The Big 3 era in the NBA seems to have come to a close as the hot new trend started this summer was the dynamic duo as stars paired up around the league this offseason.
The Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, and Nets all have new star duos that some believe belong in the argument for the best in the league. Kevin Durant is expected to miss this season, so he and Kyrie Irving won’t factor into this discussion until next year, and while the Harden-Westbrook tandem is fascinating from a storyline perspective in them reuniting as former MVPs, most of the argument about the top tandem revolves around Los Angeles.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James met with the media earlier this weekend in their formal introduction as Laker teammates and have begun practicing together, while Sunday was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s chance to meet with the media prior to the start of camp. George said he won’t be ready to go until likely November as he continues to recover from a pair of shoulder surgeries this summer, but that didn’t stop him from proclaiming he and Leonard the league’s best star combo because of what they bring to both ends of the floor.
"Elite on both ends, I don't see how you can beat that." 👀@Yg_Trece tells @Powell2daPeople how he and Kawhi are the best duo in the NBA. pic.twitter.com/I1ldirBrBI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 29, 2019
Now, it’s important to note, as always when we have some sort of proclamation like this, that this is how elite athletes are supposed to feel. They’re supposed to believe they are the best and that they are capable of winning it all, so him saying “I don’t know how you can beat that,” is the kind of statement one should expect.
His two-way argument is also the one put forth by most who believe he and Kawhi are the best tandem. They have both become dynamic offensive players over the years, but what makes them special in the ranks of the top stars in the NBA are their abilities on the defensive end. They’re two of the league’s best wing defenders and their consistent effort on that end certainly stands out compared to most other stars in the NBA.
Their L.A. counterparts insist this year will be a strong defensive season for them as well, with Anthony Davis publicly stating he’s going for DPOY and insisting he’ll get a strong effort out of LeBron on that end as well. The latter part has me more skeptical than the former, as James’ defense, particularly in the regular season, has been, well, lacking in recent years. Either way, the league is going to be as fascinating as its been in any recent regular season because of those new combos and the debate that will surround each.
