For The Second Year In A Row, NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Doesn’t Make All-Defensive First Team

The whole process behind voting for the NBA’s All-Defensive Teams never ceases to amaze. We’ve had guys making it off reputation for years, and now for the second year in a row, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year (voted by the media) doesn’t even make the All-Defensive First Team (voted by the coaches).

Marc Gasol, voted this year’s best defensive player, missed out on the first team to Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah (they tied). Joining those two on the first team are LeBron James and Serge Ibaka at the forward spots, with Chris Paul and Tony Allen in the backcourt.

The second team was voted as Tim Duncan, Paul George — who somehow made it despite his teammate Roy Hibbert being snubbed — Avery Bradley, Mike Conley and the previously mentioned Gasol.

Like Gasol this year, Chandler won the Defensive Player of the Year last season and yet was voted onto the All-Defensive Second Team.

Here are this year’s total voting results:

FIRST TEAM
Tony Allen (53 points, 25 first-place votes, 3 second-place votes)
LeBron James (52, 25, 3)
Serge Ibaka (46, 17, 12)
Chris Paul (37, 15, 7)
Tyson Chandler (24, 9, 6)
Joakim Noah (24, 8, 8)

SECOND TEAM
Paul George (27, 7, 13)
Avery Bradley (25, 10, 5)
Tim Duncan (20, 3, 14)
Mike Conley (19, 4, 11)
Marc Gasol (12, 5, 2)

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first team votes in parentheses): Andre Iguodala, Denver, 16 (2); Larry Sanders, Milwaukee, 16 (4); Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City, 15 (2); Luol Deng, Chicago, 11 (1); Dwight Howard, L.A. Lakers, 9 (3); Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers 6 (1); Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 6 (2); Kenneth Faried, Denver, 4 (1); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 4 (1); Shane Battier, Miami, 2; Nicolas Batum, Portland, 2 (1); Corey Brewer, Denver, 2; George Hill, Indiana, 2; Mike James, Dallas, 2 (1); Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, 2, (1); Tony Parker, San Antonio, 2 (1); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 2; Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers, 2 (1); Eric Bledsoe, L.A. Clippers, 1; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City, 1; Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia, 1; Andrei Kirilenko, Minnesota, 1; Iman Shumpert, New York, 1; David West, Indiana, 1.

How stupid is this?

Follow Sean on Twitter at @SEANesweeney.

Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.

Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.

×