NBA 2020-21: Ranking the 5 best duos so far this season

#3 Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)

Embiid: PPG 26.4 RPG 11.3 APG 2.8 BPG 1.4 SPG 1.4

Simmons: PPG 12.2 RPG 9.2 APG 8.0 BPG 0.9 SPG 1.5

Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers look on in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have become a staple in top duo rankings in the association for a good reason. They have elevated the Philadelphia 76ers to a top contender in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid is arguably the best center in the league today and can dominate the paint area with his size and skill. He has been putting up MVP-caliber numbers these past few seasons but will have to dig deep and find that new dimension to his game to advance his 76ers deep into the playoffs.

How Simmons develops in the coming season will play an immense role in deciding their fate as a unit. While Simmons is a great two-player there have been some doubts about his scoring abilities during crunch time. If Embiid and Simmons can take their games to the next level, their prospects in the NBA begin to look scary.

#4 Donovan Mitchell & Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)

Mitchell : PPG 24.3 RPG 3.9 APG 4.9 BPG 0.5 SPG 0.7

Gobert : PPG 12.2 RPG 13.5 APG 1.4 BPG 2.8 SPG 0.5

Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic looks to pass under pressure from Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell during the first half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game

Breaking into this list of top duos in the early season is Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. While no one was talking about the Utah Jazz making strides before the season, they have become the hot topic of discussion around the league with their stellar performances of late. Mitchell has been tearing it up on the offense and is playing with a chip on his shoulder. He earned his first All-Star appearance last season and is looking determined to receive that honor again this year.

"Whatever they want to call us, if we keep winning games, they’re gonna have to keep watching us. … Maybe all the way until July."Rudy Gobert on the TNT crew's Donovan Mitchell commentshttps://t.co/VNz8ehbuzz

— Jazz Nation (@JazzNationCP) January 22, 2021

Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert has been a beast on boards and has been orchestrating their defense to perfection. Together they are looking primed for a breakout season that could potentially elevate the Utah Jazz into one of the top contenders in a stacked Western Conference. That said, it remains to be seen if they can continue to play the game at a high level and keep adding more wins as the season unfolds.

#5 Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

Tatum: PPG 26.9 RPG 7.1 APG 3.8 BPG 0.8 SPG 1.8

Brown: PPG 25.8 RPG 5.8 APG 3.8 BPG 0.5 SPG 1.5

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics celebrates with Jayson Tatum after scoring against the Houston Rockets to send the game into overtime

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are well on their way to superstardom in the NBA. The Celtics' duo has been the driving force behind Boston's winning record over the past few seasons. They have come with a bang to open their new campaign this time around and are battling for the top position in the East. Both players respect each other's game and know how to play off each other.

Jayson Tatum has been leading from the front and has shown that he has what it takes to make the big shots down the stretch. He is undoubtedly the Celtic's best player and continues to raise his own ceiling.

Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown is having a career year for the Celtics and looks determined to get better with time and more game-time experience. Between the two of them, the Celtics have a bright future and could eventually find themselves competing for the title in the future.

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