Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George — the three finalists for the 2018-19 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award — highlight the All-Defensive first team, announced Wednesday by the league.
They were joined by Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe.
Antetokounmpo, Gobert and George are repeat awardees; this is the first time on the All-Defensive team for Smart and Bledsoe.
Selected to the second team were guards Jrue Holiday of New Orleans and Klay Thompson of Golden State; center Joel Embiid of Philadelphia; and forwards Draymond Green of Golden State and Kawhi Leonard of Toronto.
This was Thompson’s first selection to an All-Defensive team. The others are repeat selectees.
