NEW YORK - May 12, 2005 - Detroit Pistons’ center Ben Wallace, recently named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, led the voting for the 2004-05 NBA All-Defensive Teams, the NBA announced today.
Wallace, who is making his fourth consecutive appearance on the All-Defensive First Team, is joined on the First Team by Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who was named to the All-Defensive First Team for the sixth consecutive season; San Antonio Spurs’ Bruce Bowen and Tim Duncan, making their fifth and eighth consecutive All-Defensive Team appearances, respectively; and Larry Hughes of the Washington Wizards, who makes his first career appearance on NBA All-Defensive Team.
A three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Wallace finished the 2004-05 regular season ranked second in rebounding (12.2 rpg) and total blocks (176) and fifth in blocks per game (2.38). Garnett ranked first in rebounding (13.5 rpg) and first in double-doubles (69) this season, while averaging 1.48 steals and 1.37 blocks. Bowen and Duncan helped the Spurs hold opponents to a league-low 88.4 points per game, led by Bowen’s stifling one-on-one defense and Duncan’s 2.64 blocks per game (3rd in the NBA). Hughes recorded 2.89 steals per game, becoming the first player to top 2.85 steals per game since Gary Payton in 1995-96.
The NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince (21 points) and guard Chauncey Billups (17 points), Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby (21 points), Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko (17 points), New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (16 points). Prince, Billups, Camby and Wade are all making their first appearance on the All-Defensive Team, while Kidd makes his seventh appearance and Kirilenko his second.
The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team. Two points were awarded for a First Team vote and one point was awarded for a Second Team vote.Below are the results for the 2004-05 NBA All-Defensive Teams: 2004-05 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
2004-05 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses):
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami, 16 (3); Allen Iverson, Philadelphia, 14 (6); Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, 12 (3); Shawn Marion, Phoenix, 9 (4); Manu Ginobili, San Antonio, 9; Rasheed Wallace, Detroit, 8 (1); Kenyon Martin, Denver, 6; Tony Parker, San Antonio, 5 (2); Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 5 (2); Shane Battier, Memphis, 4; Andre Miller, Denver, 4 (1); Tyson Chandler, Chicago, 3; Trenton Hassell, Minnesota, 3 (1); Kirk Hinrich, Chicago, 3; Joe Johnson, Phoenix, 3; Earl Watson, Memphis, 3 (1); Udonis Haslem, Miami, 2; Tracy McGrady, Houston, 2; Josh Howard, Dallas, 2 (1); Joel Przybilla, Portland, 2; Desmond Mason, Milwaukee, 2; Brevin Knight, Charlotte, 2; Vince Carter, New Jersey, 1; P.J. Brown, New Orleans, 1; Mickael Pietrus, Golden State, 1; Kurt Thomas, New York, 1; Jeff Foster, Indiana, 1; Greg Buckner, Denver, 1; Gilbert Arenas, Washington, 1; Gary Payton, Boston, 1; Emeka Okafor, Charlotte, 1; Eddie Jones, Miami, 1; Clifford Robinson, New Jersey, 1; Brendan Haywood, Washington, 1; Anthony Johnson, Indiana, 1; Andres Nocioni, Chicago, 1; Amaré Stoudemire, Phoenix, 1.