Apr 07, 2022 - 01:27
By nbcsports.com

2022 PBT Awards: All-Defense

Kurt Helin

First team

Guard: Marcus Smart (Celtics)

Guard: Mikal Bridges (Suns)

Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)

Forward: Bam Adebayo (Heat)

Center: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)

Second team

Guard: Patrick Beverley (Timberwolves)

Guard: Matisse Thybulle (76ers)

Forward: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)

Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors)

Center: Robert Williams (Celtics)

Bam Adebayo is technically a center, but in an effort to get the most deserving defenders on first team I moved him to forward next to Rudy Gobert. It was also close between Mike Bridges and Matisse Thybulle for first team at guard, but Bridges plays more minutes and his team leaned on him more this season, so he gets the nod.

There were three tough calls for me. First, what to do with Draymond Green, who was the best defender in the league for half the season but missed a lot of games. Ultimately, I couldn’t leave him off and call it a fair representation of the best defenders. Second, Patrick Beverley vs. Fred VanVleet for the final guard spot, but I leaned Beverley because of how much he changed the defensive culture in Minnesota. The final tough one was Robert Williams vs. Joel Embiid for the final center spot, and that was almost a coin flip. Williams got the nod because he was so critical to the best defense in the NBA for much of the season.

Dan Feldman