Orlando Fans Winning Over Desmond Bane

Magic Fans have coined a catch phrase that floods comments, replies, group chats, DMs, and tweets any time Desmond Bane pops off for one of his semi-regular big scoring nights:

FTP

"FTP" colloquially translates to "who needs those first round picks from that trade last summer that anyone hardly even remembers, we'd rather have Desmond Bane!"

I asked Desmond Bane if he's aware of Magic Fans creating and carrying the “FTP” torch for him.

Yeah, I have seen it.

It is a comforting feeling.

A lot of times when you make a trade of that magnitude, the fans can feel either type of way.

Ever since I got here I have felt the love and support from the Magic Fans.

Super thankful that they ride for me.
Desmond Bane

I asked Desmond Bane what he thinks of “FTP”

“Yeah, I’ve seen it.

It’s a comforting feeling… a trade of that magnitude, the fans can feel either type of way.

Ever since I got here I’ve felt the love and support from the Magic Fans.

Super thankful that they ride for me.” pic.twitter.com/7v6xpEAxxM
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 28, 2026

Desmond Bane is red hot at Home in NBA Playoffs

Bane shoots — Apr 27, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) shoots a three point basket against Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

After hitting just 3/15 3P in his first two road playoff games, Bane didn't blink.

Game 3 Bane splashed 7 3PM; Game 4 Bane knocked down 5 3PM more.

Desmond Bane became the first player in Magic history to have back-to-back playoff games with 20+ PTS & 5+ 3PM.

"Water always find its level", he repeats through the ups and downs of shooting volatility.

The Hot Hand Theory data shows that even an average shooting night is rare, and anything at or better than that efficiency should be ridden out until shots stop falling.

Bane shoots better at home, but his home/road splits often aren't as drastic as this playoff series would imply.

After Game 4, I asked Desmond Bane what was working differently for him in Game 3 & 4 at home where he saw his 3pt shot fall better than the first two games of this series on the road:

Just being aggressive.

I thought in those first two games, I got great looks, great opportunities, and it just didn’t fall.

Water always finds its level.

I talked to my homeboy, Billie Webster; he came up to Detroit, and that is something we always pride ourselves on — the work has been put in, you got to trust it.

When you go out there, play free, and the rest is history.
Desmond Bane

I asked Desmond Bane what’s working after 12 3PM in GM 3 & GM 4

“Water always finds its level.

I talked to my homeboy, Billy Webster; he came up to Detroit… Something we always pride ourselves on — the work’s been put in, you got to trust it.

When you go out there, play free” pic.twitter.com/SFpolNTNyo
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 28, 2026

Most players feed off the home crowd, and on top of their general 3pt shooting variance, it generally seems like outside shooters see the most variance in home/road splits compared to others, and those things are probably related.

Desmond Bane is more than the average shooter; he's a 3pt sniper, a walking bucket scorer, a floor-bending avatar who moves the earth off handoff drives to the rim and shoots fire from beyond the arc, creating gravity for himself and teammates on and off the ball. Orlando has been able to count on him night-to-night not because of his 3-ball, that can be magnificent, but because of his ability to attack the rack off handoffs and score, draw fouls, hit dumpoff dunkers or kickout 3pt shooters consistently for an offense that was desperate for production while juggling injuries all season.

Magic Fans ROAR after Desmond Bane BANKS in Clutch Three!!!

Magic up 6 PTS over Pistons with 1 MIN to play in Game 4 pic.twitter.com/x5X1Ol6AYZ
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 28, 2026

25 of his 42 20-point games came at home.
7 of his 12 30-point games were at home.

When Bane feeds off the momentum of splashing exciting three pointers and tough pull-up jumpers in front of this home crowd, Des tends to pop off for his best outings.

Even with Game 5 on the road, and with Franz Wagner's status up in the air, hopefully Orlando keeps feeding its hot hand before the water starts flowing in the other direction.

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