Philip Rossman-Reich here, the host of the daily Locked On Magic podcast, with your daily Locked On Magic newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Magic and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope kept shooting to find a breakthrough from slump
Nov 27, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) shoots a three-point basket during the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters/Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been through shooting slumps before. It has been a part of his career as it is for every shooter. But there has probably been nothing in his career that has been like this.
When the Orlando Magic signed him, they believed they were getting the kind of shooter who could help fix their shooting woes. He had shot better than 40 percent in three of the last four seasons from three.
How could he start the season so poorly, shooting 22.4 percent from three to start the season? It baffled everyone especially since Caldwell-Pope was getting the quality looks you would expect any strong shooter to make.
Caldwell-Pope was looking for answers too. He was looking for a solution to this problem, especially as the rest of the team followed him in struggling to shoot. The Magic had the worst 3-point field goal percentage in the league.
But the team kept giving him the solution. Keep shooting. That was the repeated advice. Everyone had confidence in who he is and why he was here. The breakthrough was around the corner.
That moment finally came Wednesday. Caldwell-Pope scored a season-high 24 points, making 6 of 10 3-pointers in the Magic’s 133-119 win over the Chicago Bulls. This is the Caldwell-Pope the Magic had signed and expected. They finally got to see the power of his 3-point shooting.
There was a lot of joy and a lot of relief to see him finally have this breakthrough.
“They just tell me to keep shooting,” Caldwell-Pope said. “There really is not much said. Just telling me to keep shooting. Just get out of my own head and play free. Tonight, I played without worrying about making shots. Tonight was an all-time high for me. Tonight felt great to be able to see the ball go through and have fun with my teammates and my brothers out there.”
Caldwell-Pope made critical threes throughout the night, including back-to-back threes late in the second quarter that helped extend the lead back to 19 and keep the Bulls from closing within single digits after the Magic raced ahead to start the game.
As a team, Caldwell-Pope’s hot shooting opened the door for everyone else. Orlando made 15 3-pointers and sho5 38.5 percent from three. The Magic had everything working offensively against the defensively challenged Bulls, making six of those threes in the first quarter.
It was a relief for the Magic, who have struggled so much from three this year. To see Caldwell-Pope deliver like this was a positive sign.
At the end, they kept the faith in their shooting and the process of their work as they always have. They knew they would pull through.
“Just keeping that confidence,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We talked about it with this group of guys. They are getting the right shots. Their ability to stay confident in that is great. He was in the gym working yesterday. Just continuously working knowing at some point they are going to fall. Just trusting the process of your work.”
Caldwell-Pope finally had his breakthrough game. Now he hopes that this is the start of him being who the Magic always knew he could be.
Giving thanks for a better-than-expected rookie class
Happy Thanksgiving! To give you something to talk about with your undoubtedly NBA-fluent families and friends, here are some rookie rankings to chew over.
1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Over his last ten games, McCain has averaged 23 points per game (top 25 in the league in that span) on solid efficiency, including 39% from deep on crazy volume. Philly hasn’t had much to cheer about this season, but McCain’s surprising on-ball creation and superb off-ball movement have Philly fans seeing a future star (wait, maybe that’s just their court). I’m obsessed with this little moonwalk he uses to shake OG Anunoby juuuust enough to bury a shuriken in his eye:
McCain moonwalks into a three over OG Anunoby
McCain likely won’t score like this when the team’s fully healthy (and he’s cooled off the last two games), but the fact that he can is a great sign for the team’s present and future.
2. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Castle has risen to second place thanks to an excellent recent stretch. Since becoming a starter, Castle’s averaged 15 points, three boards, and five assists while playing ferocious defense.
Castle is incredibly versatile. At nearly 6’6” pre-shoes and pre-hair, he has the size and speed to fill any number of roles. As I wrote about at length here, he’s quickly becoming the perfect amorphous fit next to Victor Wembanyama.
Although his three-point accuracy is still developing, Castle’s confidence in his shot is the skeleton key that unlocks the rest of his offensive game. And the more effective he is on offense, the more opportunity he’s given to create absolute havoc on defense.
I’m particularly intrigued by his ability to be a faux-big man in the screen and roll:
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
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Analysis Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. is not yet 100 percent but feels positive about his impending return. This update is crucial for the Magic’s lineup. (Sports Illustrated)
Injury With the latest injury update, the Orlando Magic’s Wendell Carter and Cole Anthony are progressing well, aiming for a return in the upcoming games. (Orlando Sentinel)
Must Read LaMelo’s proclivity for fouls, how many wins Philadelphia needs for the play-in, examining OKC’s defense, and more. (ESPN+)
Feel Good The Pistons’ willingness to spend, the Nets’ and Lakers’ new coach, and more things for each NBA team to be thankful for. (CBS Sports)
Analysis A roundtable of experts discusses the league’s biggest storylines after the first month of the season. (Fansided)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
In case you missed it...
Nov 26, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) on the floor after a collision with San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling/Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
Another Lauri Markkanen Injury For Fantasy Basketball Managers To Digest | Lauri Markkanen’s recent knee injury could sideline him for at least a week, impacting fantasy basketball strategies. This opens opportunities for players like John Collins, Keyonte George, and Brice Sensabaugh to increase their roles and fantasy value.
Ja Morant Is Set To Return And Impact Fantasy Basketball Leagues | Monday’s NBA action saw significant fantasy basketball impacts, with Gary Harris and Jalen Suggs suffering hamstring injuries, potentially increasing roles for Cole Anthony and Anthony Black.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Magic podcasts.
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Wendell Carter or Goga Bitadze: The debate becomes real The Orlando Magic face a pivotal decision very soon: Who will be the starting center, Wendell Carter or Goga Bitadze? As the Magic navigate this crucial choice, the team has to balance what each player can give them and, perhaps, which one fits the ultimate vision for this team.
