NEW YORK – Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen and Miami Heat forward LeBron James, winner of the 2012-13 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award, headline the 2012-13 NBA All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced today. Allen totaled 53 points overall and James tallied 52. Each player received 25 First Team votes.

Joining Allen and James on the NBA All-Defensive First Team are guard Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers (37 points, 15 First Team votes) and forward Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder (46 points, 17 First Team votes). Rounding out the First Team are centers Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks and Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, who tied with 24 points each while getting nine and eight First Team votes, respectively.

Allen was part of a Grizzlies defense that allowed a league-low 89.3 ppg. According to NBA.com/Stats, Memphis’ defensive rating with Allen on the floor was 94.3 points per 100 possessions compared with 101.1 points when he was on the bench. In winning his fourth MVP in five years, James led the Heat to a league-best 66-win season. On the defensive end, James recorded 17 games of at least three steals, and 10 games of at least two steals and two blocks.

Ibaka paced the league in blocks (3.03 bpg) for the second consecutive season, while Paul led in steals (2.41 spg) for the third straight year and the fifth time in last six seasons. Chandler and Noah anchored two of the league’s stingiest defenses, with the Knicks ranking seventh in opponent scoring (95.7 ppg) and the Bulls finishing third (92.9 ppg).

The NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of guards Avery Bradley of the Boston Celtics (10 First Team votes) and Mike Conley of the Grizzlies (four First Team votes), forwards Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs (three First Team votes) and Paul George of the Indiana Pacers (seven First Team votes), and center Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies (five First Team votes).

The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select NBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams by position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players from their own team.  Two points were awarded for a First Team vote and one point was awarded for a Second Team vote.

Attached are the results for the 2012-13 NBA All-Defensive Teams balloting. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP:

2012-13 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

Position              Player, Team                                   1^st           2^nd                         Points

Forward              LeBron James, Miami                       25           2                                52

Forward              Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City             17           12                             46

Center                 Tyson Chandler, New York              9             6                                 24

Center                 Joakim Noah, Chicago                      8             8                                  24

Guard                 Tony Allen, Memphis                       25           3                                    53

Guard                 Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers                  15           7                                    37

2012-13 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

Position              Player, Team                                   1^st           2^nd                         Points

Forward              Tim Duncan, San Antonio                3             14                              20

Forward              Paul George, Indiana                        7             13                               27

Center                 Marc Gasol, Memphis                       5             2                                 12

Guard                 Avery Bradley, Boston                     10           5                                   25

Guard                 Mike Conley, Memphis                    4             11                                 19

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Andre Iguodala, Denver, 16 (2); Larry Sanders, Milwaukee, 16 (4); Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City, 15 (2); Luol Deng, Chicago, 11 (1); Dwight Howard, L.A. Lakers, 9 (3); Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (6 (1); Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 6 (2); Kenneth Faried, Denver, 4 (1);  Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 4 (1);  Shane Battier, Miami, 2; Nicolas Batum, Portland, 2 (1); Corey Brewer, Denver, 2; George Hill, Indiana, 2; Mike James, Dallas, 2 (1); Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, 2, (1); Tony Parker, San Antonio, 2 (1); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 2; Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers, 2 (1); Eric Bledsoe, L.A. Clippers, 1; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City, 1;  Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia, 1; Andrei Kirilenko, Minnesota, 1; Iman Shumpert, New York, 1; David West, Indiana, 1