Ausar Thompson, Scottie Barnes and more poised to make All-Defense for the first time

Ausar Thompson was named Eastern Conference defensive player of the month for the second time this season. His stellar defense for the No. 2-ranked Detroit Pistons defense is not going unnoticed. He is getting the proper recognition now and will get more when he is named All-Defense for the first time.

The only question is whether Ausar will finish first or second team and that same question can be asked about Scottie Barnes.

Barnes is a versatile 6-foot-8 defender who leads the seventh-ranked defense. He has been one of the premier one-through-five defenders this season and an elite defender for a while. But he is on another level right now and will almost certainly finish on an All-Defense squad.

Ausar and Barnes will be first timers, but there are plenty of familiar faces who could claim one of the 10 spots. Victor Wembanyama is a lock. Rudy Gobert will tack another accolade on his stacked defensive resume. Bam Adebayo may be Mr. 83, but defense remains his calling card.

Other active defenders like Amen Thompson, Evan Mobley, and Derrick White will surely be selected to another All-Defense team after another great campaign. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be well represented on these teams. Two players from their stellar defense made it last year, and two more will make it now. Here's the full group of likely first-time All-Defense selections this season.

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons 

There is no denying that Ausar Thompson has been a force on defense. The eyes and stats support this. From a strictly eye perspective, it's hard to see a player who navigates screens better than the slinky Pistons wingman. Once Ausar is attached to the ball handler, there is no coming off it. He sees screeners from a mile away and uses gymnast-level flexibility to glue himself to his matchup. 

Not only does Ausar anticipate where screens are coming from better than his peers, but he is also one of the most destructive defenders. He is always blowing up plays with super hero reaction speed. Ausar has the No. 1 STL percentage in the NBA and is top two in deflections. He is handsy (fouls a lot too: 4.3 foul %). 

Catch all defensive numbers see Ausar as the best wing defender in the sport. Ausar will be second behind Wemby in actual estimated defensive plus-minus for a long time. That's elite territory. Ausar would join Wemby, Gobert, Adebayo, and one of the Thunder defenders if First Team All-Defense were up to me. 

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors put a lot on Scottie Barnes' plate. He is asked to contain every archetype of player. If Toronto is matching up with the Los Angeles Lakers, Barnes is taking Luka Dončić. Joel Embiid has it going from the midrange? Okay, put Barnes on him. It does not matter how the first option plays; Barnes is versatile enough to hold his own in most matchups.

Barnes can legit guard one through five. That cliche is reserved for maybe three to four players, and Barnes has access to that room. On paper, the Raptors should not be this stout of a defensive unit. They run a ton of small lineups that kill teams with speed and rotations. That would not be possible if Barnes were not a jack of all trades (98th %tile in BLK percentage, 85th %tile STL percentage). 

Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles and Barnes are the engines that power a pesky Raptors D. CMB will be on this list one day when he is receiving his first All-Defense honors, but it's Barnes' time right now. He would be a lock on my second team and has a case for first. 

Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder 

It is wild to imagine that OKC will get a new set of defenders on an All-Defense team after Lu Dort (First Team) and Jalen Williams (Second Team) made it last year, but here we are. Cason Wallace has been one of the Thunder's go-to lock-up men, and he is a nuisance to opposing offenses. 

Wallace is sturdy on the ball. He uses his stocky frame to jam up scorers when they attack him. Wallace's forearms often dictate where his matchup is going. Once he turns you the way he wants, Wallace becomes a swiper. 

Ausar Thompson is No. 1 in STL percentage, and Wallace is riding his bumper (3.5 vs 3.7). Wallace gets his hands on balls all game. He is No. 1 in the league with 326 deflections. His combination of rock-solid on-ball defense and turnover creation ability makes Wallace a sure thing for All-D in my book. He is one of the best perimeter defenders on a more-than-great Thunder defense. (It is inane how good Alex Caruso remains.)

The Thunder is more than the best defense in the league. This group is technically in all-time conversations, and their paint protector is going to get his credit during award season.

Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

I hope the NBA masses can appreciate Chet Holmgren even though he has a peer who does things he does with four more inches of height. In Holmgren's own right, teams should be terrified to challenge him at the cup.

According to PBP stats, on 362 shots at the rim, opponents shoot 47 percent with Holmgren there. That is staggering. That volume with that stinginess is otherworldly. Keep in mind that Wemby's number is 53 percent on 342 attempts. Holmgren is one of those special rim protectors.

At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Holmgren uses his physical advantages to change shots at the cup. Holmgren is lengthy, but his true top trait is his feel for when to contest or stay grounded. Holmgren's coaches do not worry about their anchor constantly being in foul trouble like other elite defenders. The Thunder has multiple tier-one perimeter defenders. The fact that those elites can press up and funnel players to Holmgren is not fair.

It is not fair, and it is part of the reason Holmgren's Thunder have the best defense relative to the league in NBA history. Per PBP Stats, OKC's relative defensive efficiency is currently plus-9.16. That surpasses the 2004 San Antonio Spurs, who clocked in at plus-8.50. In most years, Holmgren would be a live player in the DPOY race. There is no race in the Wemby world we live in, but Holmgren is an easy  First Team All-Defense lock.

More NBA news and analysis: