Pressuring Ball Handlers
Not many players, if any, are better pressuring handlers that bring the ball up the court than Jalen Suggs. There have been 375 instances, per Second Spectrum tracking data, where the 6-foot-5 Orlando Magic guard has done this – either in the backcourt or just past the time line, which is fifth-most in the league. Of those occurrences, 33 times the ball handler has ended up committing a turnover, second-most.
Only De’Aaron Fox has forced more turnovers in these instances, however Fox, who averages nine more minutes of playing time than Suggs, has pressured the bring-up handler 455 times, third-most in the league. Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves leads the NBA in most times pressuring the handler.
Pick-And-Roll Defense
Also special about Suggs is his ability to stay connected to his opponent in pick-and-roll action. The Magic, as a team, opt to not switch all that much in these situations, and that’s largely because of how good their guards are at getting over screens and preventing opponents from creating quality shots. In most cases, that handler ends up having to pass the ball because of the pressure applied by the Magic’s defenders going over the screen. Both Suggs and Cole Anthony rank in the top 25 in forcing handlers to pass the ball after not switching in a pick-and-roll/pop, per data.
Heart & Hustle
Suggs is one of only four players at the moment with 150-plus deflections, 40-plus loose balls recovered, and five-plus charges drawn. The others are Alex Caruso, Paul George and Herb Jones. These types of plays have a way of shifting momentum during games, especially at home when the crowd rallies around the effort. The Magic, as a team, rank in the top 10 in both deflections and charges drawn, and are in the top 15 in loose balls recovered.
Defense in the Clutch
There have been 94 players who have been the closest defender to a shot in the final three minutes of regulation or an overtime with the score differential within three at least 10 times. Suggs, who has guarded 13 shots in these time-and-score circumstances, is tied with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaren Jackson Jr., D’Angelo Russell, and Ayo Dosunmo for the third-best defensive field goal percentage (23.1 percent) in these pressure-packed moments. LeBron James, interestingly enough, ranks No. 1 in this category (14.3 percent).
Magic Have NBA’s Third-Best Defense
A team that is third in defense deserves to have All-Defensive Team representation. Orlando is unique in that it is loaded with defensive talent. Jonathan Isaac, although ineligible to make an All-Defensive Team because he will fall below the league requirement of playing in at least 65 games, is arguably the best defender in the league. Franz Wagner is one of the most underrated defenders. Paolo Banchero continues to silence the critics who said defending was his weakness coming out of college. And the list goes on and on. Among the things the Magic do exceptionally well defensively are force turnovers, clean up the glass, and make opponents shoot a low percentage from 3-point range when those shots are contested.
Most Improved Player Candidate As Well
Not only has he been outstanding defensively, but the 22-year-old has significantly improved his outside shooting. Through 65 games this year, he’s shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range. His rookie campaign he shot 21.5 percent, and last year he shot 32.7 percent.