Selecting the All-Defensive teams
Save for Draymond Green and Kawhi Leonard, there were no clear-cut selections for the All-Defensive teams this season.
Grading defense remains an incredibly difficult endeavor because defensive metrics - although improved in recent years - remain iffy at best. Generally speaking, the names below represent the best defenders from the league's top defenses, but there are a few exceptions.
| All-Defensive First Team | All-Defensive Second Team |
|---|---|
| Danny Green | Jimmy Butler |
| Ricky Rubio | Kyle Lowry |
| Kawhi Leonard | Jae Crowder |
| Draymond Green | Paul Millsap |
| DeAndre Jordan | Tim Duncan |
The case for the Spurs
The Spurs have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard, but he's not solely responsible for San Antonio's historically dominant defense. As with all of Gregg Popovich's teams, it's a collective effort.
Leonard is definitely the best of the bunch, and is neck-and-neck with Draymond Green for a second DPOY award, but don't overlook Danny Green and Tim Duncan. Green topped all shooting guards in ESPN's Defensive Real Plus-Minus metric, while Duncan leads the pack at center.
Don't underestimate Ricky Rubio
Rubio's name is seldom mentioned when it comes to the league's best defenders, but that's because the Spaniard doesn't make a big show of it. Ranking third in steals per game (2.1), he's also a strong rebounder who's adept at using his 6-foot-4 frame to smother ball-handlers.
Stephen Curry shot 32.3 percent when guarded by Rubio. Kyle Lowry hit 28.6 percent. The list goes on and on.
DeAndre Jordan's living up to his reputation
Doc Rivers went on and on about Jordan's defensive abilities last season, but something didn't add up with the Clippers holding a league-average defense. That's no longer the case. The Clippers jumped into fourth in defensive rating, and it's a testament to Jordan's across-the-board improvements. Jordan should get just as much credit as Chris Paul for keeping the team afloat in the absence of Blake Griffin.
Jimmy Butler fought to the bitter end
It was an awful year for Butler with all the knee problems and the drama between him and head coach Fred Hoiberg. But if there was anyone left to carry on the spirit of the Bulls after Joakim Noah succumbed to injury, it was Butler. He was a nightmare who guarded the opposing team's best player every night.
Kyle Lowry makes the right gambles
Losing all that weight in the offseason allowed Lowry to return to his roots as a stingy defender. Although he's not the best in one-on-one scenarios, Lowry has an incredible intuition for the ball, and snagged more steals than all but four players this season.
Jae Crowder is the head of the snake
The Celtics have three of the most dogged perimeter defenders in the league between Crowder, Avery Bradley, and Marcus Smart. All three deserve to be on this list, but when Crowder missed time in March due to an ankle sprain, the Celtics dropped out of the top 10 in defensive efficiency.
Paul Millsap's versatility is key
Not only does Millsap have some of the quickest hands in the league when it comes to snagging steals, he's the only player to average over 1.5 steals and blocks per game this season. Along with Al Horford, Millsap has anchored a top five defense for the resurgent Atlanta Hawks.