LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Oklahoma City’s Paul George and Utah’s Rudy Gobert led the voting for the NBA’s Defensive team of the year, the NBA said Wednesday.
Antetokounmpo, Gobert and George were also the three finalists for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award after finishing with nearly identical point totals.
Gober, a center, was allotted 196 points, including 97 First Team votes, to make the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the third consecutive year while George, a forward, received 195 points (96 First Team votes).
Antetokounmpo who has led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals, had 193 points to make the defensive team for the first time.
Other members of the defensive team of the year are guards Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics and Eric Bledsoe of Milwaukee.
The winner of the 2018-19 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award will be revealed at the 2019 NBA Awards presented in Los Angeles on June 24.
Gobert is seeking to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second straight season.
