Suns' Bell named to NBA’s All-Defensive Team

The sun is rising in the west these days, and there’s a snowstorm blanketing Arizona from Yuma to Apache Junction. Yes, the Suns are getting kudos for their defensive work. Raja Bell was the surprise winner of a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive first team Monday.

Bell finished fifth in the voting by NBA coaches with seven first-team votes and 11 second-team votes, good for 25 points.

“It’s high praise,” Bell said. “I’m very grateful. I never would have thought it ... It’s pretty cool.”

Excelling on defense is how he got to the NBA and started to earn minutes, Bell pointed out.

“It’s nothing you expect to get a whole lot of credit for,” he said. “It’s a dirty job.”

The results were unexpected on another front. Shawn Marion, who is generally considered the team’s top defender, finished 12th in the voting with five first-team votes and 15 points, missing both the first and second teams.

In an earlier, separate vote by media members, Marion finished No. 4 in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Marion, who in the past has been sensitive about perceived snubs, was gracious in accepting the results.

“It’s OK,” he said, “It happens some times.”

He praised Bell as “well deserving. Raja had a great year.”

D’Antoni pointed out the voting was close between a host of players and that he has a tough time when he casts his own vote.

“It’s 'Oh, gosh, I don’t know, I’ll pick that one,’” he said. “It’s so close. I don’t know why you vote for one guy over another.”

Bell called Marion “a great defender,” and said, “I don’t know the politics behind it. I definitely think Shawn should have made it.”

One factor favoring Bell over Marion is that coaches had to vote by position, and players regarded as top defenders usually play on the front line.

Bell, in response to a question, acknowledged his high-profile battles with Kobe Bryant have raised his profile as a defender.

“The bar is set so high” for Bryant that people now expect him to score 50, Bell said.

“So if he scores 40, everybody thinks you did a great job.”

The bottom line, though, is the Suns have two players recognized as top defenders.

“You don’t win 60-some games without playing defense,” D’Antoni said.

“We’re not the best. But we have very good defensive players, and we’re getting better.”

SUNS NO. 1?

With one more win by Golden State over Dallas, the Suns become the NBA’s top remaining team.

“We’re definitely watching it,” Amaré Stoudemire said of the Warriors-Mavericks series.

“Better them than us, for sure,” D’Antoni said of the Mavericks’ plight. But while taking over the No. 1 spot would be a great “side” story, the Suns coach cautioned, “Dallas is a long way from being out.

“We were there last year in the same position,” D’Antoni said, pointing to the Suns’ 3-1 deficit in Round 1.

BUMPS ’N BRUISES

Leandro Barbosa has a sore left elbow that seemed to affect him on his perimeter shooting Sunday.

Though Barbosa said the elbow is “stiff” with a bit of swelling, “It’s getting better,” and he hopes he’ll be OK for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Also, Marion has a black-and-blue left big toenail.

IT’S ALL TIMING

Bell’s wife Cindy is due to deliver a child in the upcoming days. Labor could be induced based on the Suns’ upcoming schedule.

“The kid has a lot going on right now,” Nash joked.