Best possible offensive duo of current superstars?

[Peregrine01]

Who would be the best offensive tandem of current players?

I think Curry/Jokic may be the most ridiculous offense ever but the possibility of Giannis playing the uber Aaron Gordon style next to Jokic seems completely unstoppable as well.

[BuddyBuckets]

Giannis/LeBron is a good option, too. Both can get their own, can be ball handler or screener in P&R, can both post up, dribble drive, find open guys.

[falcolombardi]

currently as in 2022 with health concerns included or everyone in their prime?

if the latter i go curry/lebron

if the former i go curry/jokic

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Gonna be hard to beat Curry/Jokic but I'll throw Durant/Jokic out there for consideration

[Peregrine01]

Giannis/LeBron is a good option, too. Both can get their own, can be ball handler or screener in P&R, can both post up, dribble drive, find open guys.

I think this would look a lot like the AD/Lebron pairing on offense. I'm not sure the floor spacing on this pairing would work as well as a Giannis/Jokic pairing. A big advantage that Jokic has is that he's a big who can pull the big guarding him away from the rim, leaving a wide open paint for Giannis to wreak havoc on. I also think Jokic is a better passer to cutters than Lebron.

[Peregrine01]

currently as in 2022 with health concerns included or everyone in their prime?

if the latter i go curry/lebron

if the former i go curry/jokic

Why Curry/Bron over Curry/Jokic even if considering all three are in their prime?

[BuddyBuckets]

Giannis/LeBron is a good option, too. Both can get their own, can be ball handler or screener in P&R, can both post up, dribble drive, find open guys.

I think this would look a lot like the AD/Lebron pairing on offense. I'm not sure the floor spacing on this pairing would work as well as a Giannis/Jokic pairing. A big advantage that Jokic has is that he's a big who can pull the big guarding him away from the rim, leaving a wide open paint for Giannis to wreak havoc on. I also think Jokic is a better passer to cutters than Lebron.

Yea Giannis and LeBron isn't the best 3pt threat combo in the league, but I think motivated LeBron and normal Giannis is going to give you more fits than Jokic/Curry in terms of 'how do you stop them dunking/getting a layup every possession?'

[falcolombardi]

currently as in 2022 with health concerns included or everyone in their prime?

if the latter i go curry/lebron

if the former i go curry/jokic

Why Curry/Bron over Curry/Jokic even if considering all three are in their prime?

nothingh in particular, i just thinl lebron may a bit better offensively at his best than jokic

[Peregrine01]

Giannis/LeBron is a good option, too. Both can get their own, can be ball handler or screener in P&R, can both post up, dribble drive, find open guys.

I think this would look a lot like the AD/Lebron pairing on offense. I'm not sure the floor spacing on this pairing would work as well as a Giannis/Jokic pairing. A big advantage that Jokic has is that he's a big who can pull the big guarding him away from the rim, leaving a wide open paint for Giannis to wreak havoc on. I also think Jokic is a better passer to cutters than Lebron.

Yea Giannis and LeBron isn't the best 3pt threat combo in the league, but I think motivated LeBron and normal Giannis is going to give you more fits than Jokic/Curry in terms of 'how do you stop them dunking/getting a layup every possession?'

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

[BuddyBuckets]

I think this would look a lot like the AD/Lebron pairing on offense. I'm not sure the floor spacing on this pairing would work as well as a Giannis/Jokic pairing. A big advantage that Jokic has is that he's a big who can pull the big guarding him away from the rim, leaving a wide open paint for Giannis to wreak havoc on. I also think Jokic is a better passer to cutters than Lebron.

Yea Giannis and LeBron isn't the best 3pt threat combo in the league, but I think motivated LeBron and normal Giannis is going to give you more fits than Jokic/Curry in terms of 'how do you stop them dunking/getting a layup every possession?'

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

[Peregrine01]

Yea Giannis and LeBron isn't the best 3pt threat combo in the league, but I think motivated LeBron and normal Giannis is going to give you more fits than Jokic/Curry in terms of 'how do you stop them dunking/getting a layup every possession?'

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

I'd argue Wade was not the second most valuable player on those championship Heat teams (I think Bosh was). He was more physically diminished by that point but he also had to scale his game back to accommodate Lebron. I remember a stat that showed the Heat were better with Lebron sans Wade than they were when Lebron and Wade shared the floor together.

[falcolombardi]

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

I'd argue Wade was not the second most valuable player on those championship Heat teams (I think Bosh was). He was more physically diminished by that point but he also had to scale his game back to accommodate Lebron. I remember a stat that showed the Heat were better with Lebron sans Wade than they were when Lebron and Wade shared the floor together.

is a bit different since giannis is a big and wade was a guard, giannis is not "occupying" a spot that normally should provide spacing

in fact you could run a giannis at 5 and lebron at 4 lineup with 3 floor spacing players and it would be pretty crazy to stop

[BuddyBuckets]

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

I'd argue Wade was not the second most valuable player on those championship Heat teams (I think Bosh was). He was more physically diminished by that point but he also had to scale his game back to accommodate Lebron. I remember a stat that showed the Heat were better with Lebron sans Wade than they were when Lebron and Wade shared the floor together.

Fair enough, I just think Giannis/LeBron would be as tough to deal with as Jokic/Curry. I guess supporting role players would be the clincher.

And while AD is a dominant big, I know all too well he is nothing but the #1 beta male at best. Giannis is a much more dominant force to contend with.

[Peregrine01]

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

I'd argue Wade was not the second most valuable player on those championship Heat teams (I think Bosh was). He was more physically diminished by that point but he also had to scale his game back to accommodate Lebron. I remember a stat that showed the Heat were better with Lebron sans Wade than they were when Lebron and Wade shared the floor together.

is a bit different since giannis is a big and wade was a guard, giannis is not "occupying" a spot that normally should provide spacing

in fact you could run a giannis at 5 and lebron at 4 lineup with 3 floor spacing players and it would be pretty crazy to stop

Agreed that that would probably be the most optimal configuration for Bron/Giannis. But with Giannis/Jokic, the 5 is covering Jokic, leaving the defense with even less paint protection on Giannis. I also think that Jokic is a better passer than Bron, especially when paired with players like Giannis, and he's also far less ball dominant.

[RCM88x]

Lebron and Jokic or perhaps Giannis and Curry

Thinking Lebron is the best perimeter guy to sort of get the ball into Jokic down low and also take advantage of his passing downhill and vice versa.

Giannis and Curry is like Curry and Draymond but a lot better naturally.

[SashimiLover]

KD+CP3(+a solid two-way big)

An unselfish core that's equipped to create insane offense (with extremely low turnover rate) while also bearing the talent to showcase great team defense

[dygaction]

Doncic + Jokic, both offer elite scoring and playmaking. The only thing you need to worry about is defense.

[Eagle4]

The AD/Bron pairing had weaknesses where if there isn't good shooting around them, the paint tended to be walled off. I suppose the general perception is that a Giannis/Bron pairing would overwhelm with athleticism but we've seen that these offenses have diminishing returns with two slashers on the floor at the same time (ala Wade/Bron) who aren't great shooters.

Conversely, I think a Jokic/Curry pairing would stretch defenses past the breaking point and that a Jokic/Giannis pairing would do even more damage in the paint than a Giannis/Bron one.

I'm not sure pointing out multiple championship winning duos is a great way to prove diminishing returns?

I'd argue Wade was not the second most valuable player on those championship Heat teams (I think Bosh was). He was more physically diminished by that point but he also had to scale his game back to accommodate Lebron. I remember a stat that showed the Heat were better with Lebron sans Wade than they were when Lebron and Wade shared the floor together.

That would be a terrible argument. Especially in the first 2 years prior to his knee deterioration, Wade was easily the 2nd best and important player on the Heatles. In fact he was the best overall performing player in '11 mainly due to Lebron shrinking in the finals.

Bosh was extremely inconsistent throughout the 4 year stretch.

2011- Wade easily
2012- Wade easily (they got to the ecf without Bosh and propelled by Wade's 41points destroying the Pacers)
2013- Wade slightly
2014- wash due to knees


Giannis is basically a bigger, more level headed, more efficient Westbrook. Pairing him with Lebron would be totally unfair.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Definitely Curry-Jokic, there's really nothing you can do there

[Ryoga Hibiki]

currently as in 2022 with health concerns included or everyone in their prime?

if the latter i go curry/lebron

if the former i go curry/jokic

Why Curry/Bron over Curry/Jokic even if considering all three are in their prime?

nothingh in particular, i just thinl lebron may a bit better offensively at his best than jokic

I think the question is how well he and Curry enable each other vs Jokic and Curry.
I think Jokic can use a movement shooter much better than LeBron, who either turns him into a set shooter or plays more of a my turn/your turn game.