The three finalists for the Defensive of the Year award, the center Rudy gobert of the Utah Jazz, the guard Ben simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers and forward Draymond green of the Golden State Warriors, they were among the 10 players selected for the NBA’s Defensive Ideal Team.
Gobert, who won third award for Defender of the Year last week, and Simmons, who finished second in the vote, were the only players to appear on the 100 ballots by the global panel of journalists who were asked to vote for the awards. of this year. Joining them on the first Defensive Ideal Team were Green and a pair of Milwaukee Bucks, guard Jrue Holiday and the wing Giannis Antetokounmpo.
For Gobert it is the fifth consecutive time that he has made the Defensive Ideal Team, while it is the second time in a row for Simmons and third for Antetokounmpo.
The second Defensive Ideal Team introduced Kawhi leonard, star of the LA Clippers, as well as two pairs of teammates, guard Matisse Thybulle and the center Joel embiid of the 76ers, and the forward Jimmy Butler and the center Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.
Gobert and Simmons were followed in voting by Green (80 first team votes, 96 total), Holiday (65 first team votes, 92 total) and Antetokounmpo (43 first team, 92 total).
In a strange situation, Adebayo and Butler finished tied for sixth with 37 votes for the first team and 37 for the second each, while Embiid was eighth, Thybulle ninth and Leonard 10th.
The players who obtained the most votes among those who did not make the starting or substitute team were Mikal bridges the Phoenix Suns, who had four first-team votes and 35 overall; Myles turner for the Indiana Pacers, who received five first-team votes and was on 19 ballots, and Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks center, who made the backup team with 36 ballot mentions.
Green has been selected to the Defensive Ideal Team six times (four as a starter and two as a backup), while Holiday made the starting team for the first time in his career in his first season with Milwaukee.
For his part, Leonard has seven appearances (including three as a starter), the highest total for any player chosen for any team this year. Butler has five selections, while Embiid has three, Adebayo two and Thybulle was chosen for the first time.