In what has been the best year of Russell Westbrook‘s career, the Oklahoma City Guard continues to receive accolades for his accomplishments both on- and off-the-court. The NBA’s All-Defensive teams were announced on Wednesday afternoon but Westbrook was not included in either the first or second team.
Instead, he received 35 total points and fell just shy of being named one of the top four defensive guards in the NBA.
Unlike the All-Star team, these groups are awarded by position, with Tony Allen (Memphis) and Chris Paul (L.A. Clippers) being named to the first team, and Jimmy Butler (Chicago) and John Wall (Washington) being named to the second team.
Here are the full balloting results, as per USA Today’s Sam Amick (via Twitter):
Westbrook elevated his play in the absence of Kevin Durant all season long and won the All-Star game MVP and finished fourth overall in the season-long MVP race. On Tuesday, he was also named the NBA Cares Community Assist Award winner.
Thunder teammate Serge Ibaka, who missed the latter part of the season following knee surgery, also received votes and finished with a total of eight points.
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder