For ten years now, Basket USA has offered you its Top 5 candidates for the “Most Valuable Player (MVP)” trophy. In light of the thundering performances of Joel Embiid and James Hardenfor the beginnings of their association in Philadelphia, we decided to evoke this week the best duets currently made up in the NBA.
Especially since, in Chicago, the question was recently posed to Zach LaVine, who did not hesitate before answering it…
« Personally, I think we are the best duo in the NBA “, thus estimated the rear All-Star, concerning his duet with DeMar DeRozan, in the columns of NBC Sports. ” And this, given where we are in the standings and the level of play that we display. When we started the season, people had ideas about us and our team, but I think we proved them wrong. And I think we will continue to grow and improve. »
Statistically, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine dominate
In the numbers, Zach LaVine has arguments since his tandem with DeMar DeRozan is simply most prolific of NBA in scoring, since the start of the season: 52.7 points per game!
Only when taking into account the eligibility criterion required to appear in the ranking of the best scorers of the league, which requires having played at least 70% of the matches of his team. Which eliminates Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
The most prolific scoring duos this season
(with respect to the eligibility criteria)
52.7 — DeMar DeRozan (28.2) + Zach LaVine (24.5) — Bulls
52.5 — Joel Embiid (29.8) + James Harden (22.7) — Sixers
49.4 — Jayson Tatum (25.7) + Jaylen Brown (23.7) — Celtics
48.9 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.4) + Khris Middleton (19.5) – Bucks
47.0 — LeBron James (29.0) + Russell Westbrook (18.2) — Lakers
The most prolific scoring duos this season
(without respecting the eligibility criteria)
54.4 — Kevin Durant (29.3) + Kyrie Irving (25.1) — Nets
52.7 — DeMar DeRozan (28.2) + Zach LaVine (24.5) — Bulls
52.5 — Joel Embiid (29.8) + James Harden (22.7) — Sixers
52.1 — LeBron James (29.0) + Anthony Davis (23.1) — Lakers
49.4 — Jayson Tatum (25.7) + Jaylen Brown (23.7) — Celtics
However, even if the pair DeMar DeRozan — Zach LaVine is also radiant offensively, can we really designate her now as the best in the NBA, without her having yet participated in the playoffs once? Especially since, when the Bulls face one of the teams of the Top 4 from the West or the East, they have a horrible record of 1 win and 12 losses…
In Milwaukee and Phoenix, the collective results are there
Therefore, favoring a duo Giannis Antetokounmpo – Khris Middletoncertainly disappointing collectively but which went win the title with the Bucks in 2021, is far from aberrant. Same for the tandem Chris Paul — Devin Booker, NBA finalists last season and particularly ” clutch with the Sunsin 2021/22.
Of course, the pairs LeBron James — Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant — Kyrie Irving could have, or rather should have, joined in the discussion. Problem: that of the Lakers does not take off in the standings, in addition to accumulating physical glitches, while that of the Nets also squats the infirmary or is not authorized to play all the meetings of his team.
This allows the duo Jayson Tatum – Jaylen Brown – which some would nevertheless like to see separated – to enter the race for the best “one-two punch” in the country. It must be said that the Celtics are finally starting to win games, while the “Jay’s” have lived together for almost five years in Massachusetts.
A rare seniority, embellished with a few long courses in the playoffs (two conference finals), with which few players can compete. If not the tandem Stephen Curry – Klay Thompsonwhose return to the fore is for the time being slowed down by Curry’s crisis of skill and Thompson’s not completely recovered sensations.
Soon two MVP’s in the same team?
In this league where the identity of the best duo is therefore not necessarily obvious, Joel Embiid and James Harden could thus take the opportunity to take all the light and climb to the top of this honorary ranking.
Especially since, if Joel Embiid were to take advantage of the arrival of James Harden to be elected MVP 2022, as we imagine at the moment T, the pair Embiid/Harden would be there 20e in history to consist of two players with MVP status.
These MVP’s have teamed up, after their respective coronations
Bill Russell — Bob Cousy (Celtics)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — Oscar Robertson (Bucks)
Bob McAdoo — Dave Cowens (Celtics)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Bob McAdoo (Lakers)
Julius Erving — Bob McAdoo (Sixers)
Moses Malone — Bob McAdoo (Sixers)
Moses Malone — Julius Erving (Sixers)
Larry Bird — Bill Walton (Celtics)
Magic Johnson — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lakers)
Hakeem Olajuwon — Charles Barkley (Rockets)
David Robinson — Moses Malone (Spurs)
Tim Duncan — David Robinson (Spurs)
Shaquille O’Neal — Karl Malone (Lakers)
Kobe Bryant — Steve Nash (Lakers)
Kevin Durant — Stephen Curry (Warriors)
LeBron James — Derrick Rose (Cavaliers)
James Harden — Russell Westbrook (Rockets)
Kevin Durant — James Harden (Nets)
LeBron James — Russell Westbrook (Lakers)
Of course, such an association is not automatically synonymous with coronation, because it should be noted that these different MVP’s did not all join forces at the peak of their careers.
Some tandems nevertheless managed to go as far as the title, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson in 1971, Moses Malone and Julius Erving in 1983, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1987 then 1988, Tim Duncan and David Robinson in 1999 then 2003, or even Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in 2017 then 2018.
A few examples coming straight from Milwaukee, Philadelphia (exactly…), Los Angeles, San Antonio and Golden State, to which Joel Embiid and James Harden must therefore refer, if they were to add their two names to this prestigious list.
The path will obviously not be all traced, especially in the East, but given their natural complicity on the floor, their undeniable complement, their understanding displayed off the field and the players around them, this new duo “EmBeard” seems armed to be familiar with the stars. And thus bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Pennsylvania, 39 years after the last one, gleaned by the Malone/Erving pair…
1 – Joel Embiid (Sixers)
With: 37 wins, 23 losses – 3rd in the East.
Matches: 48 disputed out of 60 possible.
Stats : 29.8 pts, 11.1 reb, 4.4 pds, 1.0 int, 1.5 ctr and 2.9 bp in 33 min.
Percentages: 49% shooting, 37% 3-point and 82% throwing.
2 – Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
With: 36 wins, 25 losses – 6th in the West.
Matches: 55 disputed out of 61 possible.
Stats : 25.5 pts, 13.8 reb, 8.0 pds, 1.4 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.7 bp in 33 min.
Percentages: 57% on shots, 36% at 3-pts and 81% on throws.
3 – DeMar DeRozan (Bulls)
With: 39 wins, 23 losses – 2nd in the East.
Matches: 58 disputed out of 62 possible.
Stats : 28.2 pts, 5.3 reb, 5.0 pds, 0.9 int, 0.3 ctr and 2.3 pdb in 36 min.
Percentages: 52% on shots, 36% at 3-pts and 86% on throws.
4 – Ja Morant (Grizzlies)
With: 43 wins, 20 losses – 3rd in the West.
Matches: 49 disputed out of 63 possible.
Stats : 27.6 pts, 5.9 reb, 6.6 pds, 1.2 int, 0.4 ctr and 3.4 bp in 33 min.
Percentages: 50% on shots, 34% on 3-pts and 75% on throws.
5 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
With: 36 wins, 25 losses – 5th in the East.
Matches: 51 contested out of 61 possible.
Stats : 29.4 pts, 11.4 reb, 6.0 pds, 1.0 int, 1.4 ctr and 3.3 bp in 33 min.
Percentages: 55% shooting, 30% 3-pt and 73% throwing.
Mentions : Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Chris Paul (Suns), Devin Booker (Suns)…
