, caught adrift from the sudden and shocking defeat, could not recover. They struggled to make any game really competitive and the rest of the series was an afterthought.