Build The Best Tandem of All Time Without MJ & Lebron

[bstein14]

There's no way its Shaq if they are playing in todays NBA..... nothing against Shaq but he can't step out to the perimeter and defend a pick and roll and teams would 100% use hack-a-shaq to the full extent possible whenever he got the ball....

Teams are actually way better at preventing the entry pass into the post than they used to be as well its a lower % success. Even though he could/would be dominant inside in a 7 game series opposing teams would be able to gameplan and so many teams now can put 5 shooters on the floor at once including a big who can drain threes.

A Shaq/Magic duo absolutely loses to a Giannis/Jokic or Curry/Jokic duo in todays NBA in a 7 game series with similar level supporting casts and coaching. Shaq could not go out on the perimeter and defend Jokic at all.

[Iwasawitness]

Imagine the best DUO of all time without using MJ & Lebron.

Mine is probably Steph & Shaq

I think the gravity on the outside and the gravity on the inside would hold the earth in place.

Not only that Steph would have no problems with Shaq eating.

I almost put Bird in place because of the playmaking, but I just prefer Stephs off ball movement and God tier shooting.

Only problem I see with this DUO is defensively, if Shaq is lazy and Curry isn't exactly lockdown.

Why group Lebron with MJ? Lebron isnt #2...

Anyway I would say Kobe and Kareem.

You're right, he's number one.

[Jadoogar]

Magic and Kareem. We've already seen this tandem be successful

[nate33]

Curry and Jokic would be so incredible on offense. Imagine being one of the other 3 players on that team. Nobody at all would guard you! All you'd have to do is cut and it would be layup after layup.

They'd have some problems defensively though. I think I'd go Shaq/Curry because of that. But still, Jokic/Curry would be the most devastating offensive combo.

[pepe1991]

Curry+ Shaq would probably be most unstoppable duo. Tbh Durant and Curry duo was pretty unstoppable. ACL tears, egos, achillie blown up stopped them.

From some ego control POV, Duncan and Curry would be fire as well.

[JXL]

Bird/Duncan. Boring, but so dominant.

[nate33]

Nash and David Robinson would be interesting. The best pick-and-roll guard of all time with arguably the best roll-man/defensive big. Hakeem would work too, but he was more of a post player whereas I think Robinson would fit better as a roller.

Harden and Robinson would also work.

[MyTake_1]

Larry Legend & Joker
Imagine 80s Celtics with Joker in place of Parish....man.

[Sane]

I’ll go with Hakeem/KG because you guarantee the best defense probably of all time. Then they can still put up 50-60ppg between them in the playoffs.

[tamaraw08]

Curry and Jokic would be so incredible on offense. Imagine being one of the other 3 players on that team. Nobody at all would guard you! All you'd have to do is cut and it would be layup after layup.

They'd have some problems defensively though. I think I'd go Shaq/Curry because of that. But still, Jokic/Curry would be the most devastating offensive combo.

Good points.
That is why I am picking 2-way players like PEAK Durant who can guard 2-3 positions well and at the same time create his own shot and PEAK Kareem, who was pretty mobile at 7-2 with an indefensible sky hook on offense.

[DENSportsGuy715]

I'm a homer so Jokic would be in all of many tandems since he wouldn't mind setting up these other guys on a nightly basis and give them space to operate while he does his own thing.

Jokic & Kobe
Jokic & Bird
Jokic & Shaq
Jokic & Bernard King
Jokic & Dominique
Jokic & David Thompson
Jokic & Shawn Kemp - the nightly lobs/passes to set up a dunk for Kemp would be so entertaining

[red96]

Steph + Shaq/Joker.

[bledredwine]

I love the idea of Stockton and Shaq. Whoever said that is a genius. You could put a variety of players around them and it would be a terrifying team.

I mean, outside of the obvious duos, which should include Magic Kaj since they’re in the same tier if you’re saying Lebron, I’d pick-

Hakeem and Mitch Rich
Wilt and Steph
KD and Luka
Mutumbo and Dirk
Shaq (or Wilt) and Reggie would be a nightmare for any team to dare to defend

Actually, I’d pick the last duo as the biggest defensive nightmare.

Jokic is interesting. If you get teleported to any era, you better pick a damned good dynamic defender next to him who can shoot, like a Pippen or Kawhi. After watching him face Embiid, I do not have the highest faith of Jokic facing the GOAT centers, who were almost always dominant two way players. Team defense matters a lot and I’d much rather have two dynamic scorers who typically play off ball than relying on heliocentric players for peak teamwork.

[RHODEY]

Imagine the best DUO of all time without using MJ & Lebron.

Mine is probably Steph & Shaq

I think the gravity on the outside and the gravity on the inside would hold the earth in place.

Not only that Steph would have no problems with Shaq eating.

I almost put Bird in place because of the playmaking, but I just prefer Stephs off ball movement and God tier shooting.

Only problem I see with this DUO is defensively, if Shaq is lazy and Curry isn't exactly lockdown.

Why group Lebron with MJ? Lebron isnt #2...

We get it - LeBron is the GOAT. Please stick to the topic.

I did, while calling out the slick psyop that you just defended.

[RHODEY]

Imagine the best DUO of all time without using MJ & Lebron.

Mine is probably Steph & Shaq

I think the gravity on the outside and the gravity on the inside would hold the earth in place.

Not only that Steph would have no problems with Shaq eating.

I almost put Bird in place because of the playmaking, but I just prefer Stephs off ball movement and God tier shooting.

Only problem I see with this DUO is defensively, if Shaq is lazy and Curry isn't exactly lockdown.

Why group Lebron with MJ? Lebron isnt #2...

Anyway I would say Kobe and Kareem.

You're right, he's number one.

[TheGeneral99]

I think Magic and Curry would be incredible...imagine Magic on those fast breaks with Curry trailing for a 3. Magic would basically be like Draymond on steroids and better in every way, perfect fit in my opinion.

Durant and Shaq also very intriguing to me...Durant just better than Kobe in every facet of the game imo...I think that combo wins you 4-5 chips.

How fun would Jokic and Bird be lol...basically the same players just Jokic is a few inches taller, lol - highest IQ team of all time?

[Capn'O]

For the record, somebody built Curry/Jokic in the Sim league we play on our board and it's utterly unstoppable.

@

...

[Iwasawitness]

Why group Lebron with MJ? Lebron isnt #2...

Anyway I would say Kobe and Kareem.

You're right, he's number one.

That's crazy but saying LeBron isn't his consensus rank isn't?

[MrBigShot]

Kobe Hakeem would be a fun one

[benson13]

Hakeem and Steph.

My brain immediately went to Shaq and Steph, but then I saw it like 41 times in this thread.

Hakeem works really well with Steph because Dream could leave the paint still provide use.

Another possibility would be Pippen and Larry Bird. Two guys who can handle the ball, create, pass, and rebound. Pippen's lockdown defense would be complemented by Bird's volume scoring ability. It would be everything the Tracy McGrady/Grant Hill pairing was supposed to be but better.