All-NBA picks: Jayson Tatum edges Jalen Brunson for First Team, plus All-Defense and All-Rookie selections

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A month ago, even a few weeks ago, the All-NBA First Team picks seemed to be in ink. Now? It’s going to be hard to stick Jalen Brunson on the second team after he just led the Knicks to five straight wins to close out the season and the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, notably one spot higher than Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks. Should that be enough for Brunson to supplant Giannis on the First Team when Giannis has been a high-end MVP candidate all season? 

Perhaps Brunson should’ve been higher on that MVP list all along, and perhaps he will be when voting becomes official. Over the season’s final two weeks, Brunson averaged 36 points and went for 40-plus three times, including 43 in the win over Giannis and the Bucks that proved to be the difference in the second seed, on 49/41 shooting splits.

If Antetokounmpo is safe on the First Team, along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and likely MVP Nikola Jokic, that leaves Jayson Tatum as the potential off man out if Brunson is going to get the First-Team nod. Among our CBS writers, there was disagreement here. Personally, I still had Tatum on the First Team with Brunson falling to the second — and enough of my colleagues agreed with me to keep the Celtics star on our First Team. It doesn’t feel right, but it doesn’t feel right not rewarding SGA with an MVP trophy for the season he just put together.

There are too many great players these days. Somebody always gets slighted. For me, Tatum’s defense is the thing that separates him and Brunson, even if the value Brunson has to the Knicks, in the context of that organization and its place in the league, is arguably greater, or at least has been greater this season. But others disagree. 

In addition to our staff All-NBA picks, we have also selected our First and Second team All-Defense and All-Rookie teams, all of which are below. Have a look. Let us know what you…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/all-nba-picks-jayson-tatum-edges-jalen-brunson-for-first-team-plus-all-defense-and-all-rookie-selections/

Author : Brad Botkin

Publish date : 2024-04-16 15:00:37

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