Jordan, Malone Lead All-NBA Team
Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, picked so frequently for the All-NBA team that they're almost automatics, made it again Wednesday and were joined by three first-time choices.
Rookie of the Year Tim Duncan of San Antonio, Shaquille O'Neal of Los Angeles and Gary Payton of Seattle joined Chicago's Jordan and Utah's Malone, who were unanimous choices.
Jordan, who won his fifth MVP award this week, and Malone, the runner-up for that award, each received the maximum 580 points with the maximum 116 first-team ballots from a panel of writers and broadcasters across the United States and Canada. Each was picked on the first team for the 10th time.
Payton had 108 first-team votes and 561 points. O'Neal was picked for the first team on 103 ballots and had 544 points.
Duncan, the first rookie to make the team since Larry Bird in 1979-80, received 45 first-team votes and 370 points. Just three weeks past his 22nd birthday, he is the second youngest All-NBA pick in history, behind only Max Zaslofsky, who was 21 years and four months old when he was picked for the first All-NBA team in 1946-47.
The second team was composed of Detroit's Grant Hill (290) and Seattle's Vin Baker (269) at forward; San Antonio's David Robinson (332) at center; and Miami's Tim Hardaway (245) and Washington's Rod Strickland (173) at guard.
Picked for the third team were Chicago's Scottie Pippen (201) and Charlotte's Glen Rice(179) at forward; Atlanta's Dikembe Mutombo (80) at center; and Washington's Mitch Richmond (139) and Indiana's Reggie Miller (124) at guard.
Michael Jordan and Karl Malone were named to the All-NBA team on Wednesday and were joined by three first-time choices, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton.
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