A look at the NBA Second All Defensive Team for the 2010-2011 season
On Monday, the NBA announced its All Defensive First and Second Teams. Quite often in the voting for the Defensive team, reputations come into play and sometimes the more deserving, but lesser known, defenders end up on the 2nd team. This trend has apparently been followed this time as well.
Following is a list of the players that made it onto the NBA Second All Defensive Team:
Guard - Tony Allen
Perhaps the most tenacious perimeter defender in the league, Tony Allen had a strong case for the first team. However, he still ended up on the second team with the most points at 23. The season has seen Tony step it up on the defensive end with career high 1.79 steals and he is doing even better in the post season. He averages 4.14 steals in 48 minutes of court time, the highest since Nate McMillan in 1993-94.
Guard - Chris Paul
Averaging 2.4 steals per game in the season and 3.13 over 48 minutes, Paul was second only to Tony Allen and also had a strong case for the first team. Chris is the undoubted offensive king in the New Orleans Hornets team, but he is no mug on the defence as well.
Centre - Tyson Chandler
In a team full of attacking talent, Chandler is the defensive rock in the middle. His contribution to the free flowing Dallas Mavericks side has been immense this season. Averaging over a block per game in the season, Chandler has proven to be the perfect partner for Dirk Nowitzki. His terrific performance against the vaunted big guys of the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs has further cemented his reputation.
Forward - Andre Iguodala
Iguodala’s speed and athleticism make him one of the most elite defenders in the league. His tenacity on defence has seen him become one of the more feared defenders in the game. You cannot get away from Iguodala in the inside or one the perimeter, and with 1.6 steals and half a block per game, there's no getting away from the fact that he’s earned his spot on this team.
Forward/Centre - Joakim Noah
The Chicago Bulls man has fought for his team all season long. In a side more noted for the dazzling displays of MVP Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah does the dirty work, and he is good at it too. Noah regularly gets under the skin of his opponents and makes them work hard for every play. However, he is much more than just a nuisance, and at over 10 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and a steal per game, his stats speak for themselves.
Notable Omissions:
Dwyane Wade:
Dwyane is a nightmare matchup for anyone in the league. He works much harder on defence than teammate LeBron James, who got on the first team, and provides defensive sparks to his team just when needed. He averages 1.5 steals and, at 6-4, an astonishing 1.1 blocks per game.
Serge Ibaka:
He should be on the list just for his nickname “i-block-a”. He is among the league leaders in blocks with 2.4 per game. He has taken it a step, actually, two steps further with a mind boggling 4.6 blocks a game in the playoffs.
Gerald Wallace:
How a guy can go from the first team last year to no team this year is a mystery. Wallace is still the same player. He is still one of the best man-on-man defenders in the league and still averages around 2 steals a game.
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