Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo Make All-Defensive First Team
Posted by Brian Robb on May 9, 2011
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but two of the C’s top defensive cogs were selected to be a part of the league’s top defensive unit, as voted by the 30 NBA head coaches. The coaches were given two points for every first team vote and one point for every second team vote.
This was the second first-team honor for Rajon Rondo and the 9th overall for Kevin Garnett, which ties Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Gary Payton for the most in NBA history.
Here’s the full voting numbers via ESPNBoston.com
All-Defensive First Team
Position, Player, Team, 1st, 2nd — Total Points
Center, Dwight Howard, Orlando, 27, 2 — 56
Guard, Rajon Rondo, Boston, 16, 7 — 39
Forward, LeBron James, Miami, 17, 4 — 38
Guard, Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers, 13, 7 — 33
Forward, Kevin Garnett, Boston, 15, 3 — 33
All-Defensive Second Team
Position, Player, Team, 1st, 2nd — Total Points
Guard, Tony Allen, Memphis, 7, 9 — 23
Guard, Chris Paul, New Orleans, 6, 6 — 18
Center, Tyson Chandler, Dallas, 3, 11 — 17
Forward, Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 5, 5 — 15
Forward/Center, Joakim Noah, Chicago, 3, 9 — 15
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first team votes in parentheses): Derrick Rose, Chicago, 14 (4); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 13 (3); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 13 (4); Gerald Wallace, Portland, 11 (1); Grant Hill, Phoenix 11 (4); Luol Deng, Chicago 11 (4); Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 11 (3); Chuck Hayes, Houston, 10 (2);
Quick Thoughts: Perk gets 3 votes while playing just 24 games? Talk about impact! Kobe probably doesn’t deserve first-team honors, relying on reputation a la Derek Jeter rather than performance. Instead of Bryant, TA probably deserved that honor, but other than that, not too much to quibble about on there.
In addition, this afternoon I took part in a 5-on-5 roundtable, with a few other terrific writers over at ESPN.com. Here’s a sample of my responses, while I encourage you to check out the full piece.
1. On a 1-to-10 scale, how amazing was Rajon Rondo’s return in Game 3?
Brian Robb, Celtics Hub: 10. Sometimes injuries are embellished for dramatic effect, but any fan has to give Rondo plenty of accolades here. When you go from wondering whether a player season’s is over, to watching him captain his team to victory over a game’s crucial closing moments, that takes guts. It also is worthy of a perfect score.
2. On a 1-to-10 scale, how much will Rondo give the Celtics in Game 4?
Brian Robb, Celtics Hub: 5. Physically, Rondo will be clearly affected, but his mere presence on the floor will be crucial in Boston’s attempt to tie the series. His tempo, defensive pressure and overall explosiveness should remain intact despite the limited use of one limb. We won’t see any triple-doubles, but he’ll give Boston a chance to win.
3. On a 1-to-10 scale, how well did the Celtics and Heat play in Game 3?
Brian Robb, Celtics Hub: Celtics, 8. There was a bump in the road during second quarter, so this wasn’t a no-hitter. After halftime, however, Boston couldn’t have excelled much more on both ends of the floor. Heat, 5: Mediocre outings from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. A no-show by Chris Bosh. Lazy defensive rotations. Only sensational efforts from Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony kept things competitive.
4. On a 1-to-10 scale, how likely is it Boston will tie the series Monday?
Brian Robb, Celtics Hub: 8. Boston was rejuvenated Saturday night thanks to a throwback effort by Garnett and a gritty return by Rondo. Their biggest problems against the Heat (offense and turnovers) are eased in the friendly confines of the Garden. Miami will have a strong counter prepared, but the C’s will be ready for it.
5. On a 1-to-10 scale, how likely is it Boston will win the series?
Brian Robb, Celtics Hub: 3. Barring an unlikely four-game winning streak, the Celtics best chance of winning the series involve winning a Game 7 in hostile territory. The Celtics’ core is 1-9 in these potential road closeout games over the past three postseasons. A victory this year in such a scenario is still certainly possible, but far from probable.
Ryan’s back at you with the open thread in a bit.
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