Top Duos in the NBA (inspired by the Thinking Basketball podcast)
Posted: Tue Dec 5, 2023 7:53 pm
Inspired by the episode from Ben Taylor and Cody Houdek on their recent Thinking Basketball podcast. How would you rank the NBA's top duos (let's stick with one duo per team), and which are the teams where you are unsure regarding who the two players should be? List your top 5, top 10 or even your top 30 if you feel like it.
In line with the conditions outlined in the episode, consider also team-building aspects and synergy rather than just thinking about the two best players in a vacuum. You are asked to build a team around the duo with the aim to maximize success this year (not in the future).
List of teams and duos I picked (feel free to argue those and choose other players):
Atlanta: Young & Murray (but a strong Jalen Johnson campaign could sway me)
Boston: Tatum & Holiday (also considered White, Brown and Porzingis instead of Jrue – Boston's top 5 are crazy)
Brooklyn: Bridges & Claxton (also considered Dinwiddie and Thomas instead of Claxton)
Charlotte: Ball & Williams (also considered Bridges, Rozier and Miller instead of Williams – really poor options here)
Chicago: LaVine & Caruso (also considered Vucevic and DeRozan here)
Cleveland: Mobley & Mitchell (also considered Garland instead of Mitchell; shout-out to Allen, too)
Dallas: Doncic & Irving
Denver: Jokic & Murray (also considered Gordon here but ultimately I would not want to pass up on Murray with the Joker)
Detroit: Cunningham & Bogdanovic (also considered Ivey, Thompson and Duren – yikes)
Golden State: Curry & Green
Houston: Sengün & VanVleet (the latter is not a lock but nobody else convinced me enough push aside the safe choice)
Indiana: Haliburton & Turner
LA Clippers: George & Leonard (also considered Harden here, but there is still uncertainty to overcome)
LA Lakers: James & Davis
Memphis: Jackson Jr. & Morant (also considered Bane here)
Miami: Butler & Adebayo
Milwaukee: Giannis & Lillard
Minnesota: Edwards & Gobert (also briefly considered Towns but I'd still rather have Gobert)
New Orleans: Williamson & Ingram (but Murphy may make this an interesting conversation; shout-out to Herb)
New York: Brunson & Randle (not too convinced about Randle and Robinson, Barrett and Quickley are fine choices, too)
Oklahoma: SGA & Chet (could be talked into Williams instead of Chet, too)
Orlando: Wagner & Banchero (but it's not as clear-cut as it may be for others)
Philadelphia: Embiid & Maxey
Phoenix: Booker & Durant
Portland: Grant & Brogdon
Sacramento: Fox & Sabonis (although I really want this to be Fox and Murray in the future)
San Antonio: Wembanyama & Johnson (also considered Collins and Vassell)
Toronto: Barnes & Siakam (argument can be made for OG, too)
Utah: Markkanen & Clarkson (also considered Olynyk, Kessler, Collins, George – it gets really depressing after Lauri)
Washington: Kuzma & Avdija (also considered Poole (but one must believe that he'll get his heads straight) and Gafford)
In line with the conditions outlined in the episode, consider also team-building aspects and synergy rather than just thinking about the two best players in a vacuum. You are asked to build a team around the duo with the aim to maximize success this year (not in the future).
List of teams and duos I picked (feel free to argue those and choose other players):
Atlanta: Young & Murray (but a strong Jalen Johnson campaign could sway me)
Boston: Tatum & Holiday (also considered White, Brown and Porzingis instead of Jrue – Boston's top 5 are crazy)
Brooklyn: Bridges & Claxton (also considered Dinwiddie and Thomas instead of Claxton)
Charlotte: Ball & Williams (also considered Bridges, Rozier and Miller instead of Williams – really poor options here)
Chicago: LaVine & Caruso (also considered Vucevic and DeRozan here)
Cleveland: Mobley & Mitchell (also considered Garland instead of Mitchell; shout-out to Allen, too)
Dallas: Doncic & Irving
Denver: Jokic & Murray (also considered Gordon here but ultimately I would not want to pass up on Murray with the Joker)
Detroit: Cunningham & Bogdanovic (also considered Ivey, Thompson and Duren – yikes)
Golden State: Curry & Green
Houston: Sengün & VanVleet (the latter is not a lock but nobody else convinced me enough push aside the safe choice)
Indiana: Haliburton & Turner
LA Clippers: George & Leonard (also considered Harden here, but there is still uncertainty to overcome)
LA Lakers: James & Davis
Memphis: Jackson Jr. & Morant (also considered Bane here)
Miami: Butler & Adebayo
Milwaukee: Giannis & Lillard
Minnesota: Edwards & Gobert (also briefly considered Towns but I'd still rather have Gobert)
New Orleans: Williamson & Ingram (but Murphy may make this an interesting conversation; shout-out to Herb)
New York: Brunson & Randle (not too convinced about Randle and Robinson, Barrett and Quickley are fine choices, too)
Oklahoma: SGA & Chet (could be talked into Williams instead of Chet, too)
Orlando: Wagner & Banchero (but it's not as clear-cut as it may be for others)
Philadelphia: Embiid & Maxey
Phoenix: Booker & Durant
Portland: Grant & Brogdon
Sacramento: Fox & Sabonis (although I really want this to be Fox and Murray in the future)
San Antonio: Wembanyama & Johnson (also considered Collins and Vassell)
Toronto: Barnes & Siakam (argument can be made for OG, too)
Utah: Markkanen & Clarkson (also considered Olynyk, Kessler, Collins, George – it gets really depressing after Lauri)
Washington: Kuzma & Avdija (also considered Poole (but one must believe that he'll get his heads straight) and Gafford)