2021-22 was supposed to be the year of the Big-3. East Coast versus West Coast. New York versus California. The Nets versus the Lakers. Sadly, things haven’t worked out that way.
- 10. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert
- 9. Jarret Allen and Darius Garland
- 8. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane
- 7. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
- 6. LeBron James and Anthony Davis
- 5. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine
- 4. Chris Paul and Devin Booker
- 3. Kevin Durant and James Harden
- 2. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
- 1. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
- Next
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- 5 Biggest Draft Mistakes In Memphis Grizzlies History: They Missed Stephen Curry, James Harden And DeMar DeRozan In 2009 NBA Draft
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New York City implemented new regulations prohibiting unvaccinated players from participating in home games at Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden. Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated and was shelved for the first half of the season. Irving has recently played seven away contests, but the Nets were down to a Big-2 of Kevin Durant and James Harden for most of the season.
On the other side of the continent, Lakers management traded away three key rotation players—Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Montrezl Harrell—for Russell Westbrook hoping to create their own Big-3. Halfway through the season, their ambitions have been crushed. Westbrook has struggled amid screams from nearly every fan in Hollywood to ship him out to another team. The Lakers are also down to a Big-2 of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The NBA is devoid of any type of dominating trio this season. Who cares. The league is laced with dominant duos, so much so, finding the top-10 was head-scratchingly (is that a word?) difficult.
You could build a hell of an All-Star team with our omissions.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards are nearly averaging a combined 50 points per game, and each player is hitting a solid clip from deep. They missed the cut.
Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball are both All-Star candidates in the Eastern Conference, and the Charlotte Hornets are in playoff contention with a 28-22 record. They’re out too.
Jayson Tatum averages 25.9 PPG, and Jaylen Brown is pouring in 24.1 points nightly. Still, the Celtics have floundered all season, and both wings struggle to get their teammates involved in the offense. We can’t put them in our top-10.
Trae Young is an All-Star starter in the Eastern Conference and John Collins is a sweet-shooting big man who averages over 16.0 points per game this season. The Hawks are one game under .500, barely clinging to the 10th seed. They’re out, too.
Joel Embiid has moved up to third in Basketball-Reference’s MVP award tracker, and Tobias Harris averages 18.7 PPG. They didn’t get in either.
Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon were the toughest exclusion. Jokic is a wizard with the basketball and is the MVP favorite, while Gordon is averaging 14.4 points per contest as he plays excellent perimeter D. They still couldn’t crack our list.
Below are our top-10 duos.
10. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert
Donovan Mitchell is an explosive offensive player. He’s averaging 25.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 5.2 APG. He’s the lynchpin for the Jazz’s top-ranked offense (116.1 OFFRTG). Mitchell is a master at getting into the lane and causing havoc. He averages 15.3 drives per game, initiating Utah’s devastating three-point attack by making opposing defenses collapse into the lane and creating open looks from beyond the arc for his teammates. Unfortunately, Mitchell has become a bit of a one-way player this season. He’s allowing his assignments to shoot an ugly 7.2% above their normal average, and Dunks and Threes rate him in the 33rd percentile among all NBA defenders.
Rudy Gobert runs the Jazz defense. He recently missed seven games, and Utah went 1-6 without their center, hemorrhaging points in each contest. The Jazz are stacked full of excellent three-point shooters who struggle to keep their man in front of them. Gobert makes up for his teammate’s mistakes, contesting 13.4 shots per contest (2nd in the league) at the rim, keeping Utah in games. Gobert is one of the best defenders in the league, but he lacks a developed post-up game, making his contributions on offense minimal.
Overall, Mitchell and Gobert are All-Stars and have helped propel the Jazz to 4th place in the Western Conference, but they are each too one-sided to move up our list.
9. Jarret Allen and Darius Garland
We don’t talk about Jarret Allen’s defense enough. He contests 11.2 shots per game, 8th in the NBA, and he has a 41.3 defensive field goal percentage. Allen ranks in the 85th percentile in block percentage, and overall, Dunks and Threes rate him seventh in the NBA in D. Allen is a defensive unicorn. He’s the rare player who can defend the rim, pull down rebounds (11.0 per game), and switch onto smaller perimeter players. The Cavs center is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but he’s no slouch on offense either. Allen is putting up 16.1 points per game, and he’s formed an excellent pick and roll synergy with Darius Garland, averaging 1.20 points per possession as the roll man.
Darius Garland is one of the top point guards in the league and should be a mainstay on the All-Star team for years to come. He can do it all on offense. Garland averages 15.7 drives per game with a top-5, 52.3 pass percentage, helping create easy long-distance shots for his teammates. He also ranks in the 88th percentile in isolation play types, manufacturing points when things stall out in the half-court. Rounding out his game, Garland shoots a better-than-average 36.4% from deep. The Vanderbilt product isn’t a ballhawk on defense, but he tries hard, averaging 1.9 deflections per game with a decent 48.0 DFG%.
Allen and Garland are two of the biggest surprises on our list and should move into the top-5 over the next few years.
8. Ja Morant and Desmond Bane
Ja Morant is an All-Star and has made a genuine MVP case this season. He’s averaging 25.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, and 5.9 RPG while shooting 35.8% from deep, and the former second overall pick might be the most explosive athlete in the NBA. Morant bursts toward the rim harder than any other point guard in the NBA, where he finishes 70.9% of his shots. He’s second in the league in drives at 20.6 per game, and even though teams know he will attack the rim, nobody can stop him. He’s pouring in 14.1 points off his slashes down the lane, tops in the league. At 6-3, 174 pounds, Morant is too small to ever truly lock down opposing guards, but this year he’s going 110% on the less fun end. He’s first on the Grizzlies in distance run on D at 1.11 defensive miles per game, and his average speed is a very impressive 4.14 MPH.
Desmond Bane averages 17.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 41.9 3P%. The second-year guard is the Grizzlies’ best perimeter defender, routinely squaring up against the opposing squad’s best offensive weapon and holding his man to 44.2% from the field. On offense, Bane is an excellent long-distance marksman, but he’s also capable of getting to the rack and pressuring defenses with his ability to drive past his man. Overall, Dunks and Threes rate him as the 34th best player in the league this season.
Ja Morant and Desmond Bane give the Grizzlies a real shot at a title this year.
7. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
Jimmy Butler will probably never get full credit for what he brings to the court, and he doesn’t care. Still, he’s helped guide the Miami Heat to the top of the Eastern Conference standings with a 32-18 record. Butler averages 21.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.0 APG, solid numbers that don’t tell the entire story. Butler is one of only a handful of players in the NBA who can beat an opposing squad in a multitude of ways. He can drop 40 points off mainly mid-range isolation buckets, he can dish out 12 dimes and set up his teammates with easy hoops, and he can shut down an All-Star wing. He does whatever is needed to earn a victory.
Bam Adebayo is one of the most versatile defenders in the league and, along with Jimmy Butler, is the driving force behind the Heat’s seventh-ranked defense. Bam is one of the few players in the association who lands inside the 60th percentile in steal and block percentage, showing his ability to do everything on the less fun end. At 6-9, 255 pounds, with a 7-1 wingspan, Bam can defend the rim while also bodying up centers on the block, yet he still has the side-to-side agility to lock down opposing wings behind the arc. He also has a solid offensive game topped off by his remarkable ability to finish 78.1% of his shots at the rim.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo form one of the best two-way duos in the league, and they have a real shot at dethroning the Milwaukee Bucks this season in the Eastern Conference.
6. LeBron James and Anthony Davis
If the Lakers were ten games over.500 LeBron James would be the runaway favorite to win the MVP award. As things stand, the Purple and Gold are 24-27, 9th in the Western Conference. LeBron James is second in the league in scoring at 29.1 points per game. He’s taking a career-high 7.9 three-point shots per game and connecting on a reliable 35.2% of his attempts. He’s also dishing out 6.3 dimes per contest and pulling down 7.7 boards nightly. LeBron James, 37, is a nightmare to guard one-on-one. He’s also the best playmaker in the league, and one of the toughest defenders in the world (he’s holding his man to -5.7% under their normal average).
Anthony Davis seems to always be hurt these days. After going down with an injury in last year’s playoffs, he missed 17 straight games this season, and after coming back for two games against the Nets and 76ers, was out again in Charlotte with a wrist issue. When AD’s on the court, he’s a beast. This season he’s averaging 23.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 2.2 BPG. Overall, Dunks and Threes rate him as the 37th best player in the league this season, and NBA.com’s PIE has him in 16th place (minimum 15 MPG).
LeBron James and Anthony Davis don’t crack our top-5, a testament to how truly deep the NBA has become. Still, no team wants to see a healthy LBJ and AD in the playoffs.
5. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine
You know the story on DeMar DeRozan. He struggled to help the San Antonio Spurs win games, and when he signed with the Bulls for three years, $81.9 million, everyone let out a collective laugh. “DeRozan doesn’t play a modern version of the game,” we said. “He doesn’t bomb away from deep. Instead, he works in no-man’s-land between 10 feet and the three-point line.”
It turns out there’s more to basketball than hitting three-pointers. Who knew? Outside of Kevin Durant, DeRozan is the best mid-range player in the NBA. He takes close to 50% of his shots from the top of the key to the arc, and he’s connecting on 54.2% of his attempts between 10 and 16 feet and he’s drilling 46.3% of his tries between 16 feet and the three-point line. DeRozan’s fade-away jumper is a thing of beauty, and it’s impossible to stop. He has a backpack full of pump fakes and an assortment of jab steps he can bust out anytime, anywhere, to save dwindling possessions or games. It’s safe to say the Bulls wouldn’t be 31-18 without their new starting forward. He’s won at least three games by himself in crunch time, and through 23 clutch situations this season, he’s averaging 3.7 points, ninth-best in the league. DeMar DeRozan is a genuine MVP candidate, and nobody wants to see him in the playoffs at the end of a close game.
Zach LaVine’s game is the opposite of DeRozan’s, which is one reason they work so well together. LaVine takes just under 70% of his shots at the rim or from beyond the arc, hitting a massive 71.1% of his attempts within 0 and 3 feet and 39.7% of long-distance bombs. LaVine leverages his ability to pop from deep off the dribble to keep defenders off balance on the perimeter, making it easier for him to explode to the rim. LaVine has no fear at the end games. He’s one spot under teammate DeRozan in clutch scoring, coming in at number 10 with 3.6 points per game.
DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are two of the best clutch players in the league, which bodes well for their playoff chances.
4. Chris Paul and Devin Booker
Chris Paul leads the league in assists at 10.2 per game. He’s also hitting 14.7 points per game while playing his typical brand of hounding defense. CP3 is averaging a double-double, but his leadership means the most to the 38-9 Phoenix suns. Chris Paul guarantees an excellent offensive possession in any circumstance. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the first quarter, at the end of a close game, at the beginning of the shot clock, or in transition. When Paul is on the court, the Suns will make opposing defenses work. They will not jack up a wild two-pointer or bumble the ball out of bounds. Chris Paul puts tremendous pressure on teams by never giving them a moment to breathe. And he’s still an advanced stats god. He’s ranked 9th in EPM by Dunks and Threes, and the Suns are +4.8 points per 100 possessions with Paul on the floor.
Devin Booker gets buckets. He’s averaging 25.1 points per game while drilling 37.8% of his three-point shots. Some players kill with their athleticism and burst to the rim. Not Booker. He’s more of a methodical killer, in the mold of a 33-year-old Kobe. He takes only 10.7% of his shots at the rim. Instead, he uses a blend of excellent footwork, timing, and balance to destroy opposing defenders in the mid-range or from beyond the arc. He’s also playing better-than-average D this season. He clocks in with a 42.4 DFG%, good for sixth on a Phoenix Suns squad that ranks second in the league in defensive rating.
CP3 and Book give the Suns an excellent shot at not only making it back to the finals this year but also finishing things off.
3. Kevin Durant and James Harden
Kevin Durant is the best offensive basketball player in the league. He’s tops in the NBA in scoring at 29.3 points per game, and his tracking stats are ridiculous.
Here’s a breakdown:
Isolation: 1.07 points per possession (86th percentile)
Post up: 1.17 PPP (94th percentile)
Pick and roll ball handler: 1.02 PPP (90th percentile)
Spot up: 1.13 PPP (82nd percentile)
Kevin Durant can’t be stopped on a basketball court because he’s the first player in NBA history who doesn’t have a single hole in his offensive repertoire. Even All-Time greats like Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan struggled from beyond the arc, allowing defenders to take a step back on the perimeter, taking away some of their explosion to the rim. Not KD, though; he’s a killer from every level of the court.
James Harden began the year in a funk, but as we move toward the trade deadline, he’s back doing James Harden things on the basketball court. He leads the league in isolation possessions at 7.7 per game, where he connects at an NBA high 8.2 points. He’s also up to third in the association in free throw attempts at 8.1 per game. Harden isn’t just a scorer. He has the fourth-highest assist percentage in the league at 40%. Some people love The Beard and others loathe his iso-heavy, foul-drawing trickster moves. It doesn’t matter which way you lean; Harden’s combination of passing and scoring makes him one of the best offensive weapons in the last 20 years.
If healthy, Kevin Durant and James Harden give the Nets a chance to beat anyone in a seven-game series.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
Giannis and the Bucks won the title last season, and this year he’s averaging 28.8 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.4 BPG, and 1.0 SPG. Yet, somehow he seems to get forgotten. Perhaps it’s because he’s in Milwaukee, or maybe it’s because he doesn’t hit step-back three-point winners. Either way, it’s a shame. Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are famed for their intensity on the court, but Giannis goes just as hard as they do, despite winning two MVP awards and the 2021 Finals MVP trophy. Do people realize how rare that is? Trae Young made it to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time last season and spent the first half of this year whining about how bored he was. Giannis and his incredible game-to-game work ethic has the Bucks inside the top-10 in offensive and defensive rating, and they are only 1.5 games back of the Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference.
If Giannis gets forgotten, then Khris Middleton vanishes off the face of the (NBA) earth. He’s averaging 20.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.3 APG while knocking down 38.5% of his 6.3 long-distance shots. Oh, and he also routinely covers the opposing squad’s best offensive wing, holding his man to 45.4% from the field. Middleton is like the Eastern Conference version of Devin Booker. He takes only 10.6% of his shots at the rim, letting Giannis crash the rack. Instead, he kills teams from the mid-range, where he’s hitting 51.2% of attempts from 10 to 16 feet.
Giannis and Middleton didn’t win the title last year by accident. They are one of the best duos in the league, and together they give the Bucks an outstanding shot at a repeat.
1. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green come in first.
They are like fire and water.
Earth and wind.
Offensive greatness and defensive greatness.
OK. Enough clichés.
You already know Stephen Curry is the best shooter of all time. Let’s focus on his defense instead. Dunks and Threes rate him as the 24th best defender in the league.
24th!!!!!
Stephen Curry has a ridiculous 41.3 defensive field goal percentage. In fact, he’s 17th among all guards (minimum 20 games played) in DFG%, despite clocking in with the 15th highest usage percentage in the league. People love to gawk at LeBron James greatness on the wrong side of 30, but Stephen Curry is close to 34-years-old, and he’s everything for the 36-13 Warriors on offense, and he’s also an elite defender this season. No disrespect to Nikola Jokic, who’s become the frontrunner to win his second MVP award, but Stephen Curry is the best overall player in the league this season, and it’s not close.
Draymond Green tops Dunks and Threes list as the best defender in the league. He’s the most versatile lockdown artist in the NBA, and he’s the engine that makes the Warriors’ number one rated D run. If you’re a basketball fan, you already knew that, so let’s talk about his offense. He doesn’t get buckets because he doesn’t need to on this version of the Warriors. Instead, he’s one of the best passing big men in the league, with 7.4 assists per game. Green has one of the highest IQs in the association. He sees plays unfolding before every other player on the court and leverages his incredible basketball intelligence to hit open teammates from beyond the arc or off cuts to the rim, creating a myriad of open looks during every game.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s two-way greatness land them on top of our list and give them an excellent chance to win the title this season.
One Of These Duos Will Walk Away With the 2021-22 Title
All the duos on our list have at least an outside shot of making the finals and winning the championship this season.
The Cavs duo of Jarret Allen and the Grizzlies twosome featuring Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are each ahead of schedule. They could help their squad’s reach the mountaintop despite their youth.
LBJ and AD have struggled throughout the season but could be the biggest mismatch in the league.
Our top-5 duos—LaVine/DeRozan, Paul/Booker, Durant/Harden, Giannis/Middleton, and Curry/Green—bring unique skill sets to the basketball court. As things stand now, all five twosomes have a genuine case as the title favorites.
