NBA Announces All-NBA, All-Defensive, and All-Rookie Teams

It's that time again folks. Time for the powers-that-be to name who they think are the best of the best players in the NBA. On Thursday the All-NBA teams, all-rookie, and all-defense teams were announced. Rather than make you search out each and every list we've been kind enough to include all three right here for your viewing pleasure.

It must be tough trying to decide who gets what; I don't envy the guys that have to make that choice. The good thing about it is that if they have a hard time deciding who to vote for they get to also name the really good, but not the best (second team) and the other really good guys (third team; All-NBA only).

Some of the following votes will make a lot of sense. Whether you love him or hate him you have to admit that LeBron James is the best in the game, followed very closely by Kevin Durant (All-NBA). If you've followed basketball this season you can't really argue with any of the All-Rookie teams either.

However, how the Defensive MVP Tyson Chandler ended up on the All-Defensive second team is kind of a mystery. So for better or for worse the All-NBA, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive teams are as follows:

All-NBA (number of votes)

First: LeBron James, Miami (596); Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (591); Dwight Howard, Orlando (476); Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers (568); Chris Paul, LA Clippers (484)

Second: Kevin Love, Minnesota (365); Blake Griffin, LA Clippers (170); Andrew Bynum, LA Lakers (400); Tony Parker, San Antonio (367); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City (239)

Third: Carmelo Anthony, New York  (154); Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (136); Tyson Chandler,  New York (60); Dwyane Wade, Miami (235); Rajon Rondo, Boston (142)

All-Rookie (number of points)

First: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland (58); Ricky Rubio, Minnesota (49); Kenneth Faried, Denver (46); Klay Thompson, Golden State (43); Iman Shupert, New York (40); Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio (40); Brandon Knight, Detroit (40)

Second: Chandler Parsons, Houston (33); Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento (27); MarShon Brooks, New Jersey (18); Derrick Williams (16); Tristan Thompson, Cleveland (16)

All-Defensive (number of points)

First: Lebron James, Miami (53); Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City (47); Chris Paul, LA Clippers (35); Tony Allen, Grizzlies (33); Dwight Howard, Orlando (41)

Second: Rajon Rondo, Boston (29); Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers (17); Tyson Chandler, New York (36); Luol Deng, Chicago (20); Kevin Garnett, Boston (26)

Article by Travis Pulver