![Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are one of the few top duos that have been together for some time. [Image Credit: Jayson Gold/Flickr]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/7/12/660x290/b_502x220x82/stephen-curry-and-klay-thompson-are-one-of-the-few-top-duos-that-have-been-together-for-some-time-image-source-flickr-jayson-gold_2294045.jpg "Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are one of the few top duos that have been together for some time. [Image Credit: Jayson Gold/Flickr]")
While in recent previous NBA seasons, teams have formed terrific trios (Heat with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Warriors with Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson), this offseason have been about forming dynamic duos.
The Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, and Nets have paired together two perennial All-Stars in their quest for supremacy.
Here, we are going to take a look at each team’s two best players and rank the pairs from worst to first.
Note: Please remember that this is subjective. The order can be debated as well as the players featured.
It was difficult to come up with some team’s second-best players for teams such as the Jazz (Mike Conley), Pacers (Domantas Sabonis), Thunder (Steven Adams), Heat (Goran Dragic), Timberwolves (Andrew Wiggins), Suns (Ricky Rubio), Cavaliers (Tristan Thompson), Bulls (Lauri Markkanen), Knicks (Mitchell Robinson), Grizzlies (Ja Morant), and Hornets (honestly, do they have a single top-100 player in the league?).
Only two rookies were included, although if Morant lives up to expectations, he can surpass Jonas Valanciunas rather quickly. Chris Paul is listed for Oklahoma City despite some reports that he may never appear in a game for him. The Thunder would drop a few spots if Adams were to replace him.
Players who are expected to miss some, most, or all of next season were included such as Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, John Wall, and Victor Oladipo.
30-21
- 30. Hornets - Terry Rozier and Nicolas Batum
Yuck.
- 29. Grizzlies - Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas
Jackson Jr. was an All-Rookie First Team member this past season, and Valanciunas averaged 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games with Memphis.
- 28. Knicks - Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett
Randle has improved his scoring average each season with a career-best 21.7 in 2018-19 with the Pelicans. The Knicks selected Barrett third overall after one year at Duke.
- 27. Bulls - Zach LaVine and Otto Porter Jr.
LaVine can score in bunches but doesn’t provide much on the defensive end.
If Porter can shoot anywhere near as accurately from deep for a full season as he did in his 15 games with Chicago (48.8 percent on three-point tries), his value would skyrocket.
- 26. Cavaliers - Kevin Love and Collin Sexton
A five-time All-Star, Love will likely see his name in trade rumors all season long. Sexton showed improvement as the 2018-19 season went along and was a member of the All-Rookie Second Team.
- 25. Hawks - Trae Young and John Collins
A youthful duo, Young was runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2018-19. In his second season, Collins nearly averaged 20 and 10 (19.5 points, 9.8 rebounds).
- 24. Suns - Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton
While there is much debate on where he ranks in the NBA hierarchy, Booker finished seventh in the league last season posting an average of 26.6 points.
The first overall pick in 2018, Ayton finished third in Rookie of the Year voting while finishing with a points/rebounds double-double average.
- 23. Timberwolves - Karl-Anthony Towns and Robert Covington
Very few players put up averages as impressive as Towns has (2018-19: 24.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks). An All-Defensive First Team member in 2017-18, Covington has also averaged between 12.6-13.5 points in each of the last five seasons.
- 22. Magic - Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon
A first-time All-Star last season, Vucevic averaged career-bests in a multitude of categories in 2018-19 such as points (20.8), rebounds (12.0), assists (3.8), and blocks (1.1). Magic fans are still waiting for the ultra-athletic Gordon to take a step forward into stardom.
- 21. Heat - Jimmy Butler and Justise Winslow
Butler becomes the clear best player for Miami as few players provide the impact he does at both ends of the court. Winslow began to expand his game last season, even starting at point guard when Goran Dragic was out with injury.
20-11
- 20. Thunder - Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari
While he may never appear in an Oklahoma City uniform, Paul is showing signs of regression anyway at the age of 34. Gallinari is one of the best at not only being an excellent outside shooter but also finding a way to draw fouls.
- 19. Pacers - Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner
According to the Indy Star, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard expects Oladipo to come back by December or January from a ruptured tendon in his knee.
Turner’s 2.7 blocks per contest led the NBA in 2018-19.
- 18. Pelicans - Jrue Holiday and Zion Williamson
An All-Defensive player each of the last two seasons (First Team In 2017-18, Second Team in 2018-19), Holiday averaged over 20 points for the first time last season. The first overall pick in 2019, Williamson is arguably the most-hyped rookie since LeBron James.
- 17. Kings - De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield
One of the better backcourts in the league, Fox and Hield combined to average 38 points per game last season.
- 16. Pistons - Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond
Griffin made the All-NBA Third Team last season as his scoring average of 24.5 was a career-best for the nine-year pro. For the third time in the last four seasons, Drummond led the league in rebounding.
- 15. Celtics - Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum
An All-Star each of the last three seasons, Walker made the All-NBA Third Team in 2018-19 while with Charlotte. While Tatum didn’t quite make the jump many expected in his second season, he still had 23 games with at least 20 points.
- 14. Raptors - Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry
Siakam was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2018-19 and may need to take on more of a role with the departure of Kawhi Leonard. The 33-year-old Lowry isn’t quite the scorer he was in seasons past, but he has been named to five straight All-Star teams.
- 13. Wizards - Bradley Beal and John Wall
In 2018-19, Beal became just the 13th player in NBA history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists at the age of 25 or younger.
A torn Achilles has the five-time All-Star Wall unclear whether he will play this season.
- 12. Jazz - Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell
The two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Gobert has averaged at least 10.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in each of the last four seasons. In just his second season, Mitchell averaged 23.8 points in 2018-19 (15th in the NBA).
- 11. Mavericks - Kristaps Porzingis and Luka Doncic
A torn ACL forced Porzingis to miss all of last season, but he was excellent in his All-Star season of 2017-18 (averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks). The reigning Rookie of the Year, Doncic’s superb all-around game led to eight triple-doubles.
10-1
- 10. Spurs - LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan
The second-oldest duo on this list (only behind the Thunder), Aldridge and DeRozan combined to average 42.5 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 8.6 assists last season.
- 9. Nuggets - Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray
Probably the best big man passer, Jokic had 12 triple-doubles in 2018-19 and finished fourth in MVP voting. Murray’s 18.2 scoring average improved to 21.3 in the postseason.
- 8. Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
A backcourt that forces opposing defenses to game plan long hours for, Lillard is coming off All-NBA Second Team honors last season averaging 25.8 points and a career-high 6.9 assists. McCollum has averaged over 20 points in each of the last four seasons.
- 7. Bucks - Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
Not only is Antetokounmpo the league’s reigning MVP, but he also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Middleton was a first-time All-Star in 2018-19 and has averaged 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists over the last two seasons.
- 6. 76ers - Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons
Embiid has been named to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Second Team each of the last two seasons. The 2017-18 Rookie of the Year, Simmons may not possess a jump shot, but he has recorded 22 triple-doubles over two seasons.
- 5. Warriors - Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
A former two-time MVP, Curry was named to the All-NBA First Team for the third time in his career in 2018-19. ESPN has reported that surgery for Thompson’s torn ACL was a success and that the standard recovery time is five to seven months (seven months will have him recovered by February).
- 4. Rockets - James Harden and Russell Westbrook
Probably the league’s best offensive player, Harden finished as runner-up for MVP in 2018-19 after winning the award in the previous season.
The electric Westbrook has averaged a triple-double in three consecutive seasons.
- 3. Nets - Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving
A torn Achilles could potentially shelve Durant for the entirety of 2019-20, but he has averaged over 25 points for 11 straight seasons. Irving continued to be one of the best scoring point guards while also averaging a career-best 6.9 assists and being an All-NBA Second Team member in 2018-19.
- 2. Lakers - LeBron James and Anthony Davis
After being named to the All-NBA First Team 11 straight times, James made the Third Team last year due in large part to missing 27 games (mainly because of a groin injury). Davis now has six straight seasons posting averages of at least 20 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks (has averaged at least 24.4 points in each of the last five seasons).
- 1. Clippers - Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
Leonard joins the Clippers after winning his second Finals MVP last season with Toronto, and he is a previous two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Spending last season with Oklahoma City, George finished third in both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting.
