5. Toronto Raptors — Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan
Though a lot of people have written Toronto off, the nucleus remains for what’s been a top-three team in the East for the past two seasons. It’s no secret what makes the Raptors good: Lowry and DeRozan.
There were rumors that Lowry may go elsewhere in free agency (looking at you, Minnesota), but he re-signed in Toronto on a massive deal. He and DeRozan are tight, and they balance each other well on the court.
The dynamic here is shifting a bit. Lowry has been the alpha dog in this backcourt, but as he gets older (he’s 31) and DeRozan continues to develop (he’s 27 and made third-team All-NBA this year), DeRozan has claimed a more primary role as the go-to option.
DeMar, who was the ninth overall pick in 2009 and has played in Toronto his whole career, averaged career-best numbers of 27.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. Lowry saw his usage percentage dip from 26.1 percent to 24.9 percent, but remains an All-Star.
4. Boston Celtics — Isaiah Thomas and Gordon Hayward
Hayward played the 3 in Utah but he’ll be moved to the 2 in Boston, so the Celtics’ starting lineup will likely look as follows:
1. Thomas
2. Hayward
3. Jae Crowder/Jaylen Brown/Jayson Tatum
4. Marcus Morris (acquired in the Avery Bradley trade)
5. Al Horford
That three spot is still up for grabs, and one of the two younger forwards could overtake Crowder in the rotation, but the Celtics’ decision on the wing is eased by the fact they have two All-Star studs in the backcourt.
Thomas was an MVP candidate after having a career year in 2016-17. Hayward averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game while fueling Utah to a breakout season.
These two should fit together seamlessly — Hayward’s height, at 6’8”, will help mask Thomas (5-foot-9) defensively. And both can create or play off the ball; they’re versatile.
These guys are both All-NBA talents, and though their individual numbers will probably dip slightly this season, Hayward should help Boston contend with Cleveland in the East. At the very least, if Boston stays healthy, the Celtics should be able to take Cleveland to seven games.
3. Washington Wizards — John Wall and Bradley Beal
Wall and Beal solidified their status as one of the best backcourts in the NBA during this year’s playoffs. The Wizards gave the Celtics all they could handle for seven games, and Wall and Beal did just about everything for Washington.
One of the two stepped up with a monster performance each night. Wall averaged 25.1 points per game and Beal averaged 24.0. Beal was a monster in Game 7 — it was like his coming-of-age moment — and Wall hit an ice-water-in-his-veins 3-pointer in the final seconds of in Game 6 to give the Wizards a 92-91 win and keep their season alive.
We’ve known for years this duo had the potential to become great, but we’re here now: they’re in their prime. Beal, the sharpshooter, is 24; and Wall, the athletic freak and alpha dog, is 26.
The problem for Washington is that they don’t have much else, and their hands are tied with the cap (it’s their own fault — shout out to Ian Mahinmi), so they probably won’t be able to get out of the East. But this is a list solely about backcourts, so we’ll save that topic for another day.
Wall could become an unrestricted free agent in 2019 — something to watch.
2. Houston Rockets — Chris Paul and James Harden
This is the duo that’s got everybody talking. How will they play together? They both need the ball in their hands. Is this going to be amazing or terrible?
Mike D’Antoni, Houston’s head coach, said “their synergy will be great.” But will it?
They might combust and this might turn into a locker-room power struggle a la Harden and Dwight Howard in 2015-16. Or they might fit together perfectly, as D’Antoni predicts, and take the NBA by storm. Only time will tell.
Here’s what we do know: Harden and Paul are already two of the best 30-35 players in NBA history. As individual players, they’re amazing. Paul has been an All-NBA first-teamer four times, and Harden has three times — he’s finished second in MVP voting twice, including this past season.
Paul and Harden are simply excellent, and though we don’t know yet how this experiment will unfold, anytime you get two players that skilled together, they belong in the top echelon of a power ranking.
1. Golden State Warriors — Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
The Splash Brothers reign supreme. Though Houston’s new pairing could cement itself as the finest duo in the league as this coming season progresses, we do not yet have any evidence that Golden State’s backcourt should be moved off of the top of the totem pole.
This ranking is about the collective, not the individual skill of each player. While you may prefer the Paul-Harden grouping for a game of NBA 2K, if you’re an owner and you’re picking two guards to start for your franchise, you’re probably taking the Splash Brothers.
The Warriors’ two guards (Curry is 29, Thompson 27) have put up historic numbers over the past three seasons as Golden State has shattered record after record. We’re witnessing history.
It’s not only their incredible 3-point shooting — Curry has already hit the 10th-most threes in NBA history and Thompson has hit the 34th-most — that makes this duo special. It’s also their chemistry. There’s no jockeying for alpha dog status.
They do what they do and support what the other does. Klay plays defense; Steph consistently puts up 30 a night.
These two complement each other perfectly, and that’s a big reason the Warriors have won two of the past three titles — and are the favorite to win it all again next season.
