Jordan Bell is proving his worth to the Warriors at the perfect time in the team's latest postseason run. In a season where Bell was on Steve Kerr's bad side far too often, the second-year big man started Game 4 of the Western Conference finals and averaged 13.5 minutes per game in the series.
Throughout the regular season, however, Bell only averaged 11.6 minutes per game, down from 14.2 as a rookie. He only started three games all year. So, it came as quite the surprise to see Bell's name pop up when voting results were announced Wednesday for the NBA All-Defensive teams.
That's right, Bell received one vote by an unknown media member for the All-Defensive Second Team. Bell wasn't the only unusual name to see among Warriors receiving votes, too.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Steph Curry's defense is often overlooked, but he's far from basketball's elite when it comes to that side of the ball. And yet, the star point guard received a vote, not for the second team, but the first.
Curry twice has led the NBA in total steals, though this year his 92 were outside of the top 10. His 1.3 steals per game were also a career low. But Curry's 2.5 defensive win shares are up from his 1.9 from last season.
The two-time MVP wasn't the only Warriors top scorer to receive votes. While Kevin Durant is considered one of the top two-way players in the league when locked in, he's yet to make an All-Defensive team. That's still true, though he did receive four second-team votes.
Durant's 6.4 rebounds per game this season were his lowest as a Warrior and lowest since his rookie season. His 0.7 steals per game were the lowest of his career and his 1.1 blocks per game were his lowest since the 2014-15 season. But Durant's 2.9 defensive win shares were the exact same as last season when he was lauded for his defense.
Golden State Warriors
There's no doubt Andre Iguodala is one of the most respected defenders on the Warriors and the league as a whole. It's not a surprise when he's honored for his defense, but in this case, it's a bit of a shock that a media member would give him a second-team vote for a regular-season award.
[RELATED: KD continues feud with Broussard: 'U don't have my number']
In the playoffs, Iguodala could be right up there as a Defensive MVP. The Warriors know how valuable the veteran is in the postseason, which is why Kerr keeps his playing time down. Iguodala, 35, only played 23.2 minutes per game this year, the lowest of his 15-year career.
Voting for Iguodala understandably is purely out of respect. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson earned their way onto the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The other four Warriors receiving votes, however, are head-scratchers.