3 Teams the Magic are competing with for the best defensive rating in 2024-25

1. The Boston Celtics

The reigning champions are a true two-way force and cannot be ignored in this conversation. Boston already posted one of the best defensive ratings last season and will now enter next season with the same personal as well as extreme confidence after winning a championship.

Jrue Holiday and Derrick White both made the All-Defensive Second Team and easily formed one of the best defensive backcourts in the league. Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are coming for them, but dethroning Holiday and White won't be an easy feat.

Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown are also very capable defenders at the forward spots, and Kristaps Porzingis is a great shot blocker. Porzingis only played 57 games last season, and the Celtics were still one of the best defensive teams out there. If he is healthier next season, they will be an even bigger problem to deal with.

The starting lineup has no weak link defensively and every single one of these players is also very capable offensively. Orlando is often compared to the Celtics because they are also building around two forwards and the Magic are starting to take a very similar route defensively. Offensively, Boston is light years ahead, however. 

The Magic definitely have the talent and potential to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA next season, but they also have plenty of strong competition.