The NBA All-Defensive Teams were announced today, and the Golden State Warriors have one representative. Draymond Green was named to the Second Team. It is the first time since the 2013-2014 season that he did not make the First Team.
Green had made the First Team for three consecutive seasons. This is his fourth selection overall to the list, and his first on the Second Team.
The team is voted on by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players receive 2 points for each First Team vote they’re given and 1 point for each Second Team vote.
The most points a player could receive is 200 points. Rudy Gobert received the most points of any player with 192 points, and secured 94 out of 100 First Team votes.
Green received 86 points, which was the second highest amongst Second Team selections. Joel Embiid had 90 points to lead the Second Team.
The voters were instructed to select two guards, two forwards, and one center for each team based on the positions those players regularly play.
Players seem to be more position-less and versatile than ever before, which obviously makes problems arise when breaking down votes like this by position.
For players that received votes at multiple positions, they were ultimately placed at the position in which they received the most votes.
Overall, Green received 26 First Team votes and 34 Second Team votes for a total of 86 points at the forward position.
The forward spot was extremely competitive. Robert Covington ended up securing the First Team nod with 27 First Team votes and 36 Second Team votes for a total of 90 points.
Al Horford earned the other forward spot on the Second Team with Green. He secured 24 First Team votes and 37 Second Team votes for 85 total points.
4 out of the 5 First Team selections earned their designation commandingly. Gobert at center, Anthony Davis at forward, Victor Oladipo at guard, and Jrue Holiday at guard were all well ahead of their nearest competitor in terms of points.
The Covington/Green/Horford battle for the second forward spot was the one that ended up being the closest race for a coveted First Team spot.
In terms of players just narrowly missing inclusion on the Second Team, Chris Paul came the closest. He received 74 points while the final guard spot was given to Jimmy Butler with 79 points, although both Paul and Butler earned 20 First Team votes.
Dejounte Murray grabbed the other guard spot on the Second Team by securing 32 First Team votes and 16 Second Team votes for 80 total points.
There were a couple other Warriors players who received votes as well. Kevin Durant received 31 points, including 7 First Team votes. Klay Thompson received 24 points including 8 First Team votes.
Green is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and might very well be the most versatile defender in the NBA regarding what positions he can lock down on the defensive end.
Covington is very talented in his own right, though. In terms of a head-to-head comparison, Covington has a better defensive rating per 100 possessions, more Defensive Win Shares, and a better Defensive RPM than Green, although Green can boast a superior Defensive Box Plus/Minus.
Each one would have been worthy of that First Team selection, and the narrow voting margin indicates the panel didn’t see a huge gap between them.
Personal accolades are nice, but Green undoubtedly cares more about winning a championship than making either of the NBA All-Defensive Teams.
Congratulations to Green on yet another excellent defensive season. He is deservedly viewed as one of the premier defenders in the league.