With Kevin Durant leaving the Golden State Warriors this past summer, the NBA saw a makeover. After the league was dominated by super teams for so long, we are now entering an era where NBA star duos are the main focus again. With this in mind, one has to wonder which team possesses the best NBA star duo this season. Without further adieu, let’s rank the top five star duos in the NBA so far this season. (Honorable mentions to Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum.)
NBA Star Duo #5: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the focal points of the Denver Nuggets offense. It is somewhat of an unconventional play-style as it is normally the center who initiates the offense while the point guard is relied upon to generate the majority of the points. The Nuggets love to utilize the dribble-hand offs that the Joker and Blue Arrow have mastered. Many times, the result is a Murray mid-range jump-shot, a drive to the bucket, or a Jokic opportunity. An opportunity which normally results in a shot at the rim, or a kick-out for an open three-point shot.
Jokic is having another terrific season as he is posting totals of 20.6 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game, and 6.9 assists per game. He is also averaging a player efficiency rating of 25.3. To top it all off, he also possesses a win share total of 8.1 and an assist percentage of 34.7%. On the perimeter, the promising Jamal Murray is putting numbers of 18.9 points per game, 4.8 assists per game, and 3.9 rebounds per game. He is also striking it from three-point land at a 34.5% clip to go along with a true shooting percentage of 55.7%. With numbers like these and this duo complementing each other well, Jokic and Murray have led the Denver Nuggets to the top tier in the Western Conference again.
NBA Star Duo #4: Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry
Both Siakam and Lowry now have championship experience. It seems to have translated to this season as the Raptors are still one of the best teams in the league despite losing Kawhi Leonard in NBA Free Agency. Siakam is headed to his first All-Star Game and is the reigning Most Improved Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Kyle Lowry is on his way sixth All-Star Game and has upped his scoring this season, which has helped the Raptors stay in the top tier of the Eastern Conference.
Siakam is putting up totals of 23.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and is striking it from the three-point line at a clip of 36.2%. He is also averaging a career-high assist percentage of 16.6%, a defensive rebounding percentage of 18.8%, and a career-high free-throw percentage of 80.2%. For Lowry, he is averaging 19.6 points per game, 7.6 assists per game, and 4.7 rebounds per game. Some of his advanced numbers also read an offensive rating of 117, a true shooting percentage of 58.7%, and an assists percentage of 30.6%. Lowry and Siakam are on a very deep and talented team. However, they are still integral to the success of the Raptors.
NBA Star Duo #3: Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks once again find themselves at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. This is in large part due to their dynamic duo in the Greek Freak and Middleton. Giannis is having another MVP caliber year as he is putting up insane totals and leading the Bucks to some great wins and the best record in the league. Khris Middleton is headed to his second All-Star Game and is having a 50, 40, 90 season. With the way Giannis plays, Middelton is a great co-star for the reigning MVP with his ability to space the floor and hit shots allowing Giannis to operate in the paint without it getting clogged.
Giannis is tallying 30 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game, and a healthy 5.8 assists per game. The Greek Freak is also having a solid season defensively. He is averaging a career-low defensive rating of 97 to couple with a defensive rebounding percentage of 32.9% and a defensive win share number of 3.9. Meanwhile, Middleton has been showing value as an All-Star wing. An All-Star with numbers of a career-high 20.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game. Khash Money is also putting up totals of an offensive rating of 120, a true shooting percentage of 62.4%, and an effective field goal percentage of 58.3%. This star pair is one of the most underrated in the league and it is time for the Giannis and Middleton to get the respect they deserve.
Duo #2: Paul George and Kawhi Leonard
The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the teams to get a massive makeover this season. Not only did they land Kawhi Leonard, but they also netted Paul George in a blockbuster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. As a result, the Clippers are in title contention this season and are becoming huge rivals with the Los Angeles Lakers, a team they have now defeated twice this season. There is not much to say about the firepower of the Klaw and PG13. They are both considered top 10 players in the NBA for a reason and can help any team.
This season, the Klaw is tallying 27.1 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and 7.4 rebounds per game. He also possesses a defensive rating of 103 and a player efficiency rating of 26.9. To top it off, Leonard also possesses a true shooting percentage of 58.2%. For Paul George, his numbers have dipped a bit, but he is still effective. PG13 is averaging 22.3 points per game, four assists per game, and 6.2 rebounds per game. George is also tallying an assists percentage of 21.5%, a defensive rebounding percentage of 19.4%, and a three-point shooting percentage of 39.6%. The Clippers have gone from a fringe playoff team to a title contender and much of that is attributed to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
Duo #1: LeBron James and Anthony Davis
When you combine the greatness with LeBron James with the talent of Anthony Davis, you are guaranteed great results. So far, the duo has willed the Lakers to the top spot in the Western Conference. It has catapulted them from a lottery team last year to a title contender this season. LeBron may be getting older, but he doesn’t seem to be slowing down. This is also the first season we have seen from Davis where he seems to be fully healthy in a while.
James is putting up remarkable numbers again. He is rattling off numbers of 25 points per game, 10.8 assists per game, and 7.8 rebounds per game. He is also averaging a player efficiency rating of 25.2, an assists percentage of 49.9%, and an offensive rating of 115. Davis is also having a great season. He is tallying 26.6 points per game, 2.4 blocks per game, and 9.2 rebounds per game. The Brow also possesses a block percentage of six percent while averaging a true shooting percentage of 61.9% to couple with a player efficiency rating of 28.3. Like it or not, the Lakers currently possess the best star duo in the league. That does not necessarily mean the best team as a whole. However if we are talking about superstar duos, then James and Davis certainly take the crown for this season.
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