NEW YORK, May 23 (UPI) -- League MVP LeBron James of the Miami Heat highlighted the all-defensive team announced Wednesday by the NBA.
Orlando center Dwight Howard joined James on the first-team unit, along with Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka and guards Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and Tony Allen of Memphis.
New York center Tyson Chandler had previously been named the NBA's defensive player of the year, but he wound up on the all-defense second team as voted by the league's 30 head coaches.
It was the first time in 17 years the NBA's defensive player of the year had not made the first team. Denver center Dikembe Mutombo earned that dubious distinction in 1995.
The second team included forwards Kevin Garnett of Boston and Luol Deng of Chicago and guards Rajon Rondo of Boston and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.
