New Orleans does not have a player ranked in the top 30 of the NBA in blocks this season, with Jonas Valanciunas topping the squad with an average of 0.9 per game. Jaxson Hayes is the only other Pelican ranked in the top 50, at 0.8 bpg. Despite no top-tier shot-blocker at the rim, a collective effort has made New Orleans the NBA’s best defensive team since the All-Star break, holding its three opponents to 102, 95 and 95 points, for a league-leading defensive rating of 96.4.
The two-big starting lineup featuring the 6-foot-11 Hayes at power forward seems to be making a major impact, with Phoenix, the Lakers and Sacramento combining to shoot just 41.