Chicago Bulls centre Joakim Noah and Oklahoma City shot-blocker Serge Ibaka were among five players named on Monday to the 2013-14 NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Indiana forward Paul George, Golden State swingman Andre Iguodala and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul were also voted onto the select squad by a North American media panel.
Noah, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, ranked sixth in the NBA with 11.3 rebounds a game and added 1.51 blocked shots and 1.24 steals a game.
Sparked by Noah’s efforts, the Bulls kept opponents to 43 percent shooting accuracy from the field, the second-lowest mark in the NBA this past season.
Paul led the NBA in steals for the fourth season in a row and sixth time in his career with 2.48 swipes a game, earning a place on the all-defensive team for the fourth time in his career.
Ibaka, a Congolese-born Spaniard, ranked third in the NBA with 2.47 blocked shots a game.
George ranked fifth in the NBA with 1.89 steals a game and was the only NBA player with 1.8 steals and at least 6.5 rebounds a game.
Iguodala averaged 1.50 steals a game for Golden State, who finished 10th in points allowed in the NBA last season after placing 19th in the prior campaign.
Noah received 223 votes to 161 for George, 156 for Paul, 152 for Ibaka and Angeles Clippers and 148 for Iguodala.
LeBron James, who will lead the Miami Heat in search of a third consecutive NBA title when the best-of-seven championship series opens Thursday in San Antonio, leads the All-Defensive Second Team.
James was joined on the second team by Houston guard Patrick Beverley, Chicago guard Jimmy Butler, San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard and Indiana’s Roy Hibbert.
