Knicks have no players receive a single 2023 All-Defense Team vote

On Tuesday afternoon, the NBA released the voting for the two All-Defense teams, and not a single Knicks player received a vote.

While the Knicks finished 18th in net defensive rating during the year, they also limited opponents to the least amount of points in the paint of any team during the regular season. They also had a few individual defenders grade out phenomenally, so the complete exclusion of Knicks players from the results is surprising.

If you look just at the five players in the Eastern Conference who made First-Team All-Defense, there are no real concerns.

Voting results for the 2022-23 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team ⬇️
Complete voting results available here: https://t.co/GC585WosCJ pic.twitter.com/2arHAPScWx
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 9, 2023

Despite Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein both grading out as good defenders, Brook Lopez was the best defensive center in the Eastern Conference, according to FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR metric.

Jrue Holiday also ranked as the 9th-best point guard according to RAPTOR, which is actually one spot below the Knicks’ Immanuel Quickley. Given that, Quickley receiving zero votes of any kind is the most egregious omission from the voting process.

Quickley was the 6th-best defensive point guard in the NBA according to RAPTOR, trailing Alex Caruso, former Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr., Delon Wright, Derrick White, and Jalen Suggs. All of those players received at least one vote aside from Quickley and Smith.

In some metrics, Quickley was actually the most impactful defender in the NBA. There was no defender in the NBA who had more of an impact on his team’s defense than Quickly.

The Knicks allowed 12 fewer points per 100 possessions with Quickley on the court as opposed to off. That was more than any other player in the entire NBA, including Draymond Green, who many think is the best defensive player in the league.

While Quickley shouldn’t make an All-Defensive team just because the Knicks’ defense is bad without him, his impact on the team’s defense and him ranking as the 9th-best point guard defender in the league warranted at least one vote.

It’s just another in a series of voting disappointments for Quickley, who also lost sixth-man of the year despite ranking better than winner Malcolm Brogdon in almost every metric.

While Quickley no doubt feels that he deserved to be recognized for his defense, it’s likely that all of his attention is being devoted to the Knicks’ Game 5 showdown with the Heat on Wednesday night as New York tries to stave off elimination.