PSO Rankings: Top Duos in the NBA

After missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, Lebron James is well-rested and ready to prove he’s still the best player in the world. Anthony Davis, 26, has averaged 27.5 points and 11.3 rebounds over the past three seasons and is entering the prime of his career. The second news broke of AD’s arrival to the Purple and Gold, the LBJ-AD combo became the most fearsome duo in the NBA.

Both coming off of career years, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hope to bring that success to a determined Clippers franchise. Leonard and George could be the best two-man defensive unit since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and offensively they bring plenty to the table as well. Each of them averaged at least 26 points on 52% eFG. The ‘Battle of LA’ will be exciting with these two superstar duos leading the way.

The most tenured duo on this list, the Splash Brothers have too strong of a resume to drop below No. 3. Their combined shooting excellence changed the way basketball is played in the modern era and Steph Curry was a two-time MVP before the addition of KD. If Klay Thompson comes back the same 3-and-D monster from years prior, they’ve got a compelling case to win the Western Conference.

By landing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets have a chance to overtake the Knicks as kings of the New York basketball landscape. Both players can score at will and are underrated playmakers, although Durant’s Achilles injury sets their title hopes back a year. When he returns in 2020, this duo can score with the best of them.

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons form a fierce two-man defensive unit with Embiid ruling the paint and Simmons shutting down opposing perimeter players. On the offensive end, Simmons is a special passing talent and Embiid demands a double-team nearly every time he touches the ball. If surrounded by three-point shooters, they could win the East.

By the end of next season, this duo could be No. 1 or No. 10 on this list and it wouldn’t really be that shocking either way. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are two of the leagues premier playmakers and both former MVP’s, but they’ll have to prove their fit amid defensive/scheme concerns and positional overlap.

It’s easy to think of the Bucks as a one-man wrecking ball with MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, but don’t forget Khris Middleton was an All-Star last season and is surely being paid like one now (5y/$177.5M). Middleton is the knockdown shooter between the two, while Giannis dominates the paint on offense and defense.

Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are certified scorers from every spot on the court, averaging a combined 46.8 PPG last season. If not for their counterparts in Golden State, the “best backcourt in the league” moniker might belong to them, and they’ve been able to mask their defensive deficiencies with a supporting cast of defensive stalwarts.

The youngest duo on this list, Jamal Murray, 22, and Nikola Jokic, 24, came within a few bounces of making it to the Western Conference Finals. Jokic is arguably the best passing big man in NBA history, and Murray’s scoring versatility compliments him perfectly. Expect big things from Denver in the coming years.

No two players are more different in playing styles than Donavan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Mitchell is an undersized dribble-drive scorer while Gobert is a rim-protecting 7-footer whose offense comes primarily from others. With an upgraded roster surrounding them, Mitchell and Gobert could take their games to the next level, and move up this list in the process.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, Lebron James is well-rested and ready to prove he’s still the best player in the world. Anthony Davis, 26, has averaged 27.5 points and 11.3 rebounds over the past three seasons and is entering the prime of his career. The second news broke of AD’s arrival to the Purple and Gold, the LBJ-AD combo became the most fearsome duo in the NBA.

Both coming off of career years, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hope to bring that success to a determined Clippers franchise. Leonard and George could be the best two-man defensive unit since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and offensively they bring plenty to the table as well. Each of them averaged at least 26 points on 52% eFG. The ‘Battle of LA’ will be exciting with these two superstar duos leading the way.

By landing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets have a chance to overtake the Knicks as kings of the New York basketball landscape. Both players can score at will and are underrated playmakers, although Durant’s Achilles injury sets their title hopes back a year. When he returns in 2020, this duo can score with the best of them.

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons form a fierce two-man defensive unit with Embiid ruling the paint and Simmons shutting down opposing perimeter players. On the offensive end, Simmons is a special passing talent and Embiid demands a double-team nearly every time he touches the ball. If surrounded by three-point shooters, they could win the East.

By the end of next season, this duo could be No. 1 or No. 10 on this list and it wouldn’t really be that shocking either way. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are two of the leagues premier playmakers and both former MVP’s, but they’ll have to prove their fit amid defensive/scheme concerns and positional overlap.

The most tenured duo on this list, the Splash Brothers have too strong of a resume to drop below No. 3. Their combined shooting excellence changed the way basketball is played in the modern era and Steph Curry was a two-time MVP before the addition of KD. If Klay Thompson comes back the same 3-and-D monster from years prior, they’ve got a compelling case to win the Western Conference.

It’s easy to think of the Bucks as a one-man wrecking ball with MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, but don’t forget Khris Middleton was an All-Star last season and is surely being paid like one now (5y/$177.5M). Middleton is the knockdown shooter between the two, while Giannis dominates the paint on offense and defense.

Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are certified scorers from every spot on the court, averaging a combined 46.8 PPG last season. If not for their counterparts in Golden State, the “best backcourt in the league” moniker might belong to them, and they’ve been able to mask their defensive deficiencies with a supporting cast of defensive stalwarts.

The youngest duo on this list, Jamal Murray, 22, and Nikola Jokic, 24, came within a few bounces of making it to the Western Conference Finals. Jokic is arguably the best passing big man in NBA history, and Murray’s scoring versatility compliments him perfectly. Expect big things from Denver in the coming years.

No two players are more different in playing styles than Donavan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Mitchell is an undersized dribble-drive scorer while Gobert is a rim-protecting 7-footer whose offense comes primarily from others. With an upgraded roster surrounding them, Mitchell and Gobert could take their games to the next level, and move up this list in the process.