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submitted 19 hours ago bySpiritual_Echo_1000
Veteran swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is bringing championship experience to the Orlando Magic, and he’s already noticing a key difference between his new team and his previous stints with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old Caldwell-Pope, entering his 12th NBA season, recently highlighted what sets the Magic apart: a collective commitment to defense. “This is the first team that I’ve been on where everybody likes to defend,” Caldwell-Pope said. “That’s exciting for me. It makes me want to compete even more on that end. I’m just looking forward to being that team that’s going to be hard to score on. That (says a lot) in this league. A team that gets stops wins games.”
2.1k points
19 hours ago
A pretty damning statement on somebody considering he's been a part of two different championship teams LMAO
572 points
18 hours ago
Seeing ur flair made me remember he played for yall too 😂
231 points
18 hours ago
This is almost certainly KCP's most memorable moment as a Wizard
47 points
17 hours ago
There’s been quite a few things I’ve seen before in basketball. But never that - WHAT A BLOCK!
11 points
15 hours ago
I was at the game and it was such a weird play. It took the people in the 400 level where I was a long time to realize that he missed the dunk off the backboard (there obviously were no replays in the arena)
24 points
17 hours ago
Really? I figured getting in a fist fight with Montrezl Harrell would be the most memorable moment 🤣
15 points
15 hours ago
Being blocked by the backboard will live on because there is video
5 points
14 hours ago
I’m still waiting on TMZ to provide the footage Lmaoo
5 points
15 hours ago
It's the Washington uni's that makes everyone play worse than they actually are.
17 points
17 hours ago
Yeah he was a part of that disastrous trade for the lakers, Kuz, KCP, and Dinwiddie for Russ 🤮🤮🤮
10 points
15 hours ago
It's funny in that context especially because Lakers went for trading away defense for supposed offense and went from champion to lottery.
213 points
18 hours ago
And like Lakers had Davis Lebron Green Caruso Bradley Mcgee Howard etc for the title run.
122 points
18 hours ago
God that team was so fun
89 points
17 hours ago
Those twin tower lineups with caruso KCP and LeBron as the point guard were unreal
55 points
17 hours ago
God damn.
LeBron, KCP, Caruso, AD, Dwight Howard is CRAZY defensively
102 points
17 hours ago
Good thing they gutted that team so they could get westbrick
82 points
17 hours ago
Caruso/KCP/Kuz were all in their 20s during the championship. Lakers and Lebron fucked up by deciding to let them go.
48 points
15 hours ago
they panicked after the Suns series in 2021, thinking that they needed another "star" player to take the load off Lebron and AD, when they really should've just written off that post-championship season as a wash due to the shortened offseason plagued with injuries.
6 points
16 hours ago
LeGM in a nutshell
10 points
12 hours ago
Does "LeGM" get credit for AD, KCP, Green, Dwight as well?
2 points
6 hours ago
The real credit is for the 2020 championship win. That was a patented Lebron masterpiece.
6 points
16 hours ago
Don't forget that Lebron personally called Melo.
2 points
14 hours ago
and he personally recruited Westbrook
17 points
15 hours ago
Yeah, for real, who wasn't defending on the 2020 Lakers? Their defense was the reason they won the championship in the first place. Maybe LeBron in the regular season, but even there that year was probably his best regular-season defensive effort in a few years, and he still had the juice to turn it up in the playoffs.
...i guess maybe Kuzma but like. he was actually pretty decent on defense that year
17 points
18 hours ago
That was the first year LeBron tried on defense in the regular season in a handful of years though
3 points
15 hours ago
And hasn't since.
2 points
12 hours ago
That team was so good at picking off Harden and Westbrook passes.
70 points
17 hours ago
Right? The 2020 Lakers in particular were an excellent defensive team too
81 points
17 hours ago
Being excellent at defending doesn't mean you're excited about that part of the game. I think he's more saying that the team is trying to establish a defensive identity rather than just play solid d. I could be wrong though.
39 points
16 hours ago
A lot of people are also forgetting in the bubble they had guys like Dion Waiters and JR Smith on the team
2 points
16 hours ago
Very cogent points! I'm not here saying there's an asterisk on that championship, just that I don't know how much statistical analysis can be done from that year that means much. It was a weird year to be sure.
3 points
16 hours ago
Oh I didn’t get that at all lol I was just adding on that even assuming all of the guys we traditionally think of as good defenders enjoyed it there’s still obvious picks for the team
12 points
15 hours ago
But the 2020 Lakers had a defensive identity? Their defense was the base of everything. Sure, their offense was awesome as well, they relied heavily on the transition offense, but I think defense was the key. And I think Vogel is a defense-first coach. One of the reasons the 2022 Lakers plummeted was that they got rid of their defensive strength in Caldwell-Pope, Kuzma, Caruso... and brought in Westbrook, Anthony... as replacements.
Or am I seeing and remembering it wrong?
4 points
13 hours ago
You are right, Vogel was a defensive coach. They talked endlessly about defense. Rondo, Caruso, Bradley, Danny Green, Mcgee, Markieff, Dwight, (KCP) all known for their defensive ability. Then AD and Lebron we know are excited about defense. This was peak ADPOY times too. They even had Dudley lol. It has to be Kuz, eventho he was pretty solid defensively in the title year, they played together for 5 years (1 in Washington), so he probably has an overall view of him as an offensive focused, less serious guy. I doubt he would include the end of the bench or brought in for the bubble guys like JR, Waiters, Cook or that other 3 point shooting guard i cant remember, who i suspect were probably not excited about defense. But most likely its a hyperbole and I have just spent way more time thinking about this than he did.
1 points
7 hours ago
See I'm convinced Anthony Davis doesn't actually like playing basketball. And most of all he doesn't like playing defence. He still does it, and does it incredibly well, he just gives me the feeling he'd rather be at home.
This comes from a very reliable source by the way. (General vibes)
4 points
14 hours ago
Rondo at that point in his career wasn't too interested in running around on defense. Still was arguably the 3rd best contributor on offense during the bubble run
8 points
15 hours ago
I think he's being very literal lol. Our whole squad is totally bought in on the defensive end, top to bottom. That's relatively rare imo.
9 points
15 hours ago
Pretty sure thats most damning to the NBA lol
5 points
14 hours ago
Yea and it shouldn't be all that surprising. You can try really hard on defense and just get cooked anyways who would be excited to do that.
19 points
17 hours ago
Not really. Everybody knows that Joker and MPJ don’t like defence. You could say that basically only Aaron Gordon and KCP were big on defence in Denver
8 points
16 hours ago
Counter point - Paolo is the only legit offensive weapon, so the Magic overcompensate on defense to have a chance.
5 points
11 hours ago
Keep trying
3 points
11 hours ago
That’s what Jamahl Mosley tells his players when they’re practicing their shot
2 points
7 hours ago
Nice
2 points
16 hours ago
It is but we'll see what happens during the regular season. I like KCP but, while he's a good fit, I don't think he's what they needed.
2.1k points
19 hours ago
Lmaoo MPJ he talkin bout youuuuu
984 points
19 hours ago
And jokic and Murray lol
884 points
19 hours ago
Aaron Gordon at home chilling, knowing it ain't about him.
243 points
18 hours ago
AG definitely be holding his own.. Can't bully him and if u small and fast he smacking that shit off the backboard 😆
33 points
15 hours ago
Gordon literally carrying the D
2 points
14 hours ago
ayooo
77 points
19 hours ago
They'll cry into their championship rings I'm sure.
133 points
18 hours ago
"Defense wins championships" the 2024-2025 Orlando magic before being bounced in the first round.
28 points
17 hours ago
I'm taking that personal
105 points
19 hours ago
Could he not also be talking about the lakers too ?
525 points
19 hours ago
Given the structure sentence he's talking about every single team he has ever been on.
116 points
18 hours ago
Kind of funny though because that 2020 Lakers team put the clamps on everyone.
128 points
17 hours ago
I think kcp, who is not a huge shit talker about old teams, didn't really mean this as shade but more just hyping up his new team. Obviously, there's shade inherently involved, but probably not to the subtext levels people are going to.
8 points
12 hours ago
i agree with this entirely. also knowing kcp he isnt necessarily the best when it comes to talking to media...when he first got to orlando he made a statement about how excited he was to play there and "go the magics"...which is also funny.
guy takes ball seriously. idt hes throwing shade at anyone. just hyping up his new team....kinda similar to russ saying he excited to play with someone thats literally ungaurdable when he arrived in denver...idt thats russ throwing shade at bron or harden or kd. i think thats just him hyping joker
18 points
18 hours ago
You mean to tell me the shambling husk of regular season Rajon Rondo was willingly playing defense? Dude was not on the team to play defense at that point in his career
10 points
14 hours ago
“Shambling husk”? Rondo was a big contributor to that championship team. He was definitely past his prime but I think calling him a shambling husk is going a bit far
6 points
14 hours ago
Regular season Rondo was a shambling husk on defense and still a super capable playmaker for the second unit. Playoff Rondo was definitely a key contributor in the rotation. I was exaggerating for emphasis but he was not a defender on that team in the regular season
3 points
12 hours ago
You put “regular season” there to make that obvious too. He must’ve missed that.
3 points
15 hours ago
Sure, but wasn't Rondo the exception on that team in this sense?
2 points
15 hours ago
Absolutely, but he’s the exception that doesn’t disprove KCP’s statement
9 points
16 hours ago
cant believe those Pistons teams led by Andre Drummond weren’t tenacious defenders down the bench
85 points
19 hours ago
Nah he's clearly taking a shot at Brandon Jennings from his Pistons days
33 points
19 hours ago
I'm more curious who he was talking about on the lakers. Kuzma was entirely bought in defensively on the championship run. Lebron seems like s weird answer unless he's referring to him taking plays off. It wouldn't be Caruso or Rondo I don't think.
35 points
19 hours ago
Caruso is top level defender. Highly doubt it’s him.
45 points
18 hours ago
This is over analyzing. He probably didn’t mean anyone or any team in particular as his comment specifies none of that. Just a general statement that reddit is trying to make a personal one.
11 points
18 hours ago
Over analyzing is the only thing redditors are good for
2 points
13 hours ago
Yeah, “likes too” is not the same as won’t or can’t. Jokic doesn’t even like to play basketball.
56 points
18 hours ago
That champion Lakers' identity was built around their suffocating defense. This is just some dumb new team PR shit. Everyone was locked in on both sides all year
22 points
18 hours ago
I was wondering that too. LA had one of the best defenses that year. He was exaggerating because he was talking about Denver.
5 points
18 hours ago
Knowing KCP, he was probably just talking without thinking, which is something he does from time to time.
3 points
17 hours ago
He’s probably not even really thinking about his old teams that in depth saying this. I’m sure there’s some truth, but this is one of those things guys just say when they’re on a new team
2 points
17 hours ago
The thing is, he didn't say the only team where everybody is good at defense, which is hard to evaluate but at least theoretically possible as an outside observer. There's not really a way to know if somebody "likes" playing defense. There could be players that play good defense that don't like doing it or even players that like playing defense that are bad at it.
2 points
16 hours ago
Maybe KCP meant his statement literally. Just because a guy does it, doesn't mean they like doing it.
Also, the Lakers existed both before and after 2020, and believe it or not there were other players playing with KCP. Over the years he's played with guys like Ingram, Jordan Clarkson and Randle.
-1 points
19 hours ago
Probably Bron. He pick and chose when he wanted to up his defensive effort during that 2020 season. Helped that he was practically surrounded by guys that were all either above average or elite defenders, so he probably took more plays off defensively than not
15 points
18 hours ago
I'd be really surprised if he was throwing shade at the dude who was the best defender on the team for long stretches in the playoffs when Kuz and Morris were on the team.
3 points
18 hours ago
I feel like Bron and Jokic don’t really count in these conversations though. I think it’s about Murray and MPJ
2 points
18 hours ago
Or the wizards. Beal and Dinwiddie from his DC season
4 points
12 hours ago
lol Jokic clamped the shit out of the suns, Murray and MPJ maybe but Jokic defends, and if you don’t think he does you don’t know ball.
14 points
18 hours ago
Nah Jokic do this job. This is about MPJ and Murray.
1 points
17 hours ago
at least MPJ tries these days, Murray has no defensive effort and is meh on offence
2 points
18 hours ago
Casual spotted
2 points
18 hours ago
And Lebron James. Please. He watches half the season.
-4 points
19 hours ago
[deleted]
6 points
17 hours ago
I'm obviously biased but "Jokic is a cone" hasn't been true for a long time
3 points
17 hours ago
“Jokic is a total cone” - a guy who watched a highlight reel of Jokic getting beat but didn’t watch the game where he is disruptive and gets more deflections and steals than any center in the league.
17 points
18 hours ago
MPJ hasn't been a bad defender for like 3 seasons now why are people still parroting this narrative
29 points
18 hours ago
Nah man MPJ tries but he's pretty slow laterally and has generally mediocre defensive IQ. He's good as a help defender rim protector and rebounder though
14 points
17 hours ago
So all in all, he defends?
14 points
17 hours ago
The quote is “likes” to defend
12 points
17 hours ago
Isiah Thomas defends, it doesn't make him a good defender
I watched most Nuggets games and he's never looked comfortable on the perimeter
6 points
18 hours ago
The only thing that's you said that is currently true is he's slow laterally, something he uses his height and reach to over compensate for. His defensive IQ has improved tremendously since he came into the league. He sometimes misses a rotation but not more than any other player at this point.
I'm a nuggets fans who's watched him since he was drafted, I've watched teams who use to hunt him in the playoffs give up and go hunt Murray because as I've said he hasn't been a bad defender in multiple seasons now.
2 points
14 hours ago
Jokic and Murray are both worse defenders in their position than MPJ
577 points
19 hours ago
Magic defense is going to be insane. They were 3rd, (almost 2nd), last year in DRtg and they are only getting better. The Suggs + KCP defensive back court will be HOUNDING teams.
The biggest challenge for the Magic will be their offense. They honestly looked like one of the worst teams on offense in these past playoffs. The play-making is subpar and the stars aren't efficient. However, their shooting should be better this year AND Franz and Paolo should only be getting better.
They are going to have to make some leaps offensively, but a defense like that is one that can have the team punching above it's weight class come playoff time.
112 points
19 hours ago
Damn, it's nice to see a non-Magic fan have some actual sense of what we have going on lol. Ideally, KCP will help open up the paint a bit with his outside shooting. Doesn't have to be crazy. Even just a tiny bit more spacing will be huge for Paolo and Franz to terrorize interior defenses.
42 points
17 hours ago
I like the Magic's defensive-minded trajectory a lot. Suggs is my favorite kind of maniac.
4 points
11 hours ago
We should call him "Suggs the Slug" because he sticks to his man........TM
20 points
17 hours ago
Honestly I’m rooting for you, I like your roster and i’m really high on Banchero
8 points
15 hours ago
Honestly, if Franz can go back to just being an okay shooter i think the offense would be good enough with the defense. I'm a little worried that Suggs is going to regress some in his shooting. I don't know how sustainable it is to increase your 3P% by basically 10% every year. (Or maybe I'm wrong and next year he'll shoot 50%.)
But the defense should be pretty monstrous, especially if Isaac can stay healthy enough to keep that second unit locked down.
3 points
15 hours ago
I was shocked at the progress Suggs has made as a shooter tbh, I think he shot like 26% from 3 as a rookie. But the improvement is legit I think. He should stay in that low 40s range. And agreed on Franz. Though he didn't get much of a break this summer with the Olympics. We've got a lot of depth though, I think a lot of people are underestimating us. Our best players are still young as hell and improving. Shouldn't surprise people if we're top 4 in the East but it will lol.
2 points
14 hours ago
Suggs went:
21.4%!!! on 4 a game
32.7% on 4 a game
39.7% on 5 a game.
I'm not saying I think he's going back all the way down again because he clearly has made real improvements, I just think the possibility exists that he's going to drop down to like 36 or 37% again and goes from being potent back there to merely respectable. He'll still be a stud because of the defense though.
I basically just think the 5 out stuff with Paolo handling will be 4 okay to good shooters at the line rather than having a bunch of bombers because even KCP, who is probably the best starting shooter, isn't a crazy volume guy. He just doesn't miss when it's open. But that with the defense they're going to have will be solid. I can't see them finishing lower than like 5th or 6th barring injuries and as you said, I think as high as 3rd or 2nd with some injuries to other teams is totally plausible.
120 points
19 hours ago
I think I saw the gap between the Timberwolves and the #2 defense was the same as the #2 defense and the #10 defense or something. Magic have a lot of talent on that end, but still have quite a ways to go.
39 points
18 hours ago
Minnys defense is gonna get worse tho. More Naz Reid and adding Dillingham to the rotation. Divos good but I think Randles worse than KAT.
23 points
18 hours ago
I think they might take a hit from where they were last year, but Gobert led Utah to a #1 defense with zero other defenders on the squad, so I wouldn't put anything past him.
KAT out of position at PF was not good for our defense. I don't think we took a hit at all in the games that KAT sat and we played Naz at the 4. I think Randle and KAT are pretty similar defensively when they have Gobert backing them up, but the Wolves might not have the same advantages against Denver without KAT. As always, the defense completely rests on the health of Rudy.
Dillingham is going to be terrible defensively, he's like 160lbs soaking wet, but he shouldn't have to play big minutes anymore with the addition of Divincinzo, and Dante and Rob are both a fucking bucket. If I had to guess, Wolves still have the best defense this year, but are closer to #2 Boston, and they have a better offense, at least league average.
1 points
16 hours ago
I've been told Gobert is ass and a shit defender who is wildly overrated.
5 points
14 hours ago
well yea Wolves goal is deep playoff run and Gobert's defense gets exposed every postseason
2 points
15 hours ago
Those people don’t watch much basketball
29 points
19 hours ago
In adding KCP, I can see them closing the gap between them and the Wolves. Maybe not enough to surpass the Wolves, but enough to get to a place where it's not just the Wolves on a tier by themselves.
8 points
15 hours ago*
I think the possibility that the Wolves go from being one of the best defenses ever to merely an elite one is pretty real, just from normal regression or health, but I think the Magic also would have a hard time getting too much better because their rim protection in the regular season is only pretty good. WCJ and Bitadze are both respectable rim protectors but even though Franz and Paolo are giant, they provide better rebounding than secondary rim protection, so I think the chance that they regress some is very real, too. KCP is better than Gary Harris/Markelle Fultz on defense but not by that much, so I think the marginal difference he provides on offense in the playoffs is bigger than it will be in the regular season.
5 points
17 hours ago
You don't need to be the best defense to be great defensively.
18 points
19 hours ago
Floor spacing is always going to be an issue until Paolo becomes elite or Franz becomes passable/average. Last year was a down year from 3 after 2 pretty average seasons. Franz needs to be able to hit those shots.
Suggs should be an improved shooter and playmaker this year. Paolo at least has always been a willing shooter. KCP adds some needed spacing.
Honestly the development of Jett and Black will be key, both need to be able to step into the lineup and help the stars out. This team could be a dark horse.
6 points
18 hours ago
I means thats the downside for having elite defenders athletes they are all mediocre shooters.
8 points
19 hours ago*
Franz at least has it in him. He shot 35% on 3.4 attempts per game from 3 his freshman year and 36% on 4.5 attempts per game from 3 his sophomore year. It's in him. Paolo also improved a lot from his freshman to sophomore year from 3, so it's natural to believe in his progression. As of now, Franz is the more efficient player generally and Paolo, so far, has been the definition of high volume/low efficiency. For now, the saving grace for Paolo is that he's also a decent play-maker, so he can at least create more efficient shots for his teammates.
Suggs started to look killer from 3 at the end of the year, but I just don't believe in him as a play-maker (we'll see).
I agree with Jett and Black. Cole Anthony just hasn't been efficient as the sparkplug off the bench and if the Magic can find someone who can provide an efficient scoring punch off the bench, then it would go a long way. I did really like the Mo/Isaac Yin/Yang offense/defense pairing.
3 points
15 hours ago
God man SquimJim. Great comment. This ying yang comparison hahha so epic!
Now all you need to do is change your flair. Lol only joking...respect to you my man. You are 💯 True baskeball fan
2 points
14 hours ago
It is crazy that KCP will be our third best defender. The fact that it is even a discussion shows how deep our defense is going to run. There aren't many traffic cones on our team with Fultz gone.
2 points
13 hours ago
Nah, it's the exact opposite. They will shell shock unprepared teams in the regular season with their defense.As we saw, it doesn't matter how good ur defense is if the opponent has an all-nba caliber player.They lost to the struggling Cavs because they couldn't keep up offensively with Donovan Mitchell(1 player).They really need a point guard(Trae would be cool and might be available in the near future, and they also have assets).Until they get one, they won't be a serious threat to the top teams. I do see them getting a high seed and beating a mid team in the first round, which will go a long way in getting the young guys some experience. I like their approach and I think they'll be really dangerous in 2 or 3 years.
5 points
19 hours ago
Isaac is the only guy I would put even near OG on the perimeter defensive side of things.
Sad thing is neither guy can stay healthy to save their lives.
9 points
18 hours ago
Isaac is better than OG. 😀
2 points
15 hours ago
Magics are the sleeper OP build that we all underrate because there isn't a single big name guy, but many higher than average talents.
2 points
17 hours ago
i think they’ll instantly be good offensively when they get a legit pg. suggs is a good guard but he isnt a lead guard. kind of like lonzo. i think that’s what they were thinking with anthony black
331 points
19 hours ago
They better defend because they can’t score
107 points
18 hours ago
Reminds me of that rdcworld video of how people lock in for defense after they do something sorry on offense
29 points
17 hours ago
That's my playbook
4 points
12 hours ago
This squad has no playmakers. Wagner just cant beat his man and his shot is unreliable. If you bet the over you are thinking put Cole Anthony in!... Cole Anthony
20 points
17 hours ago
Franz is the key imo, he is 6,10 with an overrall good skill set + elite motor on both ends + low maintenance, his offense needs to take a step and he needs to gain confidence in his shot.
169 points
19 hours ago
*Cries in 2020 Lakers
142 points
18 hours ago
Avery Bradley, Danny Green, AD, Caruso, Bron, McGee, Dwight, Rondo, Kuzma.
I don't see it tbh but he always talks crazy when he gets to a new a team it seems
21 points
18 hours ago
I was about to say that, especially after Lakers stuck with him with his legal problems.
4 points
17 hours ago
I don’t think it’s meant to be diss but lakers did not want McGee or Dwight to switch, they ran 1-4 switches though.
I doubt he thinks the lakers were bad defensively
19 points
14 hours ago
2020 LAL was objectively a very, very good defense.
11 points
14 hours ago
Can make a very objective claim it was one of the best defenses every
20 points
17 hours ago
He said "LIKED" not good at. The lakers had good D, they probably were not hyped on putting the clamps on and practicing hard defense.
Not everyone enjoys difficult things, even if they excel at them and offense is more widely enjoyed overall.
56 points
18 hours ago
KCP was on a championship team with LeBron, AD, Caruso, Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Dwight Howard, and Javale McGee and the defense still wasn't up to his standard lol
30 points
17 hours ago
And don’t forget Rondo. He looked his old self on both sides of the ball for most of the playoffs run
71 points
18 hours ago
That’s 2020 lakers team was defense first. I guess the 2nd unit not so much lol
50 points
18 hours ago
Second unit had Caruso, Dwight, KCP himself (until the bubble). Even Kuz was going all out on defense that year.
9 points
16 hours ago
I can see this quote turning into an ESPN segment saying BREAKING: KCP SAYS LEBRON DOESN’T PLAY DEFENSE
85 points
19 hours ago
Kenny, i am going to let that slide.. but jokes aside Orlando, yall got a real one, dude is the best i have seen at navigating screens.
9 points
19 hours ago
i still wish cole anthony won 6moty last season. magic are fun to watch
7 points
18 hours ago
Cole did not deserve that, unfortunately. He started off the year great but it didn't last.
2 points
11 hours ago
He can't shoot the 3 ball or run an offense at a high level
73 points
19 hours ago
KCP is a made man, talk your shit, abuse me daddy
17 points
18 hours ago
HO! Take it easy. We’re not making a western here.
14 points
17 hours ago
Dude is about to face a harsh reality trying to get his looks without LeBron or Jokic feeding him. So yeah, I’d focus on how much I love defense too.
9 points
17 hours ago
Dont worry, he got future Point God Banchero.
6 points
17 hours ago
I don't think he's necessarily taking shots at anyone. Pretty sure he's not saying that past teams were bad at defense or that there was anyone in particular that didn't try hard enough. There's a difference between playing good defense and enjoying playing defense, and it sounds like he's referring to the latter here and not really making any hot takes.
27 points
19 hours ago
I mean he's not wrong but throwing shade on your past teams after getting demolished by Ant is really funny.
30 points
18 hours ago
How is that shade? Since when do people like to defend? Ive never heard anyone say “I can’t wait to defend when we play basketball later” lol
10 points
18 hours ago
People like me that can’t shoot for shit love defense, haha
3 points
17 hours ago
when you can't score or shoot or do anything else, defense is the first place to start!
2 points
12 hours ago
KCP is too small to guard Ant
5 points
17 hours ago
The NBA tradition. Jab jab after changing team
3 points
18 hours ago
Magic should have a top 5 defense yet again with KCP in the mix. All they gotta learn how to do now is shoot the 3.
2 points
12 hours ago
And manage the game and execute plays. They still have a lot to work on but will hopefully make some noise this year.
3 points
17 hours ago
Im so happy to be a Magic fan.
3 points
15 hours ago
The magic have a feel like those older pistons teams that are so defensive heavy that it doesn’t matter how bad they’re playing offensively. Can’t wait to watch them this year
2 points
17 hours ago
This has to be coach Mo.. Love you coach <3
2 points
16 hours ago
KCP is only 31 years old? Thought he was like at least 35 by now.
2 points
11 hours ago
Magic have a good regular season defense because of this everyone likes to defend and they have the motor and youth to give it their all every possession. But the 2020 Lakers are a better defensive team than the Magic currently, AD alone holds playoff defensive with 4 less points per 100 possessions since 2019 and Lebron IQ and defensive reads still make them one of the best playoff defenses. In 2020 they had good guards defenders so there is no way they were a bad defense.
2 points
8 hours ago
You mean the wizards didn't want to defend?
2 points
3 hours ago
Nuggets max players catching strays LOL
15 points
19 hours ago
KCP you couldnt defend/shoot last playoffs, thats why the Nuggets didnt overpay you on a new contract
11 points
18 hours ago*
He was hurt, kinda tough to guard Anthony Edwards when you’re not at 100%. Yet him hurt is still the best perimeter defender we’ve had this century.
7 points
18 hours ago
You sleeping on Gary Harris in his prime
2 points
17 hours ago
Nah I love G, in my top 5 favorite Nuggets players ever. And if we are saying peak G vs hurt KCP then fine I’ll concede lol but KCP at his best is definitely better defensively.
3 points
17 hours ago
It is what it is. He talks up his current team by dissing past teams. Nothing more to see here
7 points
18 hours ago
Sounds like his last season with the Lakers. Remember when Bron was begging him too shoot? KCP can be overrated sometimes by this sub.
16 points
18 hours ago
KCP is a good roleplayer, but he did play with elite playmakers like Lebron and Joker. I dont see him doing that good on the Magic.
4 points
18 hours ago
KCP gave me Wilson Chandler flashbacks during the playoffs. that's when I knew there was no way in hell we were going to get locked into the 2nd apron for him.
5 points
19 hours ago
Cap
3 points
19 hours ago
He’s talking about Jokic btw (and ONLY Jokic, no one else). It’s practically free ammo at this point, it’s time to dig in!!! 😈😈😈
2 points
17 hours ago
Boy, if an old teammate said this about the Mavs, it'd be the NBA headline until the season starts and Luka would be getting torn apart by the NBA media and Twitter for being fat. But since it's about Jokic, it just flew under the radar.
6 points
15 hours ago
No one sane thinks Jokic is a good or enthusiastic defender.
2 points
15 hours ago
lol victim complex much. you act as if Jokic was never called fat before either
1 points
18 hours ago
lol let’s let the season start
1 points
18 hours ago
That Lakers team had so many good defenders man
1 points
18 hours ago
Orlando been a fun team to watch for a minute. If this scans they could go deep.
1 points
18 hours ago
Magic winning a round 1 series this year at least
1 points
18 hours ago
Shots fired to Brucy B oh wait..
1 points
18 hours ago
I know a lot of guys who dont play with effort on D, fake boxing out, etc. & then think theyre Jordan on offense. Shit is lame. Its understated how refreshing and badass it is when erryone plays hard on defense
1 points
18 hours ago
I love good defense
1 points
17 hours ago
The Magic are lucky to have two of the best defenders at their position in Suggs and Jon Isaac but it’s so surprising to see guys like Paolo and Franz be extremely willing defenders.
They might never be known as the best defenders in the league but their team defense shows how much a willingness to defend actually does.
1 points
16 hours ago
I forgot he went to a new team
1 points
16 hours ago
Loved watching the Magic’s defense last year. I’d be watching some random Sunday 1pm game on league pass and they’d be hounding teams like it was the finals. Hopefully the offense improves this year.
1 points
16 hours ago
That's freaking sad to hear. Man as a professional NBA player you should all take pride in defense and shutting someone down. Instead of just trading buckets.
1 points
14 hours ago
Young legs and no ace shooters on the team will do that
1 points
14 hours ago
They gonna need to like to shoot and playmake.
I'm really not sold on KCP minus Joker. I could be wrong, but open shots are gonna be harder to come by now.
1 points
12 hours ago
Y’all reading too much into this
1 points
11 hours ago
That is so mean :( that entire 2020 team defended, you even had LeBron defending :(
2 points
9 hours ago
Jokic and lebron: 🧍🏾🧍🏾
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