The NBA’s third-best defensive team in the regular season has a representation of one on the NBA’s All-Defensive Team.
Celtics forward Al Horford was named to 2017-18 All-Defensive Second Team on Wednesday, becoming the first Boston forward or center to land on the All-Defensive Team since Kevin Garnett in 2012.
Here’s the full list of players on the First and Second teams:
FIRST TEAM
Jrue Holiday, Guard, New Orleans Pelicans
Victor Oladipo, Guard, Indiana Pacers
Robert Covington, Forward, Philadelphia 76ers
Anthony Davis, Forward, Pelicans
Rudy Gobert, Center, Utah Jazz
SECOND TEAM
Dejounte Murray, Guard, San Antonio Spurs
Jimmy Butler, Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves
Draymond Green, Forward, Golden State Warriors
Al Horford, Forward, Celtics
Joel Embiid, Center, Sixers
Celtics guards Marcus Smart (18 total votes; 5 first-team votes) and Jaylen Brown (16 total votes, 5 first-team votes) also received votes from the global panel of 100 sports media members.
Smart is regarded as one of the most tenacious defenders in the league, but injuries hurt his case this season, as the 24-year-old played in just 54 of the Celtics’ regular-season games.
Meanwhile, Horford earns the first All-Defensive Team nod of his career and becomes the first Celtics player to earn that distinction since Avery Bradley drew First-Team honors in 2016.
