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The game of basketball has always been a team sport and everyone's contribution to the team matters the most. Through teamwork and coordination, a team wins games and even the championships.
Every championship team has always been driven by the lead or the star player, but only the star player alone cannot earn his team the championship. He needs a sidekick just like Batman needs Robin.
Every star player needs a teammate to support him and cover up his weaknesses. Their synchronization earns trophies and records for the team and here we have ranked the top five greatest support players in NBA history.
#5 Klay Thompson
After the addition of Kevin Durant and now DeMarcus Cousins, we haven't seen much of a greatness of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, but Klay has been in Steph's support ever since he got drafted in the league. They both are the best shooters in the league right now and two of the greatest in the NBA history. We have seen them making and breaking records every season, winning a championship together and setting the record of most wins in a regular season of 73-9 in 2015-16.
Because of their relationship on the court, they've been named as the "Splash Brothers". Although Curry is a better scorer and finisher around the rim, when Steph's performance goes off, Klay's potential to take the driving seat comes to life and he also covers up Steph's weaknesses at the defensive end. When the team needed Thompson the most, he has always delivered.
Klay is a great two-way player and matches up the best with Steph and when they get hot, then stopping them is the most difficult task for the other team, we just see shots falling-in for these two from distance and the scoreboard just keeps on climbing up for the Warriors.
#4 Dwyane Wade
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were friends since the 2003 NBA draft when they were drafted to the league. James went to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Wade to the Miami Heat. When James chose to take his talents to the South Miami, Wade had already established a strong skill set, he was one of the best shooting guards and was comfortable with the franchise.
Wade knew that LeBron was in his prime but still had a lot to prove and accomplish, so Wade took the co-driver seat and let James lead the team and became his partner, while Chris Bosh was on the back seat. They both knew each other's game and their chemistry was great which we all witnessed on the court. During their four years together, Wade averaged 21 PPG, 5 RPG, and 5 APG.
In an interview with Raechel Nicols of the ESPN, they talked about their friendship when Wade joined James to the Cavaliers in 2017:
#3 John Stockton
Those who watched John Stockton and Karl Malone play and know about their team would say that they never won a championship, but why they are listed here? Yes! They never won a championship together, but Stockton was still the best-suited sidekick for Malone.
Stockton was never a great overall Point Guard, but was a great passer and still is one of the greatest. For around 5 consecutive seasons, he averaged around 14 assists per game and that's what helped Malone the most. Most of Stockton's passes were to Malone and a pick-and-roll to him. That was the best way Stockton could help Malone to win 2 MVPs and the rack up 2nd most career points in NBA history.
Stockton proved to be the best sidekick for Malone for sure and the thing that made their relationship better was that Stockton never wanted to make himself look better and always wanted to be a good teammate.
#2 Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale is another player who was never worried about his individual records and achievements. He matched up perfectly with Bird and they were one of the most dominant frontcourts in the NBA history as well.
McHale knew about Bird's tremendous ability to shoot and score at the offensive end and after joining the Boston Celtics, he soon figured out his true role on the team. He knew that to improve the team's efficiency and to balance its performance he has to focus more at the defensive end while Bird was the leader at the offensive end.
McHale put his ego aside and took charge of the defence. He came off the bench for six years and won the sixth man of the year twice. He never cared about his individual score, he gave Bird the room to score more and dominate the offensive side of the court and that's what helped Bird earn 3 consecutive league MVPs and together they won 2 championships as well.
#1 Scottie Pippen
Actually, there's nothing much to prove why Pippen is the greatest supporting player ever in NBA history. Pippen had almost everything that these other great sidekicks have or had to be the second option. Pippen also never emphasized much on his individual merit and never wanted to be in the spotlight. He knew Jordan's greatness and dominance on the court, so he chose to be his sidekick, they won 6 championships together and the title of one of the greatest teams in the NBA history as well.
Pippen knew that his job was more on the defensive side than on the offensive side, he let MJ take charge of the offence and get the team's momentum going. Just like Kobe, Jordan was also a little hard on his teammates, but that's not what he had with Pippen. Michael observed what Pippen was trying to bring to the table and he let him do so.
We know that without a player like Pippen on the team, Jordan had some trouble taking his team to the finals, but as soon as Pippen arrived, the team's performance boosted and Jordan then had someone to trust and play well with.
Pippen was always loyal and honest to Michael and helped him in every way he could to get the work done. Even now after so many years when TMZ asked Pippen about who's the greatest player ever between LeBron James and Michael Jordan, Pippen without any hesitation chose Jordan over LeBron. This shows how strong Pippen and Jordan's chemistry was on and off the court.
Guess the Lakers players!
