'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAIAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQf/2gAIAQEAAAAAmj//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAE//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAB//xAAiEAABAwMDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAACAQMEAAUhBhEiExUjUYH/2gAIAQEAAT8AlaninJkyYSTWWeXTZce3LcRDCknskP4SV36ySvPGut+ZYd5ttk7kBXKJX//EABcRAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAAP/2gAIAQIBAT8A6wgCkzf/xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAEi/9oACAEDAQE/ABtKlP/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The jokes are doing the rounds on social media. Just like Thanos restored the balance of the universe with a snap of his fingers in Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War, Kawhi Leonard seems to have done the same in helping the Toronto Raptors win their maiden championship by beating the injury-plagued Golden State Warriors.
Until last season, if there was one team that looked unbeatable and destined to make the NBA Finals year after year, it was the Golden State Warriors. But now with the departure of star player Kevin Durant and key contributors Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, the core of the Warriors seems to have taken a blow.
After the conclusion of arguably the craziest offseason in NBA history, the whole landscape of the NBA has changed as we know it. There isn't one definite answer as to which team will come out on top in either of the conferences. Especially out west, all the top teams from last season are yet again fully stacked albeit with different players.
Having said this, most of the teams vying for the championship next season have superstars in tandem, spear-heading their teams. In this piece, we will look at the ten best duos in the league and rank them according to their combined star power.
Honorable mention: Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis (Dallas Mavericks)
Missing the cut from this list is the youngest duo of the lot. Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic could be the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash for all we know.
Two of the best European prospects of all-time, Doncic and Porzingis have the potential and necessary talent to lift a franchise to a perennial playoff spot and possible championship contention for the next several years.
Dallas found a gem in Doncic last year, who despite being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, got traded to the Mavericks in exchange for Trae Young. Doncic subsequently went on to win the Rookie of the Year award, after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists in the regular season.
Kristaps Porzingis, on the other hand, was drafted by the New York Knicks with the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, a move that was heavily criticized by the sports analysts and fans alike.
Despite being booed by the Knicks fans at the start of his career, Porzingis was later embraced by them when he proved his mettle as a solid NBA player. In only his third year in the league, he was selected to his first All-Star game before he tore his ACL. Last season he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after having disagreements with the Knicks front office.
Barring any setbacks, this duo has a bright future ahead of them.
#10 Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin (Detroit Pistons)
Blake Griffin revived his career last season when he averaged career-high points per game while his running mate Andre Drummond continued to gobble up rebounds.
Despite their stars' strong showings, the Detroit Pistons could only go so far as they finished the regular season as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, barely making the playoffs. They were subsequently ousted by the Milwaukee Bucks in four straight games. Unlike other duos on this list, neither Griffin nor Drummond are adept at creating for their team although the former has been a willing passer throughout his career.
Further, Pistons' biggest offseason signing was former league MVP Derrick Rose who seemed to have resurrected his career with Minnesota Timberwolves last season. He is a clear upgrade over last season's starting point guard, Reggie Jackson, who has been a solid player for the franchise but has been inconsistent at times.
With former Coach of the Year, Dwane Casey leading the way, Pistons will look to take the next big step and become one of the contenders in the east.
#9 Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
Denver looked dangerous last season with Nikola Jokic taking a huge step forward as an MVP candidate. Jamal Murray, on the other hand, has been getting better every season. He got rewarded with a five year $170 million contract.
Especially since last season, Murray's performance has been like that of an All-Star. Coming to Nikola Jokic, he is the best passing big man in the league who is complemented well by Murray's ability to shoot the long ball. They thrive in the pick and roll action with Jokic creating shot opportunities for Murray at the top of the key or screening Murray's defender to allow him to drive to the basket.
Furthermore, Jokic's ability to shoot the ball for his size spaces the floor further up. For this very reason, Denver is known to have one of the best offenses in the league. With the potential return of rookie Michael Porter Jr. from injury and Bol Bol via the draft, Denver will look forward to staying relevant in the tough Western Conference.
#8 Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
This could be a perfect 1-2 punch for a potential dynasty in the making. Led by the reigning MVP of the league Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks finished with the best record in the league and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season where there were beaten by the eventual NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors, in six games.
Khris Middleton's style of play complements well with the raw and athletic play style of the Greek Freak. Middleton is an excellent shooter who can play off the ball, while Antetokounmpo wreaks havoc with the ball in his hands, playing the role of a point forward at times.
With the addition of new pieces and a relatively weakened Eastern Conference next season, the Bucks have a solid chance of coming out of the east if they continue to play the same way they played last season.
#7 Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers)
Before the last season, media analysts considered the combination of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum a failure for not getting the Trail Blazers over the hump, to the point that trade rumors started to fly around CJ McCollum. Irrespective of all the negative talks surrounding the team, the Trail Blazers organization did not give up on their starting backcourt.
Fast forward to last season's playoffs, Portland made it to the Western Conference Finals despite the absence of center Jusuf Nurkic behind inspired performances from the star duo.
For all their dribbling exhibitions, penetrating ability, and sound shooting skills, Lillard and McCollum are undersized at their respective positions that has time and again led to shortcomings on the defensive end.
For the upcoming season, however, Trail Blazers have bolstered their roster with the addition of defense-oriented center Hassan Whiteside, and defensive guard Kent Bazemore. Expect more pick and roll action in the next season.
#6 Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
There's no question in any one's mind that Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are two of the best youngsters in the NBA with a bright future ahead of them. One of the most hated duos on this list, the combo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid has endured its fair share of criticism come along their way.
Simmons, despite his ability to throw dimes and defend with solidity, is a mediocre shooter. Embiid, on the other hand, has become notorious for taunting his opponents and frequently getting injured even though he is one of the best players in the league when healthy.
Despite some of their shortcomings, both Simmons and Embiid are perennial All-Stars, who are capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs. Simmons is just a jump shot away from a potential LeBron-like career while Embiid needs to stay injury-free to move up the ranks as one of the best players in the NBA.
Last season, they led Philly to 51 wins and made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals where they were beaten in seven by Toronto with an iconic game-winner from Kawhi Leonard.
This season, with the addition of veteran Al Horford and long term signing of Tobias Harris, the 76ers are looking more dangerous than ever.
#5 Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)
In contrast to the previous duo, Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are one of the most liked players in the league. Two of the greatest shooters of all time, Curry and Thompson can shoot the ball from anywhere when they are on song. Curry has been the best point guard in the league for some seasons now while Thompson is no slouch either as he has been one of the best two-way players in the league in recent seasons.
With Thompson unavailable for most of the next season, it will be on Curry to keep the Warriors relevant. The multi-dimensional Draymond Green will also be expected to contribute heavily as the Warriors will look to stay afloat in the tough Western Conference.
Further, the surprise addition of D'Angelo Russell in the offseason is a blessing in disguise for the Warriors. Russell took a huge leap last season for which he was rewarded with the first All-Star selection of his career.
Despite the departure of some key players from their championship seasons, the Warriors are no way thin as they still have capable players who fit well with the team.
#4 Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)
With Kevin Durant set to miss the entire season, Kyrie Irving will be expected to step up his game. Both Irving and Durant are NBA champions who know what it takes to reach the pinnacle.
Both of them have received attention from the media as well as the fans for all the wrong reasons. Irving demanded a trade to the Boston Celtics after explicitly wanting to be 'the man' on a team. After spending two underwhelming seasons with the Celtics, Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason where he will pair up with Kevin Durant.
Loyalty is not the first thing that immediately comes to someone's mind while talking about Kevin Durant. He unceremoniously left Oklahoma City Thunder in favor of Golden State Warriors where he won back to back titles with consecutive Finals MVP honors. After an unsuccessful title defense that saw the Warriors dealing with injuries at the worst of times and Durant himself tearing his Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals, Durant joined the Nets via a sign and trade.
The Nets - who already have solid role players in Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Joe Harris - will be championship contenders once Durant comes back.
#3 Russell Westbrook and James Harden (Houston Rockets)
From a statistical standpoint, James Harden and Russell Westbrook can light up any team with insane scoring feats. Two of the best all-round players in the league, their underwhelming outings in the playoffs year after year has been hugely disappointing. They should mesh immediately chemistry wise as they have been teammates before in the Oklahoma City Thunder uniform. However, there's only one ball on the basketball court and being two of the most ball-dominant players in the NBA, sharing it would be taxing, to say the least.
It will be intriguing to see how they will address the elephant in the room, the turnovers and efficiency. Both are known to be highly turnover prone and shoot a low percentage from the field, although Harden is an excellent free throw and three-point shooter.
Rockets have been championship contenders for the last couple of seasons. This season will be no different as they have made some key changes to the roster keeping the core intact. Center Clint Capela will have a feast in the paint with all the lops thrown up his way by Westbrook and Harden. Eric Gordon will yet again be a huge contributor to the team, so will be PJ Tucker, the anchor of the Rockets' defense.
#2 LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
If you thought this duo is the best in the NBA going into the next season, chances are you did not consider all the parameters. If this was the year 2016, this would have unquestionably been the best tandem in the league. However, age is not on James' side as he will be 35 years old by the All-Star break next season.
Statistically speaking, LeBron James hasn't shown any signs of slowing down as he averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game in 55 games last season. Yet if you go by pure observation, his defensive acumen has taken a hit as age seems to have caught up on the King. He takes momentary lapses on the defensive end and had the worst season of his career in terms of staying fit. James is still the best player in the league but for how long that will continue is a huge question.
Anthony Davis on the other end has been a stifling presence on the defensive end, leading the league in blocked shots three times in the past five seasons. However, Davis is injury prone who has never played more than 75 games in any of the seven seasons that he's been in the league.
Notwithstanding these blemishes, James and Davis are top tier players in the league, who will be expected to bring a championship to the Lakers.
#1 Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers)
In arguably the most surprising move of the offseason, Paul George was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers by the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and several first-round picks of future NBA Drafts.
It was later revealed that George demanded a trade to pair up with Kawhi Leonard who despite winning the NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in the recently concluded NBA Finals chose to sign with the LA Clippers in free agency.
There is a reason why the Los Angeles Clippers are touted to be one of the favorites to win it all next season. Leonard is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner and a perennial MVP candidate whenever he has been healthy the last few years, finishing in the top three of MVP voting, two times in the last four seasons. Paul George, on the other hand, had a career-year last season, where he finished third in MVP voting and was a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Leonard and George are two of the most feared perimeter defenders in the league, known for their two-way excellence. The moniker "Clamp Brothers" completely suits them as they instill fear in the opponent on the defensive side while torching them with bucket after bucket on the offensive end.
Last season, Clippers had the best bench in the entire league spearheaded by reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. Additionally, having All-NBA defender Patrick Beverley, sharp-shooter Landry Shamet, and former NBA Coach of the Year Doc Rivers will bolster the Clippers team a great deal. With the addition of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George however, this team looks destined to come out of the Western Conference on top.
