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The NBA All-Defensive First Team and Second Teams were announced on Wednesday with the general consensus being that both squads are relatively fair.
Credit: Celtics Life
But of course every award announcement isn’t without it’s controversy. Six out of the ten players made the team for the first time and some of the guys who got votes were legitimately shocking.
Westbrook also got more votes than noted defenders, Danny Green and Luc Mbah a Moute; and the same as fellow All-Star, Kyle Lowry. In a revealing stat per NewsOK, “of the 101 players who played 2,000 minutes or more this season, only San Antonio's Patty Mills contested fewer shots than Westbrook's 281.”
The Celtics may have had the best defensive rating as a team in the regular season though that wasn’t enough for Al Horford to be named to the First Team.
If Marcus Smart was healthy for larger portions of the season he also would’ve had a legitimate claim for one of the ten spots; he certainly thinks so:
It’s also a little strange seeing Draymond Green on the Second Team despite him being the best defender in the league over the past half decade. He definitely wavered in that department this year, especially in the regular season, but he still has the backing of his coach and teammates.
The First Team is pretty much on point though you could argue that Robert Covington was lucky to get named over guys like Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Covington played a great role as the glue guy on both ends for Philadelphia this season but he wasn’t even the best defender on his own team.
Sophomore guard, Dejounte Murray surprised a few by making the team. However, in the absence of Kawhi Leonard he became the defensive anchor for the Spurs who finished the year third in defensive rating.
The Starters made their arguments for Heat guard, Josh Richardson, making one of the teams, with the underrated 24-year old not even cracking the top fifteen in overall votes.
He finished tenth in forwards and had a gripe with the announcement, taking to Twitter to vent his thoughts in emoji form:
Congrats to all the players who made the team, and for those snubbed…
Credit: Fantasy Fantasy ESPN