NBA All-Defensive Teams: How it Should Have Gone Down

The NBA defensive awards were fairly accurate. I do, however, have some changes I wish to make to that team.

This is what actually happened in 2008:

2007-08 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM  

Position	Player, Team	1st	2nd	Points
Forward	Kevin Garnett, Boston	24	4	52
Guard	Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers	24	4	52
Center	Marcus Camby, Denver	14	9	37
Guard/F.	Bruce Bowen, San Antonio	13	10	36
Forward	Tim Duncan, San Antonio	12	9	33

2007-08 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Position	Player, Team	1st	2nd	Points
Forward	Shane Battier, Houston	9	11	29
Guard	Chris Paul, New Orleans	10	6	26
Center	Dwight Howard, Orlando	8	9	25
Forward	Tayshaun Prince, Detroit	3	14	20
Guard	Raja Bell, Phoenix	4	10	1

Not bad, I agree with most of it but in my opinion there need to be some changes:

TJ's 2007-08 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

Forward, Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics: 9.2 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 1.4 SPG

Forward/Center, Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: 14.2 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 1 SPG

Center, Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets: 13.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 3.6 BPG

Guard, Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers: 6.3 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.5 SPG (Defensive stats aren't fantastic, but we all know the MVP is a lock-downer)

Guard, Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets: 4 RPG, 2.77 SPG

Justifying Points:

• Garnett, defensive player of the year, obviously deserves to be here.

• Howard is an absolute beast. He times his blocks perfectly, and there is no player scarier to drive against, you know someone deserves to be on this list when they have some 8+ block games.

• Camby is a must, leading the league in blocks and winning the award last year.

• Bryant is a great defensive player, not to mention he is so good on offense, which you would think would take away from his defense.

• Chris Paul is one of the best defensive point guard in the league and led the NBA in steals.

TJ's 2007-08 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Forward, Bruce Bowen, San Antonio Spurs: 3 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG (Stats aren't everything; we all know what a lock-down defender Bowen is.)

Forward/Center, Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs: 11.3 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 2 BPG

Center, Tyson Chandler, New Orleans Hornets: 11.7 RPG, 0.6 SPG, 1.3 BPG

Guard, Shane Battier, Houston Rockets: 5.1 RPG, 1 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Guard, Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons: 2.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Justifying Points:

• Bowen, Battier and Duncan easily could have been on the first team. It was just difficult to fit them in.

• Chandler was one of the most improved players this year and one of the scariest players to drive at.

• Billups maybe shouldn't have made this list, but he is the best defensive stopper on one of the top defensive teams in the league. Also, he is the best lock-down point guard since Gary Payton.

People say defense wins championships. Is it odd that all these players made it past the second round of the playoffs, except for Battier and Camby? No. Defense DOES win championships, and these guys are living proof.

*Honourable Mentions* Dikimbe Mutumbo, Tayshaun Prince, Deron Williams, Raja Bell, Josh Howard, Jason Kidd and Chris Bosh