Every season, the NBA league names the All-Defensive Teams of the Year; however, the two teams that made it were dropped immediately before Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks.
The league chooses a starting lineup and a second lineup comprised of the season’s next five top defensive players. Needless to say, every player on both teams contributed to their respective teams’ appearance in the NBA Playoffs this season. Consider the names.
NBA All-Defensive Team of the Year – Team 1
NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart leads the way inside Team 1 with his incredible season playing for the Boston Celtics. Giannis Antetokounmpo keeps proving he is arguably the most complete player in the world with his fourth consecutive season making the first team.
Joining these two, we have Phoenix Suns’ Mikal Bridges, Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert and Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson. All of these players deserve to be in the starting team but Team 2 is also filled with extremely talented players.
NBA All-Defensive Team of the Year – Team 2
For Team 2, the Boston Celtics become the only team in the NBA to have two players amongs the best defensive players of the year. Robert Williams III leads the charge alongside Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green. This is Draymond’s fifth time making the team, plus the three times making the second team.
Alongside them, we have Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, Philadelphia 76ers’ Matisse Thybulle and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Jrue Holiday.
