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Sibling recruitment has grown more popular in the NBA over the years. Giannis Antetokounmpo already has two brothers in the league and is looking forward to his youngest sibling joining the NBA as well. With one being his teammate and the other not getting much playtime with the LA Lakers, the Antetokounmpo brothers never went head-to-head.
While many have played as teammates, siblings who have gone head-to-head have created better storylines. It is doubly exciting when they have to defend against each other rather than just being on opposing teams.
Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol are arguably the most popular brothers in the NBA. Although Pau has left the league, he won 22 of the 35 meetings against his brother, four of which came in the playoffs. They also remain the only NBA brothers that have won championships separately. Pau won in back-to-back runs with the Lakers in 2009 & 2010, while Marc won it with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
We've been treated to many intriguing sibling matchups in the past, and there will be many more in the future. Here are the top five sibling head-to-head matchups that could happen in the 2021-22 NBA season.
#5 Brook vs Robin Lopez
Both Lopez brothers were selected in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft as the 10th and 15th overall picks. Brook Lopez was drafted by the New Jersey Nets, while the Phoenix Suns selected Robin Lopez five slots down in the draft.
During the 2019-20 season, the twins from California played on the same team - the Milwaukee Bucks - for the first time in their NBA careers. However, they failed to make history as the first set of brothers to win an NBA championship.
Robin Lopez will ply his trade with the young Orlando Magic team in the 2021-22 season and will provide experience and depth at the 5. Brook will continue playing for the Bucks with hopes of winning back-to-back championships. With both brothers playing in the NBA Eastern Conference, they will face off at least three times during the regular season.
All the stats on paper suggest that Brook is the favorite to win the battle. The stats show that he has recorded more numbers in every aspect of the game and he has a championship ring to back it as well.
#4 Jrue vs Aaron vs Justin Holiday
Justin and Aaron Holiday have previously paired up against Jrue Holiday in the NBA. In the 2019-20 season, both Justin and Aaron played for the Indiana Pacers against Jrue and the New Orleans Pelicans. It was more of the same during the 2020-21 NBA season as they met three times, but with Jrue in Milwaukee this time around.
The 2021 NBA offseason shake-up has split the brothers into three different teams. Justin will continue playing for the Pacers while Aaron was involved in a five-team trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards. This means all three brothers will play against each other during the 2021-22 season.
#3 Marcus vs Markieff Morris
The NBA has witnessed another set of twins go head-to-head against each other over the past decade. Marcus Morris was the 14th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, with Markieff Morris being the 13th.
After playing for different teams in their rookie season, Marcus joined Markieff in Phoenix for the next two seasons. They have long split since then, with both players playing on opposing sides of the Los Angeles-based teams.
Their head-to-head matchup moving forward will have a different outlook following Markieff's move to the Miami Heat. Although Marcus is more effective offensively, Markieff has better stats in every other aspect of the game.
#2 Lonzo vs LaMelo Ball
It will be exciting to see the showboating LaMelo Ball take on Lonzo Ball in another enticing matchup. LaMelo could get help this time if the Charlotte Hornets proceed to sign LiAngelo Ball as well.
In the meantime, two of the Ball brothers are guaranteed to play against each other in the 2021-22 NBA season. Lonzo was recently traded to the Chicago Bulls and will play his fifth season alongside elite players like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
LaMelo is coming off an award-winning season and the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year is expected to take his game to the next level. The two brothers are known for their impressive court vision, which will make this matchup fun to watch. While Lonzo is the older brother, LaMelo is the more exciting player and arguably the more athletic one as well.
Although the Hornets lost to the Pelicans the last time both teams met in the NBA, LaMelo was the better player. Lonzo registered 12 points, six assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes of play while LaMelo finished the game with 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes.
#1 Stephen vs Seth Curry
The Curry matchup is perhaps the most anticipated one in the NBA as both players are lethal from beyond the arc. Stephen Curry will likely have his splash brother back, which might give the Golden State Warriors an edge. However, the presence of Joel Embiid might help swing the game in favor of the Philadelphia 76ers and Seth Curry.
Steph is, however, the favorite to win the matchup. His handle and shooting range seem to be light years ahead of Seth.
Perhaps the most memorable matchup between the Curry brothers was during the 2019 NBA Western Conference Finals. Seth did a good job disrupting Steph's rhythm, but Steph led the scoring in every game and led the Warriors to a sweep against the Portland Trail Blazers. Seth recorded a total of seven steals in the series, most of which came against Steph.
If they do clash once again in the 2021-22 NBA season, it could prove to be an exciting watch.
