AI Summary
5 min read"Trey Young is a lot of bad things, but he does stir the drink." That line from the Locked On NBA Daily episode on predicting the NBA's best defenses in 2026-27 captures the tension running through the whole conversation. The hosts—West Goldberg, Matt, and Hayes—spend the first half of the episode trying to crack the code of what makes a modern top-five defense, only to conclude there is no single code. Then they spend the second half trying to predict next season's best defensive teams, and the Washington Wizards rotation, with all the messy tradeoffs those predictions entail.
The Search for a Defensive Formula
The episode opens with a puzzle: the top five defenses last season were Oklahoma City, Detroit, San Antonio, Boston, and Toronto. These teams share almost no single statistical strength. Matt runs through the usual suspects and finds each one contradicted. Rim protection? Toronto didn't have an elite rim-protecting center. Perimeter defense? San Antonio was bottom ten in isolation defense. Opponent three-point rate? Seven of the top ten defenses were 15th or worse in that category. "I don't think there's a magic trick," Matt says. "I don't think there's an element that you have to focus in on."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:04) **Introduction & Top Defenses of Last Season** - The hosts set up the episode by naming the top five defenses of the previous season (OKC, Detroit, San Antonio, Boston, Toronto) and asking what commonalities they share.
- 2 (10:47) **Predicting the Top Five Defenses for 2026-27** - The panel makes their picks for which teams will lead the league in defensive rating next season.
- 3 (16:44) **Sleeper Teams and Key Defensive Trends** - The conversation shifts to which teams might jump into the top ten and what tactical trends are shaping modern defense.
- 4 (23:57) **Rotation Lab: Washington Wizards** - The final segment breaks down the Wizards' projected opening night rotation and how the new pieces fit together.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
What does an elite NBA defense look like in 2026? Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore and Haize break down the trends shaping modern defense and what last season’s best units can teach us about where the league is headed.
Are versatility and switchability still king? How important is rim protection? And with offenses getting more sophisticated, which defensive strategies are actually working? Then the guys make their predictions for which teams have the best chance to finish No. 1 in defensive rating this season.
Finally, it’s back to the Rotation Lab for one of the NBA’s most fascinating young teams: the Washington Wizards. With Trae Young and Anthony Davis entering their first full season together and No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa joining the mix, how should Washington build its rotation — and can this group make a major leap?
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