The Zach Lowe Show Celtics Top Thunder and Wemby’s Brilliance With Brian Scalabrine. Plus, Moussa Diabaté on the Upstart Hornets.
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Mar 26, 2026 Brian Scalabrine, former NBA player and current Celtics analyst, breaks down Boston’s win, Wembanyama’s MVP-level impact, and the chaos in the East. Moussa Diabaté, Hornets forward known for high-effort defense, chats about his Moose nickname, team chemistry, fasting for Ramadan, and his hopes for France and Charlotte’s rise.
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Keep Star Pairings Together To Preserve Chemistry
- In playoff planning, coaches should aim to keep star pairings together most minutes while accepting some staggered rest.
- Scalabrine argued Celtics will play Tatum and Brown ~30–33 minutes together and emphasized preserving chemistry versus over-staggering minutes.
Deep Rotations Can Destroy Game Rhythm
- Playing too many rotation players in a big game kills rhythm even for deep teams like the Thunder.
- Scalabrine criticized Mark Daigneault for subbing frequently in the OKC-Boston game, arguing his guys needed sustained minutes to develop rhythm against elite opponents.
Wembanyama Is Redefining Defensive Impact
- Victor Wembanyama is the most impactful player in the NBA right now because his presence forces opponents to alter every possession.
- Scalabrine compared Wembanyama's defensive U-turns, rim deterrence, and ability to change team gameplans to transformational players like Steph Curry.