All-Defense Teams were announced with Scottie Barnes left off the First Team despite expectations. Barnes finished with the sixth-most voting points, missing the First Team by 16 points. A defensive drop-off over the final two months likely influenced voters. Barnes took on more playmaking responsibility when starting point guard Immanuel Quickley missed time due to injuries. Barnes missed only one game but dealt with nagging injuries after the All-Star break. From March 1 to season end, Barnes posted a defensive rating of 111.7, compared with 109.4 before March 1. His stocks fell from 3.0 per game before March 1 to 2.6 after. He remained a strong defender, but the late-season decline was enough to affect First Team selection.
"His counting stats also dipped. Barnes went from averaging 3.0 stocks (steals + blocks) before March 1 to 2.6 stocks after. Let's be clear: Barnes was a defensive monster all year long. Still, the final quarter of the season represented a small step backward. That was enough for voters to decide he did not belong on the All-Defense First Team."
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