Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s electrifying performances throughout the playoffs have catapulted the Mavericks into the NBA Finals, but they’ve also been thrust into the conversation as one of the best backcourt duos in NBA history.
TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy boldly declared the Mavericks’ superstar tandem of Doncic and Irving as “arguably the best offensive backcourt in the history of the NBA” before Game 1 of the Western Conference finals — which ignited passionate debates among pundits, fans, past and present players and more.
“I love Luka and Kyrie, but Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are the best backcourt ever,” Golden State Warriors teammate Draymond Green refuted on TNT during the Western Conference finals.
So what really qualifies the best guard duo in NBA history? Is it the collective amount of championships? Chemistry? Statistical production? Tenure and longevity? Notable records? Or does the eye-test factor in somewhere?
Some may think that it’s too early to put Doncic and Irving on that steep of a pedestal, given they haven’t played two full seasons together. Irving weighed in on the topic following the Mavericks’ Game 3 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“It doesn’t mean anything if we don’t win a ring together,” Irving said. “I say that responsibly, too. I’m not saying we aren’t great now, but there are other backcourts that are more deserving of that recognition. I think once we put a good run together, we can look back and reflect on it. Right now, I want to show a lot of love and respect to the guys that actually did it.”
Rather than rank the NBA’s best backcourts according to our opinion, we’ve compiled a list of notable guard duos who’ve won championships and achieved high statistical production over an extensive history together.
Note: The data represents the seasons in which the pair played together, not necessarily the individual games they played together.
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Years together: 1 full season (2022-23 to present)
Statistics: Doncic (33.9 points, 9.8 assists); Irving (25.6 points, 5.2 assists)
All-Star appearances: 13 (Doncic 5, Irving 8)
Playoff appearances: 1
Championships: Zero (pending outcome of 2024 NBA Finals)
Are Doncic and Irving the best offensive backcourt? Or are they the most talented? Back in October, longtime NBA guard Jamal Crawford called the duo the most skilled backcourt in league history.
Label them how you want, but Doncic and Irving are being mentioned for these gaudy titles thanks to their superior individual scoring prowess and fit together.
Doncic’s size at 6-7 makes him a formidable lead guard. He’s ball-dominant, but more than willing to get his teammates involved, evident by his nearly double-digit assist average. The MVP finalist’s scoring ability is diverse, meaning he knocks down perimeter shots, scores on turnaround fadeaways and can score through contact.
Irving is considered one of the best ballhandlers in NBA history who can get wherever he wants on the floor. He can finish at the basket with either hand and score from all three levels of the floor.
“Kai [Irving] has been around the block, and he’s been with great players,” said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. “He doesn’t mind being second or ‘1B.’ You just can’t find that a lot in this league. He’ll show what he needs to show, and he’s done that with Luka this season. … There’s a debate out there that it’s the best backcourt in NBA history. It’s kind of cool. It doesn’t happen all the time. It works.”
Team: Golden State Warriors
Years together: 13 seasons (2011-12 to present)
Statistics: Curry (26.1 points, 6.5 assists); Thompson (19.6 points, 2.3 assists)
All-Star appearances: 15 (Curry 10, Thompson 5)
Championships: 4 titles in 6 Finals appearances
The Splash Brothers are widely known as the “best shooting backcourt” in NBA history — originally proclaimed by former Warriors coach Mark Jackson — but where do they rank among the league’s greatest guard duos? Curry and Thompson’s four championships adds credibility to Green’s rebuttal. Curry and Thompson’s skills complement each other’s. Curry can play with or without the ball, and Thompson primarily thrived as a catch-and-shoot option.
Both have produced astronomical scoring performances. They’ve combined to set several NBA records for 3-point field goals by a pair of teammates. Each of them has a 3-point contest title on their resume. Curry and Thompson’s long tenure together is also impressive, even though Thompson missed the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons due to injury. (Curry played just five games in the 2019-20 season due to injury). The pairing is in jeopardy with Thompson set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Team: Detroit Pistons
Years together: 9 seasons (1985-86 to 1993-94)
Statistics: Thomas (18.5 points, 8.8 assists); Dumars (17.1 points, 4.7 assists)
All-Star appearances: 12 (Thomas 8, Dumars 4)
Playoff appearances: 7
Championships: 2 titles in 3 Finals appearances
Thomas and Dumars led the Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, which gives credence to their status among the league’s top guard pairings. With a combination of consistent offense and astute defense, the Pistons’ longtime backcourt played their way into the Hall of Fame. Dumars accepted the role of primary scorer, but Thomas had the ability to put points on the board just as well. Both won respective Finals MVP awards in the Motor City, which Thomas highlighted on X (formerly known as Twitter) the morning after Van Gundy’s initial comments regarding Doncic and Irving.
“The only guard tandem in NBA history to win back-to-back NBA Finals MVPs. Let it be known,” wrote Thomas, who was named the 1989 Finals MVP.
Team: Boston Celtics
Years together: 6 seasons (1957-58 to 1962-63)
Statistics: Cousy (17.3 points, 7.9 assists); Jones (13.9 points, 2.2 assists)
All-Star appearances: 18 (Cousy 13, Jones 5)
Playoff appearances: 6
Championships: 5 titles in 6 Finals appearances
Any list of the best backcourts in NBA history wouldn’t be complete without revisiting the contributions of Cousy and Jones, who won five championships together in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Jones was one of the most versatile and clutch shooters during his time with the Celtics, earning the moniker “The Shooter.” Cousy was known for his traditional point guard style of slowing down offenses and running set plays, but he could also play in the open court and find his teammates with nifty passes. The Celtics’ early championships wouldn’t have been possible without this duo, along with late Bill Russell.
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Years together: 16 seasons (2002-03 to 2017-18)
Statistics: Parker (16.3 points, 5.8 assists); Ginobili (13.3 points, 3.8 assists)
All-Star appearances: 8 (Parker 6, Ginobili 2)
Playoff appearances: 16
Championships: 4 titles in 5 Finals appearances
Parker and Ginobili are the longest-tenured duo on this list. Their pairing is interesting because Parker started, while Ginobili primarily entered as the Spurs’ sixth man but was typically on the floor to close games.
You can’t scoff at four titles in five trips to the Finals or the way the two Hall of Famers complemented each other while playing side by side. Parker used his handle to get downhill and score at the rim in a variety of ways, including his signature teardrop. Ginobili could drive to the basket as one of the early initiators of the eurostep, but he could also knock down the perimeter shot.
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Years together: 8 seasons (1983-84 to 1990-91)
Statistics: Johnson (20.4 points, 12.4 assists); Scott (16.3 points, 3.0 assists)
All-Star appearances: 8 (Johnson)
Playoff appearances: 8
Championships: 3 titles in 6 Finals appearances
The Showtime Lakers had a versatile backcourt with Johnson and Scott, who possessed flair and natural scoring abilities. While Johnson pushed the pace and led fast breaks, Scott would fill the wings and receive nifty passes from his Hall of Fame point guard.
Like some of the other duos on this list, their pairing tilts towards the star, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook their success. Scott never made an All-Star team, but he complemented Johnson perfectly.
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Years together: 12 seasons (1996-97 to 2003-04; 2007-08 to 2010-11)
Statistics: Bryant (23.9 points, 4.5 assists); Fisher (7.9 points, 2.9 assists)
All-Star appearances: 18 (Bryant)
Playoff appearances: 12
Championships: 5 titles in 7 Finals appearances
After the Lakers drafted Fisher and Bryant in 1996, they managed to spend the majority of their careers together. Every championship Bryant won with Shaquille O’Neal or Pau Gasol as his co-star, Fisher was there as his point guard.
Bryant had the ability to take over a game at will with his elite offensive skills, while Fisher was a solid floor manager who set up the offense and rarely turned the ball over (1.1 per game for his career). Their leadership as a duo ushered the Lakers through two separate championship stints. Bryant was obviously the more skilled player, but Fisher had his fair share of clutch shots when the Lakers needed a bucket.
Team: Chicago Bulls
Years together: Four seasons (1994-95 to 1997-1998)
Statistics: Jordan (29.4 points, 4.1 assists); Harper (7.5 points, 2.5 assists)
All-Star appearances: 14 (Jordan)
Playoff appearances: Four
Championships: 3 titles in 3 Finals appearances
Jordan and Harper’s inclusion on this list is mostly due to the three championships they won together during the Bulls’ run of six titles between 1991 and 1998.
The pairing worked because of Jordan, a multifaceted scorer considered to be the greatest player in the history of the sport. He could affect the game on both sides of the court and became Chicago’s closer during clutch situations.
Point guard Harper, who also won two titles with the Lakers, wasn’t known as a scorer, but he complemented Jordan with his perimeter defense and elite ball-handling.
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