Nets vs Orlando Magic
From the ABA to Brooklyn: A franchise of resilience and reinvention.
The Brooklyn Nets are a professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. They were founded in 1967 and initially played in Teaneck, New Jersey, as the New Jersey Americans, followed by a period in Long Island as the New York Nets and later as the New Jersey Nets. They are a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the NBA and an original member of the ABA. In 2012, the team moved to Brooklyn and were renamed the Brooklyn Nets.
- primary_era
- 1990s to present
- most_notable_meeting
- 2004 Eastern Conference First Round
- key_nets_figures
- ['Jason Kidd', 'Kenyon Martin', 'Vince Carter']
- key_magic_figures
- ["Shaquille O'Neal", 'Penny Hardaway', 'Dwight Howard']
- rivalry_status
- Historic but sporadic
Lore & Background
The franchise was established in 1967 as a founding member of the ABA, with trucking magnate Arthur J. Brown as owner. The team was named the New York Americans but played its first season as the New Jersey Americans due to venue issues. After a forfeit in the 1968 playoffs, the team moved to Long Island and changed its name to the New York Nets. The Nets won ABA championships in 1974 and 1976, led by Julius Erving. In 1976, the Nets joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger. Financial pressures forced the team to trade Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers before their first NBA season. The team moved back to New Jersey in 1977 and was renamed the New Jersey Nets.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the TD Waterhouse Centre was thick with humidity and tension. It was Game 5 of the 2004 First Round, and the Orlando Magic needed one more win to send the defending Eastern Conference champions packing. Vince Carter soared for a dunk that rattled the rim, but the crowd roared louder for Dwight Howard's block on Kenyon Martin. As the final seconds ticked away, the Nets' dream of a three-peat died in Florida, leaving behind a rivalry defined by one unforgettable spring.
Reader's Guide
The Nets are a professional basketball team. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the NBA. The team's history includes periods as the New Jersey Americans, New York Nets, New Jersey Nets, and Brooklyn Nets.
Did You Know?
- The team was originally named the New York Americans but played its first season as the New Jersey Americans.
- The name 'Nets' was chosen because it rhymes with the New York Mets and New York Jets, and relates to basketball.
- The Nets won ABA championships in 1974 and 1976.
- Julius Erving, known as 'Dr. J', led the Nets to both ABA titles.
- The Nets were forced to trade Julius Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers for $3 million to help pay the NBA's entry fees.
More in Great Rivalries
Elsewhere in the Brooklyn Nets universe
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