NBA: Spurs’ Leonard unanimous pick for All-Defensive Team
San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard (2) blocks the shot of Toronto Raptors’ Terrence Ross (31). AP FILE
NEW YORK, United States — NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs was a unanimous selection to the 2015-16 NBA All-Defensive First Team announced Wednesday.
The 24-year-old US forward was the only player to receive all 130 votes onto the elite squad from a media poll.
Also on the All-Defensive top lineup was forward Draymond Green of the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, center DeAndre Jordan and guard Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and guard Avery Bradley of the Boston Celtics.
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Paul was named to the squad for the fifth consecutive season, and became only the 12th player in NBA history to make his sixth such team overall. Leonard, Green and Jordan made the team for the second season in a row, while Bradley was honored for the first time.
The All-Defensive Second Team included forwards Paul Millsap of the Atlanta Hawks and Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, center Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat and guards Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies and Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls.
Leonard helped the Spurs hold opponents to a league-low 92.9 points a game and was the first non-center to earn the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in back-to-back seasons since Dennis Rodman a quarter-century ago.
Leonard averaged 1.78 steals, 5.5 defensive rebounds and a career-high 1.0 blocked shots a game.
Green ranked fifth in the NBA in total defensive rebounds with 635 and averaged 1.47 steals and 1.40 blocked shots for the Warriors.
The Clippers, behind Jordan and Paul, and the Celtics, behind Bradley, tied the Warriors for fourth in the NBA in defensive rating. Bradley averaged a career-high 1.54 steals.
Jordan led the NBA in defensive rebounding with 10.3 a game and ranked second in blocked shots with 2.3 a game. Paul was tied for third in steals with 2.05 a game.
