The hosts delve into potential candidates for the NBA All-Defense teams, discussing the impact of the unique no positional requirements format this year. They analyze players' performances and factors like games played, highlighting considerations for awards like Defensive Player of the Year. The chapter also touches on the frustration with the 65-game rule for awards and explores the importance of defensive selections based on positional differences.
Zach and ESPN's Andrew Lopez discuss the red-hot Pelicans, Zion's play, Brandon Ingram's unheralded season, and how the Pelicans stack up against each of the West's elite. Then ESPN's Kevin Pelton joins to pick All-Defensive teams, talk Heat, Suns, Magic and Jamahl Mosley's extension, the recent decline in scoring and free throws, Victor Wembanyama, and much more.
Pels are a mystery box and a sleeping giant (6:26)
Zion's improved defense and rebounding (10:57)
Herb Jones has a case for All-Defense and Most Improved (13:28)
The Pelicans' shooting luck defensively (20:13)
Not enough talk about Brandon Ingram (27:08)
How the Pels match up against other Western Conference playoff teams (33:30)
Pelton (40:15)
Middle of the East (57:46)
2nd tier All-Defense guys (1:02:47)
Thunder in line for the top seed in the West (1:09:14)
Wembanyama's All-Defense case (1:15:27)
Scoring is down since the All-Star break (1:30:20)
Temperature check on the Suns (1:39:46)
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