"76ers swingman Andre Iguodala, who in this opening-round series against the Miami Heat has guarded both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, finished eighth in the NBA's defensive player of the year voting, the league announced on Monday.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard earned his third straight title as defensive player of the year, snagging 114 of the 120 first-place votes.

Iguodala received no first-place votes, five second-place votes, and 14 third-place votes from a panel of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters.

"To me, he's a top-five defender," Sixers coach Doug Collins said Monday night before Game 2. "But we don't do a lot of campaigning, I don't think. Probably not enough for our guys, but I think he's as good a perimeter defender as there is in the league."

Iguodala started Monday night's game guarding James, but the Sixers' game plan called for him to guard either James or Wade in the fourth quarter, depending on which star held possession most often."