The Orlando Magic will host the Miami Heat in their home opener on October 26.
Not only is this a big game for the Florida rivals, it will give the Magic an opportunity to pay their respects to the 49 people that lost their lives in the June terrorist attack at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.
“Several tributes are planned, including a video highlighting the city’s unity, a moment of silence and the honoring of first responders who went to the scene of the shooting at the Pulse nightclub on June 12,” a statement read on NBA.com earlier Tuesday.
The attack, perpetrated by 29-year-old Omar Mateen, was the deadliest mass shooting incident in the history of the United States. It was also the deadliest shooting targeting the nation’s LGBT community.
The Magic had played their final game two months to the day before the attack. So this will be the franchise’s first opportunity to pay their respects to those who died in yet another senseless act of violence in this country.
It promises to be an emotional evening for everyone involved.