When you got guys like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Damian Lillard capable of dropping 40 on any given night, it’s easy for more defensive-minded guys to fall under the radar.
Nowadays, scoring is everything, and guys who can put the ball through the net are usually going to secure the bag.
Still, defense is important, and the best defenders in the game make an enormous impact on that end of the floor for their team.
With the MVP, Sixth Man, and other annual awards out of the way, the NBA finally announced the All-Defensive teams for this season, and it includes some truly stellar talent:
The 2020-21 NBA All-Defensive First Team:
🏀 Giannis Antetokounmpo
🏀 Rudy Gobert
🏀 Draymond Green
🏀 Jrue Holiday
🏀 Ben Simmons pic.twitter.com/ZlflnyWlLR
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 14, 2021
2020-21 NBA All-Defensive teams:
First team: Rudy Gobert, Ben Simmons, Draymond Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday
Second team: Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Matisse Thybulle, Kawhi Leonard
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 14, 2021
Kawhi, Gobert, Embiid, Draymond, Butler, and Giannis are regulars on this list, and it’s no surprise to see them earn the honor again.
Other names, like Bam, Thybulle, and Holiday aren’t as decorated — though just as deserving as the others.
In a league where defensive intensity is so heavily criticized, and seemingly lacking, these guys are proof that high-quality defensive play is still alive and well in the game today.
It gives hope for the future that, with more time, we’ll see some more of that grit we saw during the 90s and 2000s.
Either way, we should appreciate what they bring to the table.
