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The 2019/20 NBA season has seen a lot of consistently dominant performances from different stars. There are MVP favourites like Milwaukee Bucks’s Giannis Antetekoumpo, LeBron James of LA Lakers and then there are players like Luka Doncic of Dallas Mavericks and Jayson Tatum of Boston Celtics who have taken an All-star jump this year.
However, there have also been multiple duos who have ensured that their team comes out on top in key moments. We take a look at some of these dominant duos who have taken the NBA by storm this season-
Top five NBA duos for the 2019/20 NBA season
#1 - Anthony Davis & LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers duo has been on a tear this NBA season. LeBron James leads the leagues in assists (10.6 assists per game) and Anthony Davis is third in blocks per games (2.4). Additionally, the pair also took care of the Lakers scoring with LeBron James averaging 25.7 points per game and Anthony Davis leading the scoring for the LA team with 26.7 points per game.
The reason why this tandem works so perfectly for head coach Frank Vogel and LA Lakers is simple- LeBron James takes the responsibility of creating shots for his teammates using his world-class vision and Anthony Davis is responsible for the defensive stability and rebounding of the team. The James to Davis lobs has made the fans compare the pair to legendary Lakers duo point guard Magic Johnson and centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the showtime era Lakers. The Lakers sit at the top of the western conference standings ahead of their city rivals the LA Clippers.
However, it would be interesting to see if the brace can win the NBA championship with the LA Lakers this year.
#2 - Kawhi Leonard & Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
Last offseason, when the LA Lakers traded for Anthony Davis, the Clippers responded by blockbuster trades for Kawhi Leonard from Toronto Raptors and Paul George from Oklahoma City Thunder. Kawhi Leonard won the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors last year and Paul George was already a part of a superstar duo with Russell Westbrook at OKC Thunder.
Kawhi Leonard has been phenomenal for the Clippers, averaging a career-high in assists while being solid defensively and leading the team in scoring with 26.9 points per game.
On the other hand, swingman Paul George had a shaky start to his LA Clippers career due to injury problems but he picked up from where he left off last year once he was back healthy. George was a NBA MVP contender last year while playing for OKC Thunder.
A talented three-point shooter and accomplished wing defender, Paul George has averaged 21 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4 assists per game for the Clippers. The Kawhi-George tandem is a nightmare for opposition perimeter players.
Coach Doc Rivers would be expecting the duo to shine throughout the playoffs and deliver the first NBA championship for the LA Clippers.
#3 - Russell Westbrook & James Harden, Houston Rockets
There were doubts initially whether Westbrook fit in well with a ball-dominant guard like Harden. Both the players like to handle the ball and run the offence. Thanks to coach Mike D’Antoni’s small-ball experiment, the former OKC teammates have not only proved to be a good fit together, but the Rockets thrive when the two stars are on the court together.
The small lineup has allowed Westbrook to take advantage of his athleticism and drive into the lane which has had a direct effect on his scoring- He is averaging 27.5 points per game, his highest since 2016-17. On the other hand, despite sharing the ball with Westbrook, James Harden is leading the league in scoring (again) with 34.4 points per game. Harden also has a team-high 7.4 assists, which proves he is still the hub of creativity for the team.
It’s safe to say that the Houston Rockets will be relying heavily on the two former MVPs if they are to win the NBA championship in the Orlando bubble.
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#4 - Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Coach Brett Brown has emphasized on size since taking over the Philadelphia 76ers. And it is visible on the basketball court, with a 6’10 Ben Simmons playing the point guard position. The Australian has had a phenomenal year, averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists and more importantly- a league-high 2.1 steals per game.
Ben Simmons is a dark horse candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. There is still criticism around his jump shot and three-point shooting but Simmons has masked that with impeccable defence.
Joel Embiid, on the other hand, has faced a relative drop from his last year form due to dealing with injury-related issues. He has still put up more than respectable numbers- 23.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He has been dominant in the paint on both the ends and has given the opposition centres a hard time all season.
#5 - Jayson Tatum & Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum was picked third by the Boston Celtics in the NBA draft in 2017. We saw flashes of his brilliance in the 2018 NBA playoffs, where the Brad Stevens coached Boston Celtics took the LeBron James led Cleveland Cavaliers to 7 games, eventually losing the last game and series 4-3 at home court. This year, Tatum took a NBA All-star jump averaging 23.6 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting close to forty per cent from three-point range.
Kemba Walker was brought in to replace the prolific point guard Kyrie Irving, and it is safe to say the Celtics were expecting more than just statistics from him. Kemba provides the young Celtics team invaluable leadership.
Kemba Walker has a reputation for playing well off the ball and he has risen to the challenge in Boston slotting in with other ball-dominant players. Despite that, Kemba has averaged 21 points and 5 assists per game. He has shot thirty-eight per cent from the three-point line and has had some clutch moments.
Coach Brad Stevens will be looking for these two to step up when the Boston Celtics face their eastern conference rivals in the NBA playoffs.
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