Best Duos in the NBA

[Goldstar88]

What do you think the top 10 duos are in the NBA? (two best players on a given team) Feel like the first two are obvious, but after that... not so clear. Curious to see what people think and where the Jaylen/Jayson tandem fit in.

1. KD/Harden
2. Lebron/AD
3. ?
4. ??
5.

[Kernewek]

At the risk of being a blatant homer I would say the J's are in the conversation somewhere.

Also depends on how you define Duos. If it's "the two best players on a given team", these names spring to mind in no particular order:
Leonard & George
Jokic & Murray looked great before Murray's ACL injury
Portland's backcourt
Phoenix's backcourt(?)
Gobert & Mitchell.

And not at present but very easily in the conversation based on how 2021-22 goes, you should include the Splash Brothers.

[gift]

At the risk of being a blatant homer I would say the J's are in the conversation somewhere.

Also depends on how you define Duos. If it's "the two best players on a given team", these names spring to mind in no particular order:
Leonard & George
Jokic & Murray looked great before Murray's ACL injury
Portland's backcourt
Phoenix's backcourt(?)
Gobert & Mitchell.

And not at present but very easily in the conversation based on how 2021-22 goes, you should include the Splash Brothers.

I didn't think Tatum and Brown would be that high until you posted some of the other examples. I don't think they are far off and might even make their case to move up this year.

[Moranis]

These are the "duos" I think you could at least make a top 5 argument for

Kawhi/George (though obviously Kawhi is out most (if not all) of the year)
Giannis/Middleton (mostly on the back of Giannis)
Jokic/Murray
Tatum/Brown
Doncic/Zinger (Luka carries the bigger load, but Zinger is still a 20/9 type guy when healthy)
Curry/Thompson (Klay's health is a big question mark)
Embiid/Simmons (for all their faults they did lead the Sixers to the best record in the east last year)
Butler/Bam
Zion/Ingram
Lillard/McCollum
Paul/Booker
Gobert/Mitchell

Rising Star Category
Young/Collins
Morant/Jackson
Sexton/Garland

[Goldstar88]

At the risk of being a blatant homer I would say the J's are in the conversation somewhere.

Also depends on how you define Duos. If it's "the two best players on a given team", these names spring to mind in no particular order:
Leonard & George
Jokic & Murray looked great before Murray's ACL injury
Portland's backcourt
Phoenix's backcourt(?)
Gobert & Mitchell.

And not at present but very easily in the conversation based on how 2021-22 goes, you should include the Splash Brothers.

Yes, two best players on a team. What’s your top 5 or 10 in order.

[Kernewek]

I didn't think Tatum and Brown would be that high until you posted some of the other examples. I don't think they are far off and might even make their case to move up this year.

Right? Cautious optimism and all that, but they're perilously close to breaking into that list and I'd take them over some of the ones I listed.

Yes, two best players on a team. What’s your top 5 or 10 in order.

Nothing personal but but as a survivor of the Great Listicle-isation of online media I refuse to ever make make another Top _ list even if the penalty is death.

I most enjoy watching Jokic and Murray because I absolutely love basketball when it's played with big men who can pass like guards, so I'd probably say they're my favourite non-Celtics duo at the moment.

[SHAQATTACK]

Kanter / Grant Williams ?

[Vermont Green]

This is not all telling but you can sort 2-man line up stats.  I sorted by the best total +/- for each team:

1. UTA  Gorbert/Conley       1368 min / +528
2. PHI  Embiid/Simmons     1164 min / +393
3. LAC  George/Leonard      1028 min / +378
4. DEN  Jokic/Murray           1363 min / +339
5. MIL  Giannis/Middleton   1452 min / +322
6. PHO  Booker/Bridges       1870 min / +279
7. GWS  Green/Curry           1738 min / +278
8. POR  Covington/Lillard    1805 min / +257
9.  ATL Collins/Young         1455 min / +239
10. BKN Irving/Harris         1293 min / +196
11. MIA Butler/Robinson     1177 min / +190
12. MEM Valanci'/Brooks      1314 min / +165
13. LAL  James/Schroder      816 min / +162
14. NYK Randle/Bullock       1811 min / +122
                        Barrett
15. NOP Williamson/Ball      1114 min / +112
15. SAS Poeltl/Murray         1307 min / + 106
16. TOR Siakam/VanFleet    1466 mn / +96
17. BOS Tatum/Brown         1263 min / +79

There are a number of top duos that either didn't have the minutes to qualify for my sort or that were on lesser teams that just didn't have the same level of +/- success.  Also, for many of the teams, they had more than one 2-man group that did very well.  For example, Utah had 7 of the top 10 and Gobert was part of 6 of those 7.  Again, I just listed the top one for each team.

I also note that most of these duos include one big.  12 of the top 17.  I did a per 36 sort to normalize against time but that really did not change things all that much.  Utah/Gobert were still most of the best duos.  Harden and Durant are clearly a top duo but this didn't make my sort due to not enough minutes on the floor together.   Lillard/McCullom were 1068 min/+221, not the best on POR for total but best per 36 on POR.

Tatum and Brown did not fare so well in this comparison.

[Redz]

This is not all telling but you can sort 2-man line up stats.  I sorted by the best total +/- for each team:

1. UTA  Gorbert/Conley       1368 min / +528
2. PHI  Embiid/Simmons     1164 min / +393
3. LAC  George/Leonard      1028 min / +378
4. DEN  Jokic/Murray           1363 min / +339
5. MIL  Giannis/Middleton   1452 min / +322
6. PHO  Booker/Bridges       1870 min / +279
7. GWS  Green/Curry           1738 min / +278
8. POR  Covington/Lillard    1805 min / +257
9.  ATL Collins/Young         1455 min / +239
10. BKN Irving/Harris         1293 min / +196
11. MIA Butler/Robinson     1177 min / +190
12. MEM Valanci'/Brooks      1314 min / +165
13. LAL  James/Schroder      816 min / +162
14. NYK Randle/Bullock       1811 min / +122
15. NOP Williamson/Ball      1114 min / +112
15. SAS Poeltl/Murray         1307 min / + 106
16. TOR Siakam/VanFleet    1466 mn / +96
17. BOS Tatum/Brown         1263 min / +79

There are a number of top duos that either didn't have the minutes to qualify for my sort or that were on lesser teams that just didn't have the same level of +/- success.  Also, for many of the teams, they had more than one 2-man group that did very well.  For example, Utah had 7 of the top 10 and Gobert was part of 6 of those 7.  Again, I just listed the top one for each team.

I also note that most of these duos include one big.  12 of the top 17.  I did a per 36 sort to normalize against time but that really did not change things all that much.  Utah/Gobert were still most of the best duos.  Harden and Durant are clearly a top duo but this didn't make my sort due to not enough minutes on the floor together.   Lillard/McCullom were 1068 min/+221, not the best on POR for total but best per 36 on POR.

Tatum and Brown did not fare so well in this comparison.

Given a hundred guesses I don't think anyone would have come up with Poetl and Murray making that list!

[gouki88]

This is not all telling but you can sort 2-man line up stats.  I sorted by the best total +/- for each team:

1. UTA  Gorbert/Conley       1368 min / +528
2. PHI  Embiid/Simmons     1164 min / +393
3. LAC  George/Leonard      1028 min / +378
4. DEN  Jokic/Murray           1363 min / +339
5. MIL  Giannis/Middleton   1452 min / +322
6. PHO  Booker/Bridges       1870 min / +279
7. GWS  Green/Curry           1738 min / +278
8. POR  Covington/Lillard    1805 min / +257
9.  ATL Collins/Young         1455 min / +239
10. BKN Irving/Harris         1293 min / +196
11. MIA Butler/Robinson     1177 min / +190
12. MEM Valanci'/Brooks      1314 min / +165
13. LAL  James/Schroder      816 min / +162
14. NYK Randle/Bullock       1811 min / +122
15. NOP Williamson/Ball      1114 min / +112
15. SAS Poeltl/Murray         1307 min / + 106
16. TOR Siakam/VanFleet    1466 mn / +96
17. BOS Tatum/Brown         1263 min / +79

There are a number of top duos that either didn't have the minutes to qualify for my sort or that were on lesser teams that just didn't have the same level of +/- success.  Also, for many of the teams, they had more than one 2-man group that did very well.  For example, Utah had 7 of the top 10 and Gobert was part of 6 of those 7.  Again, I just listed the top one for each team.

I also note that most of these duos include one big.  12 of the top 17.  I did a per 36 sort to normalize against time but that really did not change things all that much.  Utah/Gobert were still most of the best duos.  Harden and Durant are clearly a top duo but this didn't make my sort due to not enough minutes on the floor together.   Lillard/McCullom were 1068 min/+221, not the best on POR for total but best per 36 on POR.

Tatum and Brown did not fare so well in this comparison.

Given a hundred guesses I don't think anyone would have come up with Poetl and Murray making that list!

Or LeBron and Schroder!

[Csfan1984]

TP VG.

It's interesting to see offense and defense pairings.

My top 5 would be

Kawhi + PG
Jokic + Murray
KD + Harden
LeBron + Davis
Giannis + Holiday

Think these pairings are all tied because of health. The healthiest pairing is probably the best.

Next 5
Gorbert + Mitchell
Butler + Bam
Young + Collins
Brown + Tatum
Green + Curry

All these are pretty much same class. They are just below the first 5.

Last 5 worth mentioning
Booker + Ayton
Lillard + McCollum
Zion + Ingram
Brooks + Ja
Embiid + Simmons


Biggest thing I noticed from doing this list is Luka needs a legit running mate. If he had one no way is he all the out the top 15.

[Ogaju]

At the risk of being a blatant homer I would say the J's are in the conversation somewhere.

Also depends on how you define Duos. If it's "the two best players on a given team", these names spring to mind in no particular order:
Leonard & George
Jokic & Murray looked great before Murray's ACL injury
Portland's backcourt
Phoenix's backcourt(?)
Gobert & Mitchell.

And not at present but very easily in the conversation based on how 2021-22 goes, you should include the Splash Brothers.

The Jays are not in this convo.

[Goldstar88]

TP VG.

It's interesting to see offense and defense pairings.

My top 5 would be

Kawhi + PG
Jokic + Murray
KD + Harden
LeBron + Davis
Giannis + Holiday

Think these pairings are all tied because of health. The healthiest pairing is probably the best.

Next 5
Gorbert + Mitchell
Butler + Bam
Young + Collins
Brown + Tatum
Green + Curry

All these are pretty much same class. They are just below the first 5.

Last 5 worth mentioning
Booker + Ayton
Lillard + McCollum
Zion + Ingram
Brooks + Ja
Embiid + Simmons


Biggest thing I noticed from doing this list is Luka needs a legit running mate. If he had one no way is he all the out the top 15.

That’s interesting that you put Giannis/Holiday instead of Giannis/Middleton. Would you take any of the 2nd tier duos listed over Jaylen/Jayson?

[Moranis]

TP VG.

It's interesting to see offense and defense pairings.

My top 5 would be

Kawhi + PG
Jokic + Murray
KD + Harden
LeBron + Davis
Giannis + Holiday

Think these pairings are all tied because of health. The healthiest pairing is probably the best.

Next 5
Gorbert + Mitchell
Butler + Bam
Young + Collins
Brown + Tatum
Green + Curry

All these are pretty much same class. They are just below the first 5.

Last 5 worth mentioning
Booker + Ayton
Lillard + McCollum
Zion + Ingram
Brooks + Ja
Embiid + Simmons


Biggest thing I noticed from doing this list is Luka needs a legit running mate. If he had one no way is he all the out the top 15.

Porzingis averaged 20.1 ppg and 8.9 rpg last year.  I'm not sure how more legit you are going to find than that.   

[LilRip]

We had a dream team but we broke them up:

Tremont/Tacko