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The NBA announced Friday the members of the 2021-22 All-Defensive Teams, with some familiar faces and this season’s Defensive Player of the Year headlining the First Team.
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges make up this season’s All-Defensive First Team.
NBA Communications @NBAPR
The 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team:<br><br>???? Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)<br>???? Mikal Bridges (Phoenix)<br>???? Rudy Gobert (Utah)<br>???? Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis)<br>???? Marcus Smart (Boston) <a href=”https://t.co/YQgyjt9qSP”>pic.twitter.com/YQgyjt9qSP</a>
Meanwhile, Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle and Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III make up the All-Defensive Second Team.
NBA Communications @NBAPR
The 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team:<br><br>???? Bam Adebayo (Miami)<br>???? Draymond Green (Golden State)<br>???? Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee)<br>???? Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia)<br>???? Robert Williams III (Boston) <a href=”https://t.co/UJiVcGMyUw”>pic.twitter.com/UJiVcGMyUw</a>
Here’s a look at the voting:
NBA Communications @NBAPR
Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of Boston and runner-up Mikal Bridges of Phoenix received the most voting points in balloting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team.<br><br>More ➡️ <a href=”https://t.co/VpKETU9caP”>https://t.co/VpKETU9caP</a><br><br>Voting results ⬇️ <a href=”https://t.co/dUxDi2L2oc”>pic.twitter.com/dUxDi2L2oc</a>
Smart’s selection to the first team comes as no surprise after he was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career. This also marks his third selection to an All-Defensive Team.
The 28-year-old was one of the driving forces behind the Celtics’ No. 1-ranked defense this season. He ranked seventh in the league with 1.7 steals per game, tied for six in total steals with 119 and had 19 games with at least three steals.
Smart also finished tied for fourth with 75 loose balls recovered, tied for 10th with 206 deflections and 16 charges drawn. In addition, he finished with 3.2 defensive rebounds per game, the most of his career.
Jackson, meanwhile, helped the Grizzlies finish with the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA and the second-best record in the Western Conference. This marks the first All-Defensive Team selection of his career.
The 22-year-old finished the season averaging 4.3 defensive rebounds and a career-high 2.3 blocks per game. In addition, he finished with 769 contested shots, 63 loose balls recovered, 335 total defensive rebounds, 177 total blocks and 73 steals.
Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and this marks his sixth All-Defensive Team selection. He helped the Jazz finish with the 10th-best defensive rating in the league and was a big reason why Utah finished fifth in the Western Conference standings.
The 29-year-old averaged 11 defensive rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. In addition, he finished with 862 contested shots, 727 total defensive rebounds, 137 total blocks, 87 deflections and 28 loose balls recovered.
Antetokounmpo won DPoY in 2019-20 and this marks his fifth All-Defensive Team selection. He helped the Bucks finish with the 14th-best defensive rating in the NBA and was a big reason why the team finished third in the Eastern Conference.
The 27-year-old averaged 9.6 defensive rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in 2021-22. In addition, he finished with a total of 612 contested shots, 644 defensive rebounds, 72 steals, 91 blocks, 115 deflections and 64 loose balls recovered.
Bridges finished second in DPoY voting this season and this marks the first All-Defensive Team selection of his career. He helped the Suns finish with the third-best defensive rating in the NBA and the best record in the Western Conference.
The 25-year-old averaged 3.3 defensive rebounds and 1.2 steals per game this season. In addition, he finished with a total of 168 deflections, 483 contested shots, 273 defensive rebounds, 96 steals and 36 blocks.
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