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“This is first team that I’ve been on where everybody likes to defend” – KCP

  • October 9, 2024


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.”

Source: https://hoopshype.com/rumor/3195676/#:~:text=The%2031%2Dyear%2Dold%20Caldwell,even%20more%20on%20that%20end.

35 comments

  2. 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.

  5. 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.

  7. KCP you couldnt defend/shoot last playoffs, thats why the Nuggets didnt overpay you on a new contract

  9. A pretty damning statement on somebody considering he’s been a part of two different championship teams LMAO

  10. I mean he’s not wrong but throwing shade on your past teams after getting demolished by Ant is really funny.

  11. 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!!! 😈😈😈

  20. 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

  26. 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

  28. 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.

  30. 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.

  31. 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.

  32. 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.

  33. This man has 2 NBA Championship rings and he says this lmaooo. I don’t even know how to react cause what does this even mean for the league lol.

  34. 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.

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