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Yes, good news! The NBA released it's All-Defensive First Team today, and Serge Ibaka was justly rewarded with a spot. The full roster is as follows....
Of course, he wasn't considered the overall top defensive player. That honor went to the Bulls Joakim Noah back on April 22nd. Some might think it just, but really, Noah is in a much more rigid and rehearsed defensive system. Ibaka is more like a defender who had to make his own fortune. Serge makes his mark on energetic highlight plays rather than a team reputation.
That being said, Ibaka does have some defensive flaws. He generally has to cover for somebody more athletic or inexperienced than him in the paint, so he's caught sagging off of his man a lot. Furthermore, he's not the greatest at defending back to the basket players, as you'll see Kendrick Perkins take those assignments more often. Beyond those two major things, it's hard to fault Ibaka for much, though.
What do you think? Should Ibaka have been the DPOY, or was a first team selection appropriate?
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