Which team defeated the Chicago Bulls in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals?

The Orlando Magic defeated the Chicago Bulls in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Orlando won the best-of-seven series 4–2, ending Chicago’s postseason after Michael Jordan’s return from his first retirement.

The series was notable because Jordan had come back late in the regular season after playing professional baseball. He initially wore number 45, the number he had used during his baseball career, but returned to his familiar number 23 during the series. Orlando won Game 1 after Nick Anderson’s late steal and Horace Grant’s decisive basket, helping establish the Magic’s control.

The Magic were led by Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. They advanced to their first Eastern Conference Finals, where they defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games before reaching the NBA Finals. Orlando ultimately lost to the Houston Rockets.

A common mix-up is confusing this series with Chicago’s first-round matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, whom the Bulls defeated. Orlando was the team that eliminated Chicago in the second round.