Predicting All-NBA Team Awards

Now that the NBA awards have begun to be revealed, there is little suspense left as far as the post-season awards go.

Dwight Howard won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Scott Brooks won the Coach of the Year, and Aaron Brooks won Most Improved Player, none of which were exactly a surprise.

Soon will see Tyreke Evans win Rookie of the Year, Jamal Crawford win the Sixth Man Award, and LeBron James win the Most Valuable Player.

The only suspense left has to do with the All-NBA teams, the All-Rookie teams, and the All-Defensive teams.

Here are my best guesses for the All-NBA teams. I hope you enjoy it, if you have other ideas (as you probably do) let me hear them in the comments.

Firstst Team All-NBA

G Dwayne Wade

G Kobe Bryant

C Dwight Howard

F LeBron James

F Kevin Durant

This was a pretty easy first team to compile, and I think few would disagree with it.

My biggest problem with it would be the fact that the Thunder are eighth place, and a team that low usually doesn't get anyone on the first team. However, with the parity of the West and the star power of Durant, I think that will be a pretty easy decision.

Kobe hasn't quite been his usual self, but he is still the greatest (but not the best) player in the game.

Wade has led the Heat to the fifth seed pretty much by himself.

Second Team

G Steve Nash

G Deron Williams

C Amare Stoudemire

F Dirk Nowitzki

F Carmelo Anthony

This was a pretty easy decision also. All of these players come from top five teams and are All-Stars.

Nash and Williams' teams would be little without their leadership, Anthony has asserted himself as a top player in the league (at least enough to get a lot of whistles), and Dirk continues to be a superstar on the Mavs.

Stoudemire was arguably the MVP post All-Star break.

Third Team

G Joe Johnson 

G Rajon Rondo

C Tim Duncan

F Chris Bosh

F Pau Gasol

Here I bend the rules a bit. Despite being a center in all but name, Duncan continues to be listed as a forward.

There are a couple guys I have a hard time not putting on here, but it's hard to knock any of these guys off.

Perhaps Bosh because of his team not making the playoffs, and his injury problems.

Gasol has been one of the top secondary players in the NBA, and plays for the top seeded Lakers.

Rondo has had a coming-out year, leading the Celtics to homecourt in the playoffs.

Johnson has led the continually-improving Hawks, and Duncan has been boringly solid as usual.

Fourth (runners-up) Team

G Brandon Roy

G Derrick Rose

C Andrew Bogut

F Carlos Boozer

F Josh Smith

Roy undoubtedly would have had to have a spot if he didn't miss so many games due to injury.

Rose will surely spend many years on All-NBA teams, just not quite yet.

Bogut deserves recognition for his career season before his unfortunate injury. Boozer put up good numbers, but you've got to factor in the facts that he has a great point guard, is in a contract year, and gets away with more pushing, shoving, and in-the-lane violations than just about any other player in the NBA.

Josh Smith's growth has been vital in the improvement of the Atlanta Hawks, and he has been one of the better defensive players this year.

This won't be as big of a snub as missing the All-Star game, but he will probably be passed over in favor of Bosh and Gasol, who both probably deserve a spot anyway.