By: Jordan Vitkauskas

What a fabulous start to the  NBA playoffs, fans and analysts alike are in heavy debate over the end of the season awards. However, it’s time to give the grit and grind guys their due with my first-ever NBA All-Hustle teams.

This is for the guys who don’t get their proper due in box scores, rarely make ESPN with highlight plays, but are beloved by fans and their own teammates for doing the dirty work that wins games. I put together 10 names on a first and second team, just lie All-NBA gets selected: two guards, two forwards, and one center per group. I looked at a few things while making this list including NBA.com’s advanced player tracking for speed and distance, general NBA advanced hustle stats, and as always, the eye test while watching these guys play. Specifically, I targeted stats such as deflections, defended opponent field goal percentage, loose ball recoveries, miles ran per game, contested shots, box-outs, and a few others, but you get the point by now.

To help sort through unqualified guys, I limited the players available to those that played at least 40 total games and a minimum of 20 minutes per game. I’ll admit it’s not an exact science and I’m sure there are way more than 10 players worthy of these teams, but this is the best I could come up with on a late Thursday evening before the playoffs. Enjoy!

All-Hustle First Team

G: T.J. McConnell, Pacers

Key Stats: 1.9 spg (2nd in NBA), 79 loose balls recovered (1st in NBA), 3.6 deflections per game (T-2nd in NBA)

G: Matisse Thybulle, 76ers

Key Stats: 202 total deflections (3rd in NBA), 2.9 steals per 36 minutes (1st in NBA), 37.2% defended opponent field goal (1st in NBA)

F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

Key Stats: 69 loose balls recovered (T-7th in NBA), 1.2 blocks per game (T-14th in NBA), 42.7% defended opponent field goal, 170 screen assists, 124 deflections

F: Ben Simmons, 76ers

Key Stats: 3.5 deflections per game (T-4th in NBA), 1.6 spg (T-5th in NBA), 40.9% defended opponent field goal (T-9th in NBA), 2.36 miles per game

C: Bam Adebayo, Heat

Key Stats: 252 total boxouts (1st in NBA), 298 screen assists (6th in NBA), 3.7 contested three-pointers per game (10th in NBA), 1.2 steals per game

____

All-Hustle Second Team

G: Fred VanVleet, Raptors

Key Stats: 3.8 deflections per game (1st in NBA), 198 total deflections (6th in NBA), 2.76 miles per game (T-1st in NBA), 59 loose balls recovered

G: Dejounte Murray, Spurs

Key Stats: 1.5 steals per game (T-11th in NBA), 193 total deflections (7th in NBA), 59 loose balls recovered, 2.43 miles per game

F: Julius Randle, Knicks

Key Stats: 2.65 miles per game (T-7th in NBA), 75 loose balls recovered (4th in NBA), 538 c0ntested shots, 174 screen assists

F: Domantas Sabonis, Pacers

Key Stats: 403 screen assists (2nd in NBA), 2.7 miles per game (4th in NBA), 65 loose balls recovered (T-15th in NBA), 655 contested shots, 140 box outs

C: Brook Lopez, Bucks

Key Stats: 1,185 contested shots (1st in NBA), 186 box outs (12th in NBA), 1.5 blocks per game (9th in NBA), 147 screen assists

____

The bottom line with all of the players mentioned is that they go above and beyond for their teams each and every night, doing all of the little things that you don’t always see in a box score. They may not seem like much, but every loose ball, deflection, and good boxout adds up and goes a long way to helping attain a victory. Next time you’re watching an NBA game (especially with the playoffs starting) don’t watch the offensive iso or star player for each team. Instead, take a look at the guys providing those extra hustle plays that make the difference between winning and losing.

Just missed the cut: Kyle Lowry (TOR), Marcus Smart (BOS), Dillon Brooks (MEM), Alex Caruso (LAL), Robert Covington (POR), Draymond Green (GS), Rudy Gobert (UTAH).

____

All stats and %’s are as of 5/20/2021

All stats and notes are from NBA.com or Basketball-Reference unless stated otherwise.

Follow Jordan on Twitter: @jordan_v24.

Videos courtesy of The Ringer and NBA.com.