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Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murry were the NBA's best duo last season as the Denver Nuggets proved to be the league's best team, powered by their historic performances in the postseason.
However, after the Damian Lillard trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, the power shifted to the East. While the Nuggets are still a contender to win the NBA title this season, the Bucks now have the best odds to win the championship. The primary reason for Milwaukee being the favorite is the lethal duo that Ginnis Antetokunmpo and Lillard might translate into on the floor.
With that established, other duos have the potential to change the fates of their teams. Here is a list of the top five duos in the NBA entering the 2023-24 season. While their number has been used for the ranking, the subjective opinion has also been blended into the mathematics of the ranking.
Best duos in NBA for 2023-24 Season
#1, Jamal Murry and Nikola Jokic
Amid the noise of Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokunmpo, it was easy to forget that there already exists one of the greatest duos in Denver. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray are coming off one of the greatest performances by an NBA duo in the Finals.
They also displayed one of the greatest performances by an NBA duo in the postseason. Over 20 playoff games, Jokić and Jamal Murray put up unbelievable numbers. Jokić averaged 30.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He shot 54.8%, including 46.1% from the 3-point line. Murray averaged 26.1 ppg, 7.1 apg, 5.7 rpg, 3.0 3-pointers and 1.5 steals. He also shot 47.3%, including 39.6 from the 3-point line.
Jokić is one of the top three brains on the basketball court, without any argument. Both players are well endowed with the ability to dissect any defensive puzzle thrown at them.
#2, Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo
Even though Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have not played together yet, their lethal combination is not far away from the imagination. The kind of threat they present on the floor is as lethal as it can get.
Last season, Giannis and Lillard, by average of their ranks in five catch-all metrics, were ranked fifth and sixth among players with 500-plus minutes. This season, they would be the only duo in the league within the top 10 from that category.
Dame Dolla is one of the greatest shooters in basketball history. He is the leader in shots made from over 30 feet, since the play-by-play era. He is neck-to-neck in competition with the greatest 3-point shooter in the NBA, Stephen Curry. With Giannis as his partner, it would be too much for any team to defend them in any pick-and-roll situation.
#3, LeBron James and Anthony Davis
Although he will soon be 39, LeBron James is still one of the league's best players. He has played with Hall of Fame players like Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. He also has played with Kyrie Irving. Despite that, at his best, Anthony Davis is perhaps the best player that James has played with.
Last season, before facing the Denver Nuggets in the WCF, Davis was the NBA's best defensive player. He averaged 11.7 defensive rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 1.4 steals in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The 2020 NBA champion can average 30-point games over a bigger stretch when healthy. With the work that he is putting in, it wouldn't be hard to imagine Davis being part of the All-NBA team.
#4, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker
In any conversation about the league's best offensive players, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant would easily make the elite class. While it's true that they were outclassed by the duos from Denver, there is no denying the fact that they were short-handed.
In the four contests that they lost to the Nuggets in the series, KD averaged 32.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg, shooting almost 50 percent. Devin Booker, on the other hand, averaged 36.3 ppg and 8.8 apg, shooting 63.7%, including 57.1% from the 3-point line. The stat is perhaps a testament to the carnage that they can bring to the floor on any given night.
Now that the Suns have acquired a few good role players and star player Bradley Beal in the offseason trade, it should be easier for Durant and Booker to operate easily on both ends. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Suns’ duo becomes the best in the league.
#5, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum
Denying them entry to the elite club just for their age would be a huge mistake on anyone’s part.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum at this young age have faced LeBron James in the playoffs, eliminated Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving from the playoffs and have already made it to the finals once. They have a fair amount of experience in the playoffs. Tatum and Brown are fourth and sixth in the total points scored in the postseason before turning 27.
In the regular season, behind Jayson Tatum and Brown, the Celtics have been one of the best teams in the league. Last season, Tatum averaged 30.1 ppg while Brown averaged 26.6. With the experience in their bag and their offensive and defensive prowess, it is easier to why they are the top five duos in the league.
Now that they have Jrue Holiday, one of the best all-around players, by their side, it is expected that their production might skyrocket.
