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Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe named to All-Defensive First Team

By Adam McGee

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 25: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Eric Bledsoe #6 of the Milwaukee Bucks walk to the bench during a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum on January 25, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 25: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Eric Bledsoe #6 of the Milwaukee Bucks walk to the bench during a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum on January 25, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe have both been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for the 2018-19 season.

The Milwaukee Bucks may have been left licking their wounds on Wednesday following their series-tying, Game 4 defeat to the Toronto Raptors, but there was at least some good news for the franchise, and two of the stars they’ll need to bounce back.

As the NBA continues its gradual roll-out of its annual awards teams, which started with the unveiling of the All-Rookie teams on Tuesday, the announcement of the All-Defensive teams brought cause for celebration for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe.

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Not only were Antetokounmpo and Bledsoe selected among the top-10 defensive players over the course of the season, but they went one better as both were selected to the All-Defensive First Team.

Antetokounmpo was previously selected to the second team in 2017, before then being snubbed last year, while this marked Bledsoe’s first selection for an All-Defensive Team.

The news won’t necessarily come as a surprise to anyone, for a variety of reasons.

Antetokounmpo’s versatile defense combines smothering cover in one-on-one situations, and on the perimeter, with dominant rim protection, and has already seen him revealed as one of the three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year, along with Rudy Gobert and Paul George.

Meanwhile, at the point guard position, Bledsoe has frequently been tasked with many of the NBA’s toughest covers on a nightly basis, and has dramatically improved his defensive consistency over the course of the season. Long touted as someone capable of being one of the best defenders in the NBA, under Mike Budenholzer’s guidance, Bledsoe has finally put that together.

Of course, Bledsoe and Antetokounmpo acted as core pieces of the defense Budenholzer built in his first season in Milwaukee, which also finished the regular season as the league’s best in terms of defensive rating (104.9).

The rest of the All-Defensive First Team was rounded out by Boston’s Marcus Smart, Oklahoma City’s Paul George, and Utah’s Rudy Gobert. Meanwhile, the All-Defensive Second Team consisted of New Orleans’ Jrue Holiday, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard, Golden State’s Draymond Green, and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid.

Among other Bucks, Malcolm Brogdon received two votes (two for Second Team), while Brook Lopez received one (also Second Team). That leaves Lopez with major reason to feel aggrieved. Lopez was always going to face a near impossible task to make the team due to positional restrictions, but he was the fulcrum of Milwaukee’s outstanding defense and one of the league’s very best rim protectors throughout the year.

Ironically, these announcements come hot on the heels of one of the Bucks’ very worst defensive performances of the season, and really awful defensive nights for Antetokounmpo and Bledsoe individually.

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Milwaukee will be hoping they can rediscover the form that earned them this honor in time for Thursday’s crucial Game 5 against Toronto.

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