One thing that might trump the heated debate over San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard winning the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award might be the selections for the NBA’s All-Defensive first and second teams.
The All-Defensive first team has obvious choices in Kawhi Leonard and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green but then it gets a little messy and debatable. Los Angeles Clippers stars Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, who also may currently be at odds with each other, were joined by the sometimes outspoken perimeter defensive specialist on the Memphis Grizzlies, Tony Allen. Leonard, Green and Jordan all make their debuts on the All-Defensive first team. The Clippers had a mediocre defense in the NBA and it’s questionable if they should have one player let alone two on the All-Defensive first team. It actually might be a crime, especially considering the second team selections.
The All-Defensive second team is headlined by New Orleans Pelicans star, The Brow, Anthony Davis and Chicago Bulls rising star Jimmy Butler, two guys who could have easily been on the first team. John Wall of the Washington Wizards was the second guard on the team and he was joined by Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs as the second forward and Andrew Bogut of the Golden State Warriors was the center.
Butler and Davis both easily could have and probably should have been on the first team if the voting went down differently, possibly replacing both Paul and Jordan on the team.
Here’s the official voting break down.
