DTrehus5 wrote:Thoughts on which new duo in the NBA is best? My opinions on them..
1. Kawhi and PG - I give them the edge as both are pretty much smack dab in the middle of their primes, are both extremely good 2 way players, and each came of career best seasons.
2. LeBron and AD - If this poll was 2 years ago they'd be number 1 without discussion. But LeBron always seems to defy father time, we'll see if he can continue to do so.
3. Kyrie and KD - A healthy KD is the best player on the planet. Healthy KD and Kyrie duo will be extremely dangerous, and I think will be favorites to win the title in 2021, given the Nets depth and ability to get the most out of their roster.
4. Russ and Harden - I see their play styles clashing, with Russ struggling to fit into Houston's 3 happy offense.
My apologies if I'm missing one, the morning is still early...
I think that all of the combos other than LeBron/AD are going to have to prove synergy.
The reality is that Kawhi & PG are both somewhat analogous to running backs in football. Yeah you can run a LeBron-like scheme around Kawhi and have some success, but not because he's a gifted passer.
Meanwhile Russ & Harden's have focused their games on being as much quarterbacks as possible in the sense that they make all the decisions on the court. Both have non-QB talents, but they are rusty, and both players have shown a disinclination to go back to less glamorous work.
LeBron is a quarterback and AD is a receiver. Simple. Should work. Should make things easier for both guys.
(Incidentally, I wouldn't bet on Kyrie period. It's within the realm of possibility that KD leads the Nets to the promised land, but it won't be because Kyrie was anything like an equal partner in the process, and I think KD would be wise to wake up to the reality that everyone else hooked up with a near-peer, and he hooked up with a blowhard that turns toxic easily.)