Noah Named 1st Team All-Defense, While Butler Makes 2nd Team
(CBS) Bulls center Joakim Noah was named to the NBA's all-defensive first team following a season in which he was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year, while wing Jimmy Butler made the second team.
Noah amassed a league-best 223 points in the voting, including 105 first-team votes out of 123 voters and another 13 for the second team. Pacers forward Paul George was the closest finisher to Noah, registering 161 points and 65 first-team votes. Clippers guard Chris Paul, Warriors wing Andre Iguodala and Thunder forward Serge Ibaka also made the first team.
Noah averaged 11.3 rebounds (sixth-best in NBA) and 1.51 blocks (12th best) and was widely considered one of the league's premier pick-and-roll defenders. The Bulls held opponents to a field-goal percentage of .430, second-best in the NBA.
Butler was joined on the second team by Heat forward LeBron James, Rockets guard Patrick Beverley, Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and Pacers center Roy Hibbert.
Butler averaged 1.9 steals per game and regularly guarded the opposing team's best perimeter player.
Bulls forward Taj Gibson and guard Kirk Hinrich were among those who also received votes in the selection of the all-defensive teams.
It was the second straight year Noah made the all-defensive first team.