The scoreboard at Kia Center said it clearly: Orlando 125, Miami 121. But the real message of Wednesday night’s season opener went far deeper than the final numbers.

For the first time in a long time, the Orlando Magic are clearly the state’s superior basketball franchise. Not for a week, not for a season, not for a couple of seasons – but for the foreseeable future.

This wasn’t just a win to start a season. It was the latest proof that the Magic’s patient rebuild – the years of development, the draft nights that required faith, the seasons of growth and frustration – is finally turning potential into production.

And the opponent made it that much sweeter.

For decades, the Miami Heat have been Florida’s basketball big brother, lording their banners, their titles, and their swagger

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