Ranking the Top 5 Duos in the NBA

​Article by: Kevin Eagleson 

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The 2019 NBA offseason has been one of the most entertaining all time. This year, the trend in the NBA has shifted away from superteams and is now centered around dynamic duos. Whether superstars from different teams united in a new city, or old teammates look to continue their chemistry, the NBA appears to be balanced once again. The balance in the league is thanks to the many pairings of superstars spread around the league. The Golden State Warriors are no longer the super-team of the NBA with the departure of Kevin Durant as well as the injury to Klay Thompson. Moving forward, the league appears to be much more up for grabs, as many teams appear capable of winning it all.

Russell Westbrook reuniting with James Harden in Houston should be one of the last major moves this offseason, and all of the new pairings are sparking debates as to what team has the best core of players. Here are the top 5 duos currently in the NBA, in order.

5. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

Moving forward, the Warriors will look a lot different, but they were able to retain splash brothers Steph and Klay, who will easily continue to be one of the best duos in the league. As long as these two are together, Golden State will be competitive. The only reason the splash bros are not higher ranked is because it is still unknown how much of the season Klay will miss while recovering from a torn ACL sustained in the finals. Once he is back, the duo will continue to light up opposing teams.

4. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets)

The KD/Kyrie duo is in a similar situation to Klay and Steph. Durant ruptured his Achilles in the finals and will miss his entire first season with the team. Durant is widely considered to be the best player in the league, and pairing him with such a dynamic point guard in Irving should be enough for the rest of the league to fear this team. Kyrie will have to do his best without Durant next year, but eventually KD will be healthy again and the Nets will be dangerous.

3. Russell Westbrook and James Harden (Houston Rockets)

Westbrook and Harden reunited again is something that NBA fans everywhere are eager to see. Both players are some of the most talented scorers in the league: not just right now, but all time. Russell Westbrook has multiple seasons averaging a triple-double, and James Harden is coming off a season where he lead the league in scoring, averaging 36 points a game. This duo is going to be absolutely electric offensively, and it will be difficult for opposing teams to keep up.

2. LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

At one point, the assets the Lakers gave up to trade for Anthony Davis caused many to question if it was a smart move. But after free agency, the Lakers have actually constructed a fairly deep roster with players such as Danny Green and DeMarcus Cousins. Everything has seemed to work out for the Lakers, who gave LeBron a superstar in AD to compete with.

​1. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers)

LA is home to two of the most exciting teams in the NBA. The Kawhi PG duo was unexpected to say the least, but they rank as the top pairing in the league. Kawhi is a two-time finals MVP, and has proven himself after a successful year in Toronto, and he is now able to play alongside superstar Paul George, who was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder. These two are some of the most well rounded players in the league, who will not only be All-NBA defenders, but likely All-NBA players too. The Clippers duo just barely rank above their LA rivals Lebron and AD.

Thanks for reading and feel free to give your feedback on who you think the best NBA duo is!