Paolo Banchero still making SUPERSTAR TURN despite criticisms | Back to BASICS on defense

Paolo Banchero still making SUPERSTAR TURN despite criticisms | Back to BASICS on defense

Everybody seems to have an opinion about Paulo Bancero and they are all wrong. Paulo Bancerero is a star. Today on Locked on Magic, you are Locked on Magic. Your daily Orlando Magic podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. And you are indeed locked on Magic. Today is November 6th. It will be November 7th, 2025. My name is Philip Rosenrike. I’m the senior writer over at Orlando Magicaily.com, credentialed member of the Orlando Magic media since the 2012 season. On today’s episode of Lockdown Magic, everyone has a lot to say about Paulo Ben Carro, and they’re right in some regard, but they’re also very, very wrong. Why Paulo Beno is indeed having a star turn season, plus why the Magic are getting back to basics and need to get back to basics, cuz we got some defensive numbers to go through. We’ll get to all that, plus an NBA Cup preview coming up here in just a moment. First, we want to thank you again for making lockdown magic part of your day every day. No matter when you listen to us, whether it’s first thing in the morning, whether it’s right when we upload, we truly appreciate you making lockdown magic part of your day every day. You can make lockdown magic even bigger part of your day by being one of our Orlando Magic dailies. That means you’re listening to us every day, Monday through Friday, sometimes on the weekends. That means we are part of your regular podcast rotation. That means we are your first listen of the day. Truly appreciate all of you for making Lockdown Magic part of your day every day. The Lockdown Podcast Network, it’s your team every day. Today’s episode of Lockdown Magic is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Head to fanduel.com to get started. There is always a lot of conversation about Paulo Banker. It it comes with the territory. Former number one pick, now a max with Rose extension player. Um, there is rightfully a lot of attention and a lot of pressure put on Po’s shoulders. And let me let me just clear this out of the way real fast. You don’t get this kind of criticism and and attention that Paulo Bancer seems to get if people don’t think you can meet it. So all the criticisms from the from the summer to now to whenever it’s because it’s because whether whether those critics want to believe it or not and I think some of them are just trolling but whether they want to believe it or not Paulo Bane Caro is a player everyone expects to be a super duper star. It is why when it’s why Magic fans are so protective of him because we know how good he could be. But it’s why there is this tinge of disappointment to the way Paulo Beno has started his season. The numbers are pretty straightforward. 23.1 points per game is obviously down from last year, which we expected a slight decrease. Still more than what he’s averaged during his all-star season in 2024. He’s shooting just 44.6% from the floor, which is the worst since his rookie year was about 40. He was 45% in both of his previous two seasons. He’s shooting only 24.2% from three. He’s shooting a career best 75.3% from the foul line, but it still feels like he’s leaving points on the board because he’s getting to the line 10.1 times per game. We’ll get to some of the other stats here in a minute. And why those numbers aren’t telling the whole truth quite yet, but there is certainly a narrative that has been established that a Paulo Beno is wildly inefficient, which we debunked last year after the All-Star break. 58.1% true shooting percentage was excellent. We’ll debunk it again. Certainly, I will agree with this and I’ll I’ll agree to this. Paulo’s jumper has not been there. He looks like he’s not doesn’t have the same kind of lift on his shot. Um, and it’s got to get there at at you know to c you know at that at a certain point it’s got to get there. The Magic Struggles while I Paulo has played exceptionally well over these first eight games um at least certainly the last five games and we’ll get to those numbers here in a minute. Although Paulo has played very very well in the last five games, it does feel like a the Magic are losing two and three in their last five games, um, winning is his responsibility and ultimately Paulo can put up the best numbers in the world. He’s going to be judged and and I think he wants to be judged on his winning. I will say this, if you read Michael Pena’s article on the ringer, it is mis headlined. I think um there are a lot of fair criticisms in there especially about his jump shooting and some of his shot decision-m but I’ll say this too over the last five games let’s throw out those first three games because I would agree was not and I think I said this in in the game recaps he was not good in those three games over the last five games Paulo Benurro has taken a leap has taken a big step forward and not in the way everyone expected so let’s just go through the numbers and talk about Paulo’s surprising start turn over the last five games. Paulo Vancero is averaging, let me make sure I have my numbers right here. So, excuse me. I’m going to make sure I I get the right numbers numbers here. Um, over the last five games, Paulo Vancero has become frankly a complete player. On this road trip, Paulo Vancero averaged 25.2 points per game. About what we’re looking for. Shot 51.9% from the floor. Yes, the three-pointers were not there, 28.6%. But he got to the line 10.6 times per game for 75 and a half% from the foul line. His true shooting percentage over his last five games is 62.8%. 8%. That would be 17th in the league among players with a defense rate of greater than 25%. And guess what? That’s better than Stephen Curry. That’s better than what Stephen Curry’s doing. Ben Carroll has been able to put his free throw shooting into overdrive, his free throw attempts into overdrive. And frankly, he knows he’s not making jumpers. He’s still taking four threes a game, but he’s getting downhill to the basket and forcing his way to the paint. On top of this, he’s averaging 1.2 blocks per game. Had six blocks on that road trip, averaging 6.6 assists per game, averaging 9.8 rebounds per game, adding that rebounding element that was a bit of a weak spot for him in previous years. Unless you think this is just some stats hoarding on a team that went two and three on this road trip. Okay, 32 point, seven rebound, five assists effort against the the Sixers, minus 50. 24 point, 11 rebounds, seven assists effort against the Pistons, minus 10, but did a lot of that work in the first half. Was much, you know, we talked about it then, much better in the first half. Like really had his fingerprints on the game. Against Charlotte, plus nine and a 20.9 rebound, nine assist game against Washington, plus 19 and a 28, 11 rebound, four assist game. They really didn’t have to play in the second half. I think he had 25 of those 28 points in the first half. Um, and then against the Atlanta Hawks. Even against the Atlanta Hawks, a game where the Magic were essentially dominated all game and a 22.11 rebound, eight assist effort on a badge, his worst shooting night of the of the road trip, six for 16, 10 for 12 from the foul line, six for 12 on two-point field goal attempts. Badrick was still plus two in his minutes. The Magic are better with Paulo Bancerero this year. And and and again, like Fran is still very good. I’m not here to drive a wedge and I I I don’t buy those arguments. Paulo’s been in some pretty bad lineups. The Magic are still figuring out rotations. And I’ll I’ll I’ll be the first to concede and say like, yes, the Magic need Paulo to score more, to score more effectively. They need him to hit jumpers. It keeps everyone honest. It keeps the ball moving. He does need to make quicker decisions and largely he has. But when this offense stalls, it’s because Paulo’s doing 25 dribble moves before he gets to a spot or because the Magic kind of throw him a grenade and he has to do something with it and his jumper’s just not there yet. I’m not sitting here saying Paulo is a perfect player, is an allNBA player through eight games of the season, should be the MVP. I’m not here saying that. But we all know the quality of score that Paulo Bancerero is. And whatever pieces of the puzzle still need to get put together, they are going to get put together. What’s different this year is that Paulo has been more active statistically at least defensively. He has been more active on the glass helping the Magic get out and run a little bit more. And his assist numbers are way up. If the last five games are truly a preview of what we’re going to get from Paulo Bened Carroll the rest of the season, he’s going to be an all-star. He’s gonna put up some major games and the Magic are gonna be fine at least with with him and what they’re expecting from him. Now again, like a lot of the issues are one of cohesion of learning like, okay, where’s Desmond at? You know, trusting his teammates are going to be where they’re supposed to be. That’s a big issue. Didn’t turn the ball over a ton on this road trip. Only only two turnovers per game. Um, that’s still a big issue. It’s a teamwide issue. I would still argue that yes, Paulo needs to put his fingerprints on the game in more tangible ways. And by that I mean like frankly like if the Magic don’t have it like yeah Paulo go get 30. Go go go go go dominate a game like he did against Philadelphia. Philadelphia is really the Philadelphia and Washington are really the only two games where Paulo just put the put the hammer down and took over games and made sure the Magic were at least in them. But all these other elements that will make the team better, that stuff is new. Paulo being a nightly triple double threat, that stuff is new. And that stuff is going to make this team better. Right now, Paulo is like a mini Giannis. And look, he can’t be Giannis. He’s not Giannis. He doesn’t have the length, doesn’t have the the necessarily the the tight ball handling. We don’t want him to be honest. We we want him to be Palo, and that means, yes, he’s got to make some jumpers, and if he’s going to make mid-range jumpers part of his side, he’s got to do that. But I will give him a ton of credit. He’s found a way to be effective and found a way to fill up a box score. He’s found a way to impact games positively for this team. There’s still a lot of bad narratives out there about Paulo Benoa. And yes, the team needs to win. That that does ultimately fall on him. But again, no offense, Michael. Your article I think was mis headlined. Very fair criticisms. Great article on the ringer. Go read it. Palanchero has not plateaued. Paliban Caro, it’s just getting started. Of course, the bigger issue is with the team itself. Magic were back at practice on Thursday. Why they need to get back to basics and get back to their defense. We’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment. But first, today’s episode of Lockdown Magic is brought to our friends over at Door Dash. 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Dash Pass members only. 50% off up to $10 the day after a 50 point game with promo code. Terms apply. No purchase necessary. Ends April 13th. Open to US residents 21 or older. Visit door dashinyourback.com for full details. Door Dashinyourbag all season long. A lot of people, I mean, we’re we’re eight games into the season. We’re seeing a lot of panicking. They’re seeing a lot of hand ringing. And and a lot of people are pointing to the offense as the problem. And look, the Magic are 23rd in the league in offensive rating. I’m not going to sit here and pretend the offense isn’t a problem. I I believe in a lot of things they’re trying to do. But frankly, while I think there are still these clunky moments, the offense has actually improved over last year. I don’t think any of us can argue with that. The numbers say it, the rankings say it, their transition numbers say it. The Magic are a better offensive team this year than they were last year. Now, it it may be marginal, and you know, we we talked a little bit yesterday that it probably needs to be more than marginal, but the offense to me is not the problem. The offense is going to be what the offense is going to be. If the Magic want to write the ship, and every player and Jamal Mosley say this clearly and and and we’re waiting for that to resonate in games, if the Magic want to write the ship, it starts with their defense because this whole project doesn’t work. You know, again, Magic should aspire to be better offensively, but we weren’t expecting a crazy good offense. We were expecting middle of the road offense. The Magic could be 15th in offensive rating. All of us thought, “Oh, that’s the ticket. That’s they just need to be competent on offense because the defense will take care of everything else.” Now, numbers are not sticky yet. Like, teams are not where they’re going to be. Eight games in the last season. I did look this up. The Magic were also three and five. They were on the four-game losing streak after losing Palo Vancero. They were third in the league in defensive rate. So, alarm bells shouldn’t be ringing, but you’re hovering over the button a little bit. The Magic have had this crazy yo-yo defensively this season. They were sixth in the league in defensive rating after their three-game home stand when they were one and two. They have the two the two worst defensive games they’ve had since March 2022 against the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons. That dropped them to 23rd. And everyone did these thing pieces saying the magic of 23rd in defense. What’s going on? Well, two games against the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards bumped them back up to 11th. After the game against Atlanta, a bad defensive game once again, the Orlando Magic are sitting at 15th in the league in defensive rating. They’re about league average in defensive rating. Now again, Magic go out, have a good outing against the Celtics, have another good out, have another good outing against Celtics, have a good outing against the Blazers. They could easily be back into the top 10 and and flirting again with the top five. Stats are not sticky yet. We’re not we’re not seeing teams kind of settle where they’re going to be. And so you have a lot of big outliers. You know, three of your eight games were just objectively bad defensive games. More than 120 points per points allowed per 100 possessions. But there are warning signs because regardless of what the numbers say, this team does not look like the Magic. This team does not look like the physical like commanding team on defense. They don’t look like a confident defensive team. And the numbers back this up completely. The Orlando Magic again like I mentioned are 15th in the league in defensive rate. They’re currently or currently 14th, excuse me, 14th in the league in defensive rank. 114.3 points allowed per 100 possessions. They’re scoring about 112. So they’re, you know, a little bit underwater there. That is not the standard the Magic have set. Obviously, a big piece of this is the fouling. Fouling is up around the league. The Magic have benefited from this, too. They are second in the league in free throw rate. Offensively, they’re 24th in the league defensive free throw rate. They’re giving up 31.6% free throw rate. That means uh essentially 33% would be one free throw attempt for every three field goal attempts. So, the Magic are about three out of every 10. The Magic finished last year second in the league in for in turnover for in forc forcing a 16.8% turnover rate. A big part of what the Magic have done defensively is they force turnovers. They force mistakes. Helps make up for their own turnovers and their own mistakes. Um but the Magic force a lot of turnovers, force a lot of mistakes. And the point of the fast pace is to turn those turnovers into opportunities on the other end. Magic have gotten better at this. They were not good about it against Atlanta or they were good about it against Atlanta but too little too late. They’re eighth in the league this year at a 16.3% turnover rate. So that’s starting to round into four. Here’s the big number. The Magic last year were third in the league giving up 45.7 points in the paint per game. This year they are 29th at 55.8 points in the paint per game. Big big big big problem. The Magic are getting beat on the perimeter. They’re getting beat at the point of attack. Teams are getting in the paint, dishing out to open three-point shooters like Atlanta did on Tuesday or dumping down and getting shots near the rim. The Magic’s whole defensive system, the whole defensive system is based on physicality. They’re the most physical team. They hit you first. They don’t mind if they foul a lot. I don’t think I I don’t think the Magic want to foul as much as they have been giving up 30, you know, 30 free throws per game. The Magic don’t care if they’re giving up 2025. Like the Magic want you to feel them. So they’ll they’ll foul. They were a high foul team last year, too. So that’s not the crazy part. But what’s happening now is teams are being are able to penetrate their defense. They’re able to get into the paint. They’re able to force this team into rotations, force them to collapse. And that’s when this team has gotten itself in trouble. Now, some of it, too, is yes, they’re getting out in transition. So, I looked this number up from Synergy from our friends over at Synergy. The Magic’s halfcourt defense. I did not I had this number and I took it out of my article. Um, the Magic last year were I believe fourth in the league in a half court defensive half court defense according to our friends at Synergy Sports about point, you know, it’s all under a point per possession still, but you know, still this year they’re down to like 18th. So, it’s a problem. This isn’t some imaginary thing. this isn’t this isn’t oh the numbers aren’t true yet like no defense has been a real problem now everybody on the team to a man will say and everyone agrees with this defense is this team’s identity is still something that is assumed around the league that the Mags are going to be good defensive team and it’s still really early like again have three really nice games at home against Boston and Portland do a good job against the Knicks you come back home you get the Net That’s may probably easy easy money. Um, you have an opportunity to build some defensive credentials and build some defensive confidence and and at the end of the day, the Magic’s best offense comes in transition, which only comes when they get stops and get out and get turnovers. The fact of the matter is the numbers back this up as much as anything else. The offense can be what it is. And again, the offense is better this year for as ugly as it’s looked, it’s better this year than it was last year. The defense hasn’t pulled its weight. And look, the offense is partly to blame. High turnovers, higher pace, fouling. Certainly, certainly the offense is part of the problem. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But last year, the Magic never let their bad offense affect their defense. Last year, the Magic never, very, very rarely, I won’t say never, very, very rarely made let bad shots or miss shots change their defensive effort. And what we’ve seen this year and and the biggest thing I’m honestly concerned about is that the team has let frustration with their shot win. They’ve let frustration over not getting foul calls win. They are not again as disconnected as they’ve been on offense. There are moments where they’re disconnected on defense. Desmond Bane admitted he’s still getting a little bit lost in defensive rotations. It’s still something he’s learning. It’s not quite instinct yet. It’s something that should improve over time and he’s a big piece of this. Jaylen Suggs has been in and out of the lineup. He’s been good defensively for the most part. Didn’t have a great defensive game I thought on Tuesday. There’s just these little pieces that need to come together. And so if the Magic, as I told us at at practice on Thursday, they focused on their defensive principles. They focused on redefining roles, on making sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, focused on their offensive spacing, all things that will help decrease these numbers and make these numbers look better and get wins. But at the end of the day, the Magic just got to do it. If they’re a defensive team, they need to show it to us every single night. Defense is an attitude and a mindset as much as it is um as much as it is anything tactical or strategic. We know this defense works. We know this team should be one of the best defensive teams in the league. They got to play like it. It’s back to basics for this team. Friday is here. big game at the Kia Center or is it why the NBA Cup feels different this year? We’ll get to that coming up here in just a moment. But first, today’s episode of Lockdown Magic is brought to you by our friends over at FanDuel. 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Download the Prize Picks app today and use code locked on NBA to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. code locked on NBA for $50 in lineups after your first $5 lineup. F prize picks. It’s good to be right. It is here. If you know me, if you listen to me the last two years, I love the NBA Cup. I think the NBA Cup is great. I You could sell me on the courts. I could go give or take the courts. we get to see the new um statement edition jerseys, the the the black warm-up, the black warm-up inspired jerseys. Um I love the NBA Cup. I I am a big believer that if you get the most competitive people on the planet, and NBA players are certainly among the most competitive people on the planet, give them a trophy to play for, even if it is contrived and and and not completely bought into, give them something to play for, they will play hard for they will go for it. and and and I’ve said this, you know, if you look at some of the trophy trophies around the world, it’s certainly inspired by soccer. I’m a soccer fan, so I get this stuff. Um, some teams don’t care. Like, that’s fine. Some teams care more about their their league season than the cup than the cup games. That’s fine. The teams that care care. And for the last two years, the Orlando Magic cared. It was important to do well in the NBA Cup. In 2024, the Magic weren’t quite sure what kind of team they were going to be. They didn’t know if they were going to be a playoff team or not. And the NBA Cup and winning the last three games in their group play and having a chance to advance gave them the confidence they needed to win 47 games that year and get to the five seed. cannot tell me those games, especially that win on Black Friday against the Boston Celtics at home, weren’t super important to that young team and gave them a jolt of confidence and energy to get them to the end of the season. Similarly, last year, winning the NBA Cup mattered. They felt like they left something on the table as a young team that didn’t quite understand the importance of meaningful basketball. They came out and put the hammer down on the Raptors, the Sixers, and the uh and I believe the Nets as well. Um they put the hammer down in the first three games of their group play before they admittedly took a bad loss to the Knicks and nearly got eliminated with a 30-point cushion. But they went to Milwaukee and gave themselves a chance to win the cup. Gave themselves a chance to advance to the semi-finals, advanced to Vegas. They wanted it. It was important. It was a sign of how competitive this team could be, especially without Po at the time. Um, and it was a sign that yes, the Magic are here. They are a serious player that you need to reckon with. So, here we are. NBA Cup version three. Group play begins Friday at the Kia Center against the Boston Celtics. Celtics have already played one of their Group Cup games. And yet, it’s hard to get excited about it. And again, maybe maybe you were never excited about it. And if you’re not, more power to you. I like this stuff. I enjoy this stuff. And if the Magic win, and I think winning Friday is important for a number of reasons. Magic win Friday, Magic take care of their business next Friday against the Nets in their second NBA Cup game. And we head to that Thanksgiving road trip with both the uh with head to that Thanksgiving road trip with both the Sixers and Pistons on the schedule and a chance to advance. You You better bet. I’m going to say it’s a big deal that they need to advance. We’ll we’ll probably talk to Q. will probably talk um talk to our friends at Lockdown Sixers, but obviously like it’s not important right now. We’ve got bigger fish to fry. Last year or the last two years when the NBA Cup came around, the Magic were in a good place. They were playing well. You could see the team’s identity coming together. It felt like a proving ground because the Magic had already gotten off on the right foot. They’ gotten off to a strong start. And maybe this is the ultimate problem with the NBA Cup is that yes, the playoffs are more important. And maybe the Magic are have just graduated from needing the NBA Cup to prove anything. It’s not important like win the cup. Yes, because trophies are great. I love trophies. The Magic have never won a leaguewide trophy as a team. go win one. That’s fine. We’ll all get excited if they win if they win in Vegas. But there are obviously so much bigger fish to fry. I believed before the season that the Banjo could be a team that’s dangerous in the NBA Cup because I think we all thought that this team coming together would be so much more seamless, would be so much easier than it has been. It wouldn’t shock me if the Magic believed that, too. I will I will take Desmond Bane at his word. Desmond Bane uh you know I asked Desmond Bane like what’s the process and and communication been like as he tries to integrate himself and and be himself and be the player that we know he can be. And he he told the anecdote that you know I talked to Jeff before the season. I actually talked to Jeff earlier today and we kind of noted to each other that this might take a little longer than we thought or or it’s going to, you know, it there there are going to be growing pains as this team tries to play this new style, integrates a key new player, figures out how to use them. Certainly, we hope that we can look back in March and laugh at all of these podcasts and all of these shows that I’ve done. Please freezing cold tape me. I want to be freezing cold taped on some of the things that we’ve talked about here. I think that, you know, we’re living in the moment. We can’t we can’t predict the future. Please freeze and cold take me. Please be wrong about so many things that I’ve talked about over the last last two weeks. But the last two years, the Magic knew who they were, knew how to play, knew their formula to win and executed it. Right now at three and five, entering these critical games, entering these NBA Cup games, the Magic are still trying to figure it out. And so it feels like there are bigger things to deal with. Like win on Friday is important. Winning two of the next three even more important. So, if you lose Friday, win win win Sunday, win Monday, and everything’s a little bit more comfortable. I won’t say it’s perfect, but it’s a little bit more comfortable. It’s not in that the cup is important. I think it’s valuable. I think it’s still a good thing. The Magic would certainly gain a lot of confidence by playing in these meaningful basketball games and winning in these meaningful basketball games. It it would be a sigh of relief for everybody if the Magic won these games, but that’s not the goal right now. Yes, they’re looking for the gold trophy at the end of the season, not the one in December, but right now the goal is to get yourself right. So, the Magic have the Celtics twice here in the next two games. Um, they’ll play Boston on Friday, they’ll play Boston on Sunday. And this is a really interesting opponent for the Magic to go up against. Not just for the NBA Cup purposes, but just just in general. It’s a really interesting opponent. Boston is same, not the same record they won the other night, but they’re four and five on the season. So, they are struggling just as much as the Magic are to kind of find themselves early season, but this team still knows its identity. They’re 12th in the league in offensive rating at 117. Same as the Hornets. Magic did a good job defensively against the Hornets. Um 117 offensive rating. They got a 112.7 defensive rating. So they’re 12th in both categories. Again, slightly above average. They’re really good at forcing turnovers. That’s been the big thing for them and that’s the big concern I would say. Um the Celtics are third in the league in opponent turnover rate, 17.6%. I will note as well Portland is first. So, the next three games are big tests of the Magic’s ability to not turn the ball over. Magic will not win these next three games if they turn the ball over. The big weakness for Boston, the the the biggest weakness for Boston is they are terrible on the offensive glass. They’re terrible not on the offensive glass, terrible on the defensive glass. The Boston Celtics give up a 35.9% opponent offensive rebound rate. Now, one of the reasons why the Magic’s offense might be struggling is they’re crashing the offensive glass a lot more. Orlando is eighth in the league with a 33.4% offensive rebound rate. So, the Magic are doing a really good job on the glass for the most part. Um, again, their opponent offensive rebound rate, I’ll I’ll note this as well. Magic’s opponent offensive rebound rate is sitting at 17. So, they’re giving up their share of offensive rebounds, too. So, there’s there’s work to do. But the Magic are good at the two things the Celtics are kind of weak at, and that’s offensive rebounds. If the Magic get a lot of offensive rebounds, they should be the more powerful, more physical team on in that sense. The other thing Boston is not good at is getting to the foul line. The Celtics are last in the league with a 19.6% free throw rate. That means they’re getting to the line less than one out of one free throw attempt for every five field goal attempts. The Magic not great at fouling right now. The Magic are 24th in the league with an opponent free throw rate of 31.6. Celtics are worse. Celtics at 34.4%. Now Boston has been wildly up and down. So the the big factor in this game is going to be turnovers. If the Magic don’t turn the ball over, Celtics offense comes down to their three-point shooting, which still scares everybody, but they’re not as scary as they were last year. And so, if the Magic are able to kind of get down to their defensive principles, do what do what they did in the playoff series, they should win these games. The Magic should win these games. Celtics can get hot. The Celtics are a good defensive team. So, Orlando is gonna have to This isn’t like some pushover. This isn’t playing Washington. Boston just demolish as well. This isn’t playing Washington. No offense to our friends with the Wizards. This is this team’s going to give a little resistance, but it’s also the perfect opponent to get the magic right. So, get an NBA Cup win. That’s great. Get right against a team that is built in many ways to slow you down, to frustrate you. But do the things you’re good at. Find your identity and the magic can get themselves back on track this weekend. That’s going to do it for me today though. I want to thank you all again for listening to today’s episode of Lockdown Magic. Of course, find me on Twitter, Philip RR_MD, and on Blue Sky, Philip R. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcast. You’re tuned in, Google Play, Spotify, and all you download podcast to your podcast enabled listening device. You can find us as well on YouTube. Just search for lockdown magic. For the latest on the Orlando Magic, be sure to check out or Orlando MagagicDaily.com. You can find us there on Twitter, OM Magic Daily. And for even more Orlando Magic content, be sure to check out my Patreon page, Orlando Magicub, at patreon.commagicub. Speaking of turnovers, up on the site now, and I’ll pin it to the top overnight. Um, up on the site now, I did a video breaking down some of the Magic’s decision- making and their turnovers. Why I still think a lot of the problem is cohesion and and and and kind of getting used to playing each other, but where the Magic need to improve with their passing, that is now up on my Patreon page, patreon.com/orlandomagichub. As always, thank you for your support. Now that you’re done making Lockdown Magic first listen of the day, go check out the Lockdown Fantasy Basketball Podcast. Josh Lloyd hosts the number one fantasy basketball podcast, giving you daily tips and helping you win your league, all while making you a smarter NBA fan. Find Locked On Fantasy Basketball on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast. All part of Locked On Podcast Network. It’s your team every day. That’s going to do it for me today though. I want to thank you all again for listening to today’s episode of Lockdown Magic. We will be back tomorrow to talk about the Orlando Magic game against the Boston Celtics. break it down. Uh the NBA Cup debut, that episode will be coming a little bit later than than I normally do my postgame episodes. I unfortunately will not be at the Magic Game, but I will be watching. Um I will get to an episode right when I get home from I’m covering DCF game for the AP. I’ll get to it right when I get home from the bounce house. Hopefully that the Knights take care of their business against Houston as well. But we will have a new episode breaking down this game for you Friday night, Saturday morning. So get ready for that. But until then, for Orlando Magic Daily and Locked On Magic, this has been Philip Rossman Reich. We’ll see you all again next time for another episode of Locked On Magic.

The Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero has been a lightning rod for criticism throughout his career and especially early in the season as the Magic have struggled. But during the Magic’s road trip, Banchero found a way to impact games and evolve his play in unexpected ways.

Paolo Banchero’s recent surge—highlighted by rebounding, assists, and defensive stats—shows he’s evolving beyond just scoring, even as critics question his shooting efficiency. Banchero has been playing like a star even if the league is choosing to ignore it. Can he power the Magic back into contention?

00:00 Paolo Banquero: Star Scrutiny
08:29 Paolo Banchero’s Evolving Impact
13:39 Magic’s Defense Key to Success
26:06 NBA Cup Boosts Playoff Push
30:00 Magic’s Uncertain Journey Forward

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