NBA.com readers chose Jesse D. Garrabrant's shot of Wallace blocking O'Neal as the 2005-06 Photo of the Year.
-- Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

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Oct. 13 -- This time, Goliath won.

Check that. Goliaths.

While the 5-9 guard scored a stunning upset in the 2006 Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest at 2006 All-Star in Houston, the Knicks' Nate Robinson couldn't leap over Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal in NBA.com's 2006 Photo of the Year contest.

Jesse D. Garrabrant's shot of the two pivotmen squeaked by Nathaniel S. Butler's shot of the airborne Robinson scaling 1986 dunk champ Spud Webb by the slimmest of margins -- 50.9 percent for Big Ben and Shaq to 49.1 percent for Nate.

(And because neither photo was taken in Florida, there will be no recount.)

Starting with Michael Jordan in 1997, the Photo of the Year winner had always been a swingman. Kobe Bryant leads all players with four wins, Vince Carter has three and Desmond Mason took the crown in 2001.

Yet, this year, thanks to the NBA.com readers, this shot marks a first in two ways.

One, this is Garrabrant's first win in the contest; and two, this is the first photo to feature a defensive play as a winner.

So, in this instance, defense does win championships.

Congratulations, Jesse and thank you, dot-com readers for voting.

1ST RD

QUARTERS

SEMIFINALS

CHAMPIONSHIP

SEMIFINALS

QUARTERS

1ST RD

38% 62% 51% 49% 72% 28% 65% 35%

61% 39% 32% 68%

67% 33%

68% 32%

67% 33% 33% 67%

20% 80% 86% 14% 66% 34% 31% 69%