June 2017 – Page 4 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Brandon Ingram named to All-Rookie Second Team

Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram has been named to the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team, it was announced today. This is the third consecutive season that a Laker has been honored with an All-Rookie team selection and Ingram is the fifth Laker in team history (Kobe Bryant and Travis Knight in 1996-97, Nick Van Exel in 1993-94 and D’Angelo Russell in 2015-16) to be awarded Second Team honors.

The second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft played in 79 games (40 starts) in 2016-17, averaging 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 28.9 minutes per game. He finished the year ranked eighth among rookies in points and 10th in rebounds, and was one of 10 American rookie and sophomore players selected by the league’s assistant coaches to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star 2017.

In 11 games played (11 starts) in March, Ingram notched 13.5 points (.517 FG%), 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Ingram continued his strong play in April, scoring in double-figures in 16 of his last 17 games played.

Joel Embiid and Dario Saric named to NBA All-Rookie First Team

The NBA announced today that Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and forward Dario Saric were named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie First Team as voted on by a panel of 130 sportswriters and broadcasters. The voting panel each selected five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position. Saric was a unanimous selection. He and Embiid are the first teammates to earn the recognition since Seattle’s Kevin Durant and Jeff Green in 2007-2008.

Embiid and Saric are the 13th and 14th players in franchise history to earn All-Rookie First Team honors. It’s also the fourth consecutive year a Sixers player has been named All-Rookie First Team. Only the Knicks have had a longer such streak, seeing a player named All-Rookie First Team in five consecutive seasons from 1964-68.

Embiid appeared in 31 games (all starts), averaging 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 25 minutes per game. He shot 47 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the free-throw line. He led all rookies in points, rebounds and blocks per game. His averages in points, rebounds and blocks per game were the highest of any NBA rookie since the Clippers’ Blake Griffin, who was named 2011 Rookie of the Year.

The Cameroon native scored 20 or more points 19 times in his rookie season, which was the most such performances among rookies. Embiid posted at least 20 points in 10 straight games from December 23-January 18, as he became the first rookie to score 20-plus in at least 10 consecutive contests since Griffin did so in 14 straight. He scored in double-figures in his first 15 career games and in 30 of his 31 games overall. He was one of six NBA rookies to score at least 10 points in 30 or more games in 2016-17.

Saric appeared in 81 games (36 starts), averaging 13 points, six rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes per game. He shot 41 percent from the field, 31 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the free-throw line. He led all qualified rookies in points per game and was second in field-goal and free-throw percentage.

The Croatian native scored 20 or more points 14 times in his rookie season, which was the second-most such performances among rookies. He scored in double-figures in 22 straight games between February 6 and March 24 – the longest streak by an NBA rookie in 2016-17 and the longest by a Sixers rookie since Allen Iverson scored 10-plus in 26 straight in 1996-97. His 50 overall games with at least 10 points led all rookies.

Yogi Ferrell named to All-Rookie Second Team

The NBA announced today that guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In 36 games (29 starts) with the Mavericks, Ferrell averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 29.0 minutes while shooting .412 from the field, .403 from behind-the-arc and .877 from the free throw line.

Ferrell (6-0, 180) originally signed a 10-day contract on Jan. 28 and helped the Mavericks to a 4-1 record during that stint including the sweep of a pivotal back-to-back at San Antonio (1/29) and vs. Cleveland (1/30). The Mavericks signed Ferrell to a multi-year contract on Feb. 7.

The 6-foot point guard out of Indiana scored a career-high 32 points (11-17 FGs, 9-11 3FGs, 1-2s FTs) and a team-high five assists at Portland (2/3) to become the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to score 30-plus points and also lead his team in assists. After connecting on nine 3-pointers at Portland, Ferrell tied the NBA’s rookie record for 3-pointers in a single game, originally set by the Mavericks’ own Roddy Beaubois (at GS, 3/27/10), and joined 2017 All-Stars Stephen Curry, James Harden and Isaiah Thomas as one of only four players to hit nine 3-pointers in a single game this season.

After his impressive February, the NBA named him Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

Marquese Chriss named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Phoenix Suns forward Marquese Chriss has been named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, the league announced today.

In his rookie campaign, Chriss averaged 9.2 points (8th among rookies) on 44.9 percent shooting (6th), 4.2 rebounds (5th), 0.85 blocks (3rd), 0.82 steals (7th) and 21.3 minutes while playing all 82 games. Chriss led all rookies in games started (75) and dunks (103). He was one of just two first-year players along with Joel Embiid to finish in the top 10 on the rookie leaderboard in scoring average, rebounds per game, blocks per game and steals per game. Showing his versatility, Chriss joined Jerry Stackhouse and Shane Battier as just the third rookie in NBA history to total at least 65 each of three-pointers made, blocks and steals.

The NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January, Chriss continued to elevate his game after the All-Star break, averaging 12.7 points on 49.8 percent shooting from the field and 36.0 percent from three-point range, 5.9 rebounds, a rookie-high 1.44 blocks and 0.92 steals during the season’s second half. For the season, the 8th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft recorded 29 double-digit scoring games, including six with 20-plus points topped by a career-high 27 points vs. Milwaukee on Feb. 4.

Patrick Beverley named to NBA All-Defensive First Team

Today, the NBA announced that Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley was named NBA All-Defensive First Team as selected by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. He is the fourth different player in franchise history to earn All-Defensive First Team honors and the first since Scottie Pippen in 1998-99. It is the second time Beverley has been named to an All-Defensive Team, having earned Second Team distinction in 2013-14.

Despite missing 15 games in 2016-17, Beverley still ranked tied for sixth in the league in charges taken and was third amongst guards. He was also one of eight players with at least 200 deflections and 100 loose balls recovered, and the only one to do so in fewer than 75 games played.

Beverley helped the Rockets rank fourth in 3-point defense in 2016-17 (opponents 34.3%) after Houston finished 21st in 2015-16 (opponents 36.1%). The Rockets were 26-5 when holding opponents below 33.3% shooting from behind-the-arc this past season.

Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green named to NBA All-Defensive Teams

The NBA today announced that Kawhi Leonard has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for the third consecutive season, while Danny Green has earned his first career honor by being selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team.

Leonard, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons, receives his fourth straight selection overall after being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2013-14. The only Spur to ever win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, Leonard is the first San Antonio player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in three straight seasons since Bruce Bowen earned five straight selections from 2003 to 2008.

The First Team All-NBA performer was one of three players in the league this season to record at least 130 steals and 50 blocks, along with Golden State’s Draymond Green and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, averaging 1.78 steals and 0.74 blocks. The sixth-year forward also averaged a career-highs of 25.5 points and 3.5 assists to go along with 5.8 rebounds in 33.4 minutes while shooting .485 (636-1,311) from the floor, .381 (147-386) from beyond the arc and a personal-best .880 (469-533) from the free throw line.

Draymond Green named to NBA All-Defensive First Team

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Defensive First Team, the league announced today. Green has been named to the All-Defensive First Team in each of the last three seasons, becoming the first player in Warriors history to earn three such honors.

Green, who was also named to the All-NBA Third Team this season, tallied averages of 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.38 blocks in 32.5 minutes over 76 games, while leading the league with a career-high 2.03 steals. The 6’7” forward became the first player to tally averages of at least 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block over the course of a season since blocks and steals were first recorded in 1973-74, while becoming the first player in Warriors history to total at least 150 steals and 100 blocks in a single campaign.

Buddy Hield named to NBA All-Rookie First Team

Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield was named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie First Team, the league announced today.

Selected out of Oklahoma with the sixth overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, Hield joined Sacramento in mid-February and finished the season scoring double-figures in 22 of the Kings 25 contests. The former Sooner standout accrued averages of 15.1 points (.480 FG%, .428 3pt%, .814 FT%), 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 29.1 minutes per game as a King, earning Rookie of the Month honors for games played in March. Overall, the 6-4 shooting guard registered 10.6 points (.426 FG%, .391 3pt%, .842 FT%), 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 23.0 minutes in playing all 82 contests during his rookie campaign, ranking third in scoring, fourth in 3-point and free throw percentage, eighth in field goal percentage and 11th in rebounding among all rookies.

Hield becomes the 16th player in Kings franchise history and the 11th during the Sacramento era to earn All-Rookie Team distinction, a list that includes teammate Willie Cauley-Stein (2015-16 All-Rookie Second Team).

Andre Roberson named to NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson was named to the 2016-17 NBA All-Defensive Second Team, it was announced today by the NBA.

In 79 games (all starts) this past season, Roberson averaged 6.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.19 steals and 1.00 block in 30.1 minutes per contest. His 1.00 block and 5.1 rebounds per game ranked third and 12th, respectively among perimeter players.

With Roberson on the floor this past season, the Thunder posted a 106.3 defensive rating, which would have ranked fifth best in the NBA. Oklahoma City’s defensive rating was 4.6 points per 100 possessions better when Roberson was on the floor.

According to ESPN’s Defensive RPM metric, Roberson ranked first among shooting guards with a DRPM of 2.64. DRPM estimates a player’s impact on team defense, measured in points allowed per 100 defensive possessions.

Chris Paul named to NBA All-Defensive First Team

The NBA announced today that L.A. Clippers point guard Chris Paul has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. This is Paul’s sixth consecutive year on the First Team and seventh overall time in his career, making him the 9th player in NBA history with at least seven career nods. He received 140 points, including 61 First Team votes.

Joining Paul on the NBA All-Defensive First team are forward Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, center Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, forward Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs and guard Patrick Beverley of the Houston Rockets.

Paul was third in the NBA in steals per game (1.95) this season. He has led the NBA in steals in six of the past 10 seasons. Paul was previously named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009 and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2011 and 2008.