Kevin Pelton of ESPN puts Duncan on his First Team All Defensive Team

[BillMc]

As the awards begin to trickle in, here's the first votes I've seen that include a Spur

As this is an ESPN Insider article, I had to find it on another board: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=252851


Pelton has TD First Team. He makes a case that Green and Leonard somewhat cancel each other out and thus while they are effective, neither makes first or second team but are honorable mention. (Somewhat like Bowen and Duncan used to split the DPOY votes back in the salad days.) He also lists Green as a small forward.

Also, interesting is his choice of Hibbert as DPOY even with his and the Pacers recent swoon.

His analysis rests heavily on the RPM stat ESPN has just unleashed for better or worse.


(And yeah, I've a redundant "Team" in the le, but I can't figure out how to edit a thread's le if possible.)

[Chinook]

Thanks. Duncan deserves it, and the New Two are easily the most potent defensive wing combo in the league.

[BillMc]

Thanks. Duncan deserves it, and the New Two are easily the most potent defensive wing combo in the league.

Cheers.

It'll be interesting to see who of the three makes the team when all the votes are counted. Truthfully, it's good to see Green get some recognition, because the media is focusing more and more on Leonard (not that he doesn't deserve it, but Danny does too.)

[cd021]

A soon to be 38 year old making the All defensive 1st teams is nothing short of remarkable.

[dallasmaverickslose]

It's a damn shame that Timmy has never won DPOY...

[Gagnrath]

It is and neither did Bowen. Its kind of sad what having multiple good defenders on a team does to getting that sort of award. You and your teammate cancel each other out for recognition but your team defense is pretty awesome. I suppose the real recognition is in the W/L columns.

[wildbill2u]

It is and neither did Bowen. Its kind of sad what having multiple good defenders on a team does to getting that sort of award. You and your teammate cancel each other out for recognition but your team defense is pretty awesome. I suppose the real recognition is in the W/L columns.

Simple. You have to have a lot of high flying blocks to win the DPOY.

[Gagnrath]

Simple. You have to have a lot of high flying blocks to win the DPOY.

Peyton, Rodman, Artest, Jordan. Those guys did have some blocks but weren't known for being shot blockers. Garnett and Gasol also get plenty of blocks but high flying?

[MeloHype]

It's a damn shame that Timmy has never won DPOY...

[dbreiden83080]

It's a damn shame that Timmy has never won DPOY...

Popularity contest and dumb writers TBH.. Nobody that has won that award in the last 10 years is a better defender than Tim.

[Raven]

this is some terrible peace of selection... seriously i don't agree with anything he wrote there.

[HarlemHeat37]

Essentially, he just looked at RAPM and wrote the entire article based on that, tbh..

I'd go:

1st team
G Patrick Beverley: allowing minimal production on a team with many flawed defenders around him
G Danny Green: statistically, he's as good as it gets as an isolation defender
F Andre Iguodala another great defensive season, linchpin for the Warriors defense
F Tim Duncan: liability at defending the perimeter nowadays, but still elite at playing his role
C Roy Hibbert: doesn't rebound well, but his dominant 1st half of the season shouldn't go unnoticed

2nd team
G Kyle Lowry: leader of a top 10 defensive team, allows low production at his position
G Paul George: has played huge minutes guarding top players on an elite defensive team
F Kawhi Leonard: started off shaky, but has been a defensive beast since the ASB
F Taj Gibson
C Joakim Noah

HM: Dwight Howard, Andrew Bogut, Splitter, Tony Allen, Marc Gasol, Durant, Ibaka..

Most people ignore minutes played when they make their selections, tbh..

Players like Splitter could be near-locks for these teams, but their amount of minutes played is very low..

[BatManu20]

Noah is taking DPOY this season. Timmy should be 1st team, but likely will be 2nd imo.

[freetiago]

Splitter has the highest defensive rating in the NBA when you filter for guys who play at least 20 minutes a game tbh..

and Duncan isnt all defensive this year
he just hasnt been that good
hes been abused by every back to the basket scorer this season that includes a list of decent players and scrubs like Jefferson/Favors/Valuncunias/Pekovic and others
his perimeter defense is really weak too, if he isnt in the paint he gets blown by for layups everytime

last year with his better mobility he should have been DPOY
this year I would put
Bogut
Noah
Hibbert
Ibaka

easily over him
Gibson if he played more minutes and Davis will be All Defense if his team wasnt horrible