Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (center) drives to the basket against Celtics guard Marcus Smart (left) and forward Jayson Tatum in Game 6 of their East semifinals series on May, 13 2022. Kamil Krzaczynski, Shutterstock Out/EPA-EFE
Boston Celtics star Marcus Smart and the Phoenix Suns' Mikal Bridges led the voting in the NBA's All-Defensive First Team for 2021-2022, the NBA announced on Friday.
Smart, who returned from injury to inspire the Celtics to a drubbing of the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals series on Thursday, topped the ballot with 99 first team votes, or 198 points.
Smart had already been crowned defensive player of the year.
Bridges was next on the voting with 95 first team votes.
The defensive starting line-up was completed by Utah's Rudy Gobert (76 votes), Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (63 votes) and Memphis's Jaren Jackson Jr.
Miami's Bam Adebayo topped the ballot for the league's all-defensive second team with 152 points, ahead of the Bucks' Jrue Holiday (89 points).
Philadelphia's Mattis Thybulle, Boston's Robert Williams and Golden State's Draymond Green completed the lineup.