Here’s the problem with nitpicking the All-NBA teams — there are no bad players on any of the first three.
You can argue if you want (and as I would) that LaMarcus Aldridge deserves a spot on the third team more than Carmelo Anthony or Dirk Nowitzki, but that doesn’t make the guys on the list bad picks. I would have had Steve Nash ahead of Rajon Rondo. It’s just a difference of opinion, but you can defend any of these pick.
Well, you can’t defend every vote. I’d love to hear the justification of the media member that voted for Luis Scola or David Lee or Serge Ibaka on to one of these teams (they all got votes). Those are all just bad calls. But most voters (coaches, or whichever assistant they forced to do it) were sober enough not to make those choices.
As it should be, LeBron James and Kevin Durant were the top two vote getters. Dwight Howard edged out Andrew Bynum for the top center spot (it shouldn’t have been that close, Howard is still quite a bit ahead of Bynum’s game), and it’s hard to argue the L.A. backcourt tandem.
Derrick Rose did not make the list, but that was about injuries not play.
Here are the lists, with their vote totals in parenthesis:
All-NBA First Team
Forward: LeBron James, Miami (596)
Forward: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (591)
Center: Dwight Howard, Orlando (476)
Guard: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (568)
Guard: Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers (484)
All-NBA Second Team
Forward: Kevin Love, Minnesota (365)
Forward: Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers (170)
Center: Andrew Bynum, L.A. Lakers (400)
Guard: Tony Parker, San Antonio (367)
Guard: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City (239)
All-NBA Third Team
Forward: Carmelo Anthony, New York (154)
Forward: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (136)
Center: Tyson Chandler, New York (60)
Guard: Dwyane Wade, Miami (235)
Guard: Rajon Rondo, Boston (142)
Other players receiving votes, with point totals: LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland, 55; Marc Gasol, Memphis, 52; Derrick Rose, Chicago, 44; Josh Smith, Atlanta, 33; Paul Pierce, Boston, 31; Al Jefferson, Utah, 30; Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers, 27; Steve Nash, Phoenix, 24; Kevin Garnett, Boston, 22; Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 18; Joe Johnson, Atlanta, 16; Deron Williams, New Jersey, 14; Rudy Gay, Memphis, 10; James Harden, Oklahoma City, 8; Luol Deng, Chicago, 5; Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 5; Manu Ginobili, San Antonio, 3; Danny Granger, Indiana, 3; Joakim Noah, Chicago, 3; Monta Ellis, Milwaukee, 2; Chris Bosh, Miami, 2; Luis Scola, Houston, 2; Marcin Gortat, Phoenix, 2; Paul Millsap, Utah, 2; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City, 2; David Lee, Golden State, 1; and DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento, 1.