Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrate against the Orlando Magic on December 30, 2021. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday have been named to the 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive teams, the league announced Friday, May 20.
Antetokounmpo was named All-Defensive first team, while Holiday was named All-Defensive second team.
This marks the second consecutive season that Antetokounmpo and Holiday have earned All-Defensive team honors and the fourth consecutive season that the Bucks have had multiple players named All-Defense.
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Overall this is Antetokounmpo’s fifth NBA All-Defensive team selection, earning first team honors in each of the past four seasons in addition to a second team nod following the 2016-17 season. He was named the 2019-20 NBA Defensive Player of the Year during that stretch.
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 91 blocks this season, averaging 1.36 per game, which was good for 11th-best in the NBA. He also averaged 9.6 defensive rebounds per game, which was tied for third-most in the league.
Holiday has now been named All-Defense in four of the last five seasons, earning first team honors following the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons and second team selections after the 2018-19 and, now, 2021-22 campaigns. In his second season with the Bucks, Holiday averaged a team-high 1.6 steals per game (9th in NBA), swiping multiple steals in 34 of his 67 games played.
The complete 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive first team is:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Mikal Bridges, Phoenix Suns
- Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
- Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
The complete 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive second team is:
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
- Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
- Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia 76ers
- Robert Williams III, Boston Celtics
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The 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive Team was selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded two points for each vote to the NBA All-Defensive first team and one point for each vote to the second team.
Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.