Top 10 NBA Backcourts of the Last 25 Years

MADRID, SPAIN - September 14th 2014 : STEPHEN CURRY of USA during the Final game of FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP 2014 at Palacio de los Deportes Arena

Credit: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley

By: Joshua Martin

Lately, anytime the Dallas Mavericks are on television, it feels as though there’s a national conversation about the best backcourts in NBA history. And rightfully so! The Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving pairing is one of the most explosive offensive backcourts the game has ever seen. But are they the best?

We can't forget the Splash Bros. who shattered shooting records during the 2010’s, or the massively successful duo of Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. What about Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli or the Grindhouse Grizzlies with Mike Conley and Tony Allen. Billups and Hamilton, Teague and Korver, CP3 and Harden? There are so many great duos to choose from.

Nothing incites sports fans more than a good ole top ten list. Let's take a look at the most dominating guard tandems since the turn of the century. While there may be an obvious number one, the criteria for this list was simple. Sustained on-court success, whether or not the duo won championships and also the lasting impact the two had on the court were taken into account. 

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Honorable Mentions:

Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver: This All star duo led the Hawks to its franchise's only 60 win season before losing in the playoffs to Lebron and the Cavs.

Jason Kidd and Vince Carter: These two were deadly in the open court. VInce’s high flying style blended perfectly with Kidd’s pinpoint passing. Injuries and new blood in the Eastern conference stymied this duo's ascension.  

Tony Allen and Mike Conley: Conley is a steady scorer and passesr while Allen became known as one of the scariest defenders in the league. Consistent duo that lacked nationwide exposure.  

10.) Chris Paul and James Harden

Their time was short-lived but quite successful. The MVP version of the Beard and the Point God pushed the Golden State Warriors to Game 7 in the 2018 conference finals. If it wasn’t for a CP3 injury this team would’ve advanced to the Finals. 

9.) Bradley Beal and John Wall

Oh what could’ve been. Wall’s athleticism and smooth passing skills made him an instant star in Washington. Beal, a sturdy scoring guard with range from deep, made him the perfect complement to Wall’s attacking, downhill style. The injury bug may be the biggest culprit behind why this duo didn't see more success on the court.

8.) Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum

Another duo that garnered success smack dab in the middle of the Warriors historic run. This duo routinely posted incredible counting stats during the regular season but lacked the critical support to compete with the better teams in the West. A conference finals appearance and the longevity of the run gives them the spot here.  

7.) Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving

Luka is a walking 30 point triple double nuclear time bomb. Kyrie has the smoothest handles in the game and can easily pour in 50 on any given night. These two have enjoyed a stellar playoff run so far. A championship will boost them up this list but until then these other backcourts have won more and played together longer.

MADRID, SPAIN - September 14th 2014 : KYRIE IRVING of USA celebrates scoring during the Final game of FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP 2014 at Palacio de los Deportes Arena

Credit: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley

6.) Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry

These two brought sustained success to a once moribund franchise. Their run unfortunately coincided with Lebron’s historic playoff reign over the Eastern Conference. Lowry, a feisty diminutive point, and Derozan, a mid range dynamo who also excelled at attacking the rim, accrued multiple all star appearances and the led Raptors to the playoffs 5 consecutive times during the 2010’s. 

5.) Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo

Rondo was a do-it-all versatile threat while Allen, before Curry, was known as the greatest shooter in league history. Rondo’s strengths and weaknesses made him a perfect fit with Ray. The two went on to win a title with the C’s and carve out impressive Hall of Fame careers. 

4.) Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton

These two pulled off one the biggest upsets in NBA Finals history. Mr. Big Shot’s clutch play and Rip’s smoothe shooting stroke spearheaded the Bad Boys 2.0 offensive attack during their improbable ‘04 title run. These two led the Pistons to six consecutive conference finals, winning 1 title while in Detroit. 

3.) Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher

These two complementend each other's game perfectly. Kobe was a ball dominant scorer and Fish was more of a spot up shooter. The third ranked duo on the list propelled the Lakers to 5 NBA Titles. Fisher was also a deadly clutch shooter just as much as Kobe. With the game on the line either one could burn you. 

Kobe Bryant & Derek Fisher - All We Do Is Win

2.) Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili

Parker and Ginobili were the driving force behind some historic Spurs teams. TP was a tad more consistent but the Spurs were unbeatable when Ginobili went off. This dynamic duo won 4 titles and combined with Duncan made one of the greatest teams of all-time.  

1.) Steph Curry and Klay Thompson

The Splash Brothers are widely regarded as the greatest shooting backcourt of all time. There’s no debating that but what makes them greatest period is all the accolades between the two. Steph Curry is a two time MVP, multiple time scoring champion and single handley revolitonzied the game of basketball. Klay is the epitome of a quintessential ‘3 & D wing’ with the range and shooting touch that rivals his backcourt mate. 5 championships and a 73-9 season earns them this spot without question. 

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