2001–02 Orlando Magic season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{NBA season

| team = Orlando Magic

| end_year = 2002

| wins = 44

| losses = 38

| division = Atlantic

| division_place = 3

| conf_place = 5

| coach = Doc Rivers

| gm = John Gabriel

| owners = RDV Sports, Inc.

| arena = TD Waterhouse Centre

| television =

• Sunshine Network
• WBRW

| radio =

| playoffs = First round
(lost to Hornets 1–3)

| bbr_team = ORL

}}

The 2001–02 NBA season was the 13th season for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association.{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/2002.html |title=2001-02 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats |work=Basketball-Reference.com}} During the off-season, the Magic signed free agent All-Star center Patrick Ewing to their roster,{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Orlando Looks Like Ewing's Next Stop | work = The New York Times | date = July 13, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/13/sports/pro-basketball-orlando-looks-like-ewing-s-next-stop.html | access-date = April 4, 2017}}{{cite news | last = Povtak | first = Tim | title = Ewing, Magic OK Deal | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = July 13, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-07-13-0107130322-story.html | access-date = June 3, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Magic Reportedly Agree to Sign Patrick Ewing | work = Deseret News | date = July 14, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/2001/7/14/19596265/magic-reportedly-agree-to-sign-patrick-ewing | access-date = November 26, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = NBA - Ewing Takes Paycut to Play for Magic | work = ESPN | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0718/1227540.html | access-date = July 2, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Patrick Ewing Chooses Orlando | work = United Press International | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/07/18/Patrick-Ewing-chooses-Orlando/1559995428800/ | access-date = October 25, 2024}} and re-signed former Magic forward Horace Grant to further strengthen the team's depth.{{cite news | last = Schmitz | first = Brian | title = Grant Set to Rejoin Magic | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-07-18-0107180278-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Magic Adds Grant, Size | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = July 20, 2001 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/07/20/magic-adds-grant-size/ | access-date = December 31, 2021}}{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Against the New Generation, Lakers Against the World | work = The New York Times | date = October 30, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-jordan-against-the-new-generation-lakers-against-the-world.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}} Early into the season in November, the team traded Bo Outlaw to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jud Buechler in a three-team trade.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Suns Get Outlaw from Magic as Part of Three-Team Deal | work = ESPN | date = November 16, 2001 | url = https://a.espncdn.com/nba/news/2001/1116/1279208.html | access-date = October 23, 2024}}{{cite news | title = Suns Get Outlaw in 3-Team Trade | work = United Press International | date = November 16, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/11/16/Suns-get-Outlaw-in-3-team-trade/4491005886800/ | access-date = January 11, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Brewer | first = Jerry | title = Magic Send Outlaw to Suns | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = November 17, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-11-17-0111170334-story.html | access-date = October 20, 2022}}

The Magic played around .500 with a 25–24 record at the All-Star break.{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 7, 2002 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=7&year=2002 | access-date = September 12, 2022}} However, Grant Hill's comeback was ended after only just 14 games, averaging 16.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, as he had to get more surgery on his bad ankle.{{cite news | last = Brewer | first = Jerry | title = Hill Sprains Ankle | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = October 26, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-10-26-0110260300-story.html | access-date = October 20, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Times Wire Services | title = Magic's Hill Is Told to Give Ankle a Rest | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 29, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-29-sp-9557-story.html | access-date = November 26, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Povtak | first = Tim | title = Hill Fed Up with Ankle Pains | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = December 5, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/12/05/hill-fed-up-with-ankle-pains/ | access-date = May 5, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = BASKETBALL; Surgery Will End the Season for Hill | work = The New York Times | date = December 19, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/sports/basketball-surgery-will-end-the-season-for-hill.html | access-date = July 25, 2021}} Despite Hill's injury, the Magic posted a six-game winning streak in March, and made it to the playoffs with a record of 44–38, third in the Atlantic Division.{{cite web|title=2001–02 Orlando Magic Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/2002_games.html|access-date=June 26, 2021}}

Tracy McGrady continued to emerge as a superstar, as he finished fourth in the NBA in scoring averaging 25.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.{{cite news | title = Sports Digest | work = The Southeast Missourian | date = January 30, 2002 | page = 2B | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=V6gfAAAAIBAJ&dq=2002+nba+all+star+game+karl+malone&pg=PA8&article_id=1204,3700827 | access-date = October 23, 2024}}{{cite news | title = NBA All-Star Game Rosters | work = United Press International | date = February 8, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/amp/Archives/2002/02/08/NBA-All-Star-game-rosters/6931013144400/ | access-date = October 23, 2024}}{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 2002 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-2002 | access-date = May 4, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 2002 All-Star Weekend - at Philadelphia: February 8-10 | work = Eskimo North | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star02.txt | access-date = May 4, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA All-Star Game: West 135, East 120 | work = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2002.html | accessdate = November 28, 2021}} McGrady finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting with 7 first-place votes.{{cite web | title = 2001–02 NBA Awards Voting | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2002.html | access-date = December 28, 2021}} In addition, second-year star Mike Miller continued to improve averaging 15.2 points per game, while Darrell Armstrong contributed 12.4 points, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and Troy Hudson and Pat Garrity both provided scoring off the bench, averaging 11.7 and 11.1 points per game respectively.{{cite web|title=2001–02 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/2002.html|access-date=June 26, 2021}}

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Magic lost in four games to the Charlotte Hornets.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; Davis Leads Hornets into Second Round | work = The New York Times | date = May 1, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/sports/nba-roundup-davis-leads-hornets-into-second-round.html | access-date = July 24, 2021}}{{cite news | title = Davis and Hornets Put Magic to Rest | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = May 1, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/05/01/davis-and-hornets-put-magic-to-rest/0995f0bc-dbe9-4c4a-b81f-7d0037c18c15/ | access-date = June 2, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Bianchi | first = Mike | title = Magic Simply Not Tough Enough to Stand Up to Big, Bad Hornets | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = May 1, 2002 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2002-05-01-0205010378-story.html | access-date = November 26, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Magic vs. Hornets | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2002-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-magic-vs-hornets.html | access-date = May 4, 2023}} Following the season, Ewing retired after seventeen seasons in the NBA, and would take a job as the assistant coach for the Washington Wizards,{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = Ewing Appears Ready to Retire | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 17, 2022 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-17-sp-newswire17-story.html | access-date = July 2, 2022}}{{cite news | title = In Sports from United Press International | work = United Press International | date = September 17, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/09/17/In-Sports-from-United-Press-International/49951032291587/ | access-date = October 24, 2024}}{{cite news | last = Litsky | first = Frank | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Only Smiles, No Scowls, as Ewing Says Goodbye | work = The New York Times | date = September 18, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/18/sports/pro-basketball-only-smiles-no-scowls-as-ewing-says-goodbye.html | access-date = January 12, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Wyche | first = Steve | title = Wizards Add Ewing as Coach | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = September 18, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/09/18/wizards-add-ewing-as-coach/399a13ec-33e5-4fd9-acd3-eea3fc090ee9/ | access-date = July 16, 2022}} while Hudson signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves,{{cite news | title = Wolves Sign Point Guard Troy Hudson | work = The Edwardsville Intelligencer | date = August 25, 2002 | url = https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Wolves-Sign-Point-Guard-Troy-Hudson-10468672.php | access-date = May 5, 2023}}{{cite news | title = Report: Wolves Sign G Troy Hudson | work = United Press International | date = August 26, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/08/26/Report-Wolves-sign-G-Troy-Hudson/19401030389732/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}} Monty Williams signed with the Philadelphia 76ers,{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Philadelphia 76ers Sign Two Free Agents | work = United Press International | date = July 25, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/07/25/Philadelphia-76ers-sign-two-free-agents/80231027629128/ | access-date = October 24, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Transactions | work = The New York Times | date = July 26, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/26/sports/transactions-186449.html | access-date = May 5, 2023}} and Buechler and Dee Brown both retired.