NBA Power Rankings: The Top 10 Starting Guard Tandems in The Association
With so many good starting guards in the NBA, a lot of the times there are teams with one excellent guard. A lot of the times that above-average guy doesn't have a good wingman (or pointman, for that matter).
In situations like the ones in Chicago, Utah, Miami and Oklahoma City, all contenders, it is difficult to find two solid starting guards. This can prove deadly as the playoffs become closer.
In other places like San Antonio, Boston or LA, backcourt play is a given in the system.
I decided to take a look at all 30 of the NBA's starting tandems and rank the top 10.
I hope you enjoy this list and I would love some constructive feedback!
Honorable Mention
1 of 11
Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose and Keith Bogans
Utah Jazz: Deron Williams and Raja Bell
Los Angeles Clippers: Baron Davis and Eric Gordon
Houston Rockets: Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin
10. Chris Paul and Marco Bellini, New Orleans Hornets
2 of 11
Kicking off the top 10, Chris Paul and Marco Belinelli form a solid backcourt in New Orleans.
In what might be one of the last few seasons in NoLa, the Hornets are making the best of it and obviously Paul has much to do with it.
He is one of the best point guards in the league, and is the main reason they sit comfortably inside the Western Conference's eighth spot. His 17 points per with his 11 assists definitely doesn't hurt the cause.
Belinelli, a relatively unknown shooting guard, is quietly averaging more than 11 ppg for the Hornets.
Good for those two. At least they're giving New Orleans something to cheer about when it comes to basketball.
9. Steve Nash and Vince Carter, Phoenix Suns
3 of 11
There's a reason the Phoenix Suns are ninth on this list, and it isn't just because of the big names in the backcourt. These two are the best players the team has to offer.
Nash is doing so much for the club as usual, averaging 17 points and 11 assists, all while being mentioned as a hot commodity in trade deadline talks.
Vince Carter, on the other hand (literally from the picture), is quietly having a spectacular season in Arizona, leading the team in scoring. All this is happening with Vinsanity as fans forget the 34-year-old is still in the NBA.
As long as Nash is here, the Suns will be a mainstay in this list.
8. Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
4 of 11
The Heat is on in South Beach, and Dwyane Wade's laudable play lands Miami the eight spot on this list.
Point guard Mario Chalmers has recently been promoted to the starting rotation, and I expect him to do good things as the number one point guard.
Then there's Wade. Dwyane is averaging a stellar 25.3 points, 4.3 assists, and an incredible 6.8 rebounds per game. The last stat is amazing, considering Wade is just 6'4".
LeBron might be the talk of the town, but the backcourt isn't necessarily something to skip in discussion.
7. Andre Miller and Wesley Matthews, Portland Trail Blazers
5 of 11
Andre Miller and Wesley Matthews are helping orchestrate Portland's opera of a season, which has been riddled by injuries and exposed external youth.
Miller is a proven point guard who week after week punches his consistent numbers into the time slot.
I have been outspoken about my beloved Minnesota Timberwolves and how they should acquire Matthews, and it is for good reason. Soon enough he will become a perennial All-Star, and if I was running the Blazers I would hold on to the 24-year-old for dear life.
Basketball's version of the "M&M Boys" create a formidable duo in Portland's backcourt.
6. John Wall and Nick Young, Washington Wizards
6 of 11
Perhaps the most unknown duo on the top 10, John Wall and Nick Young are making the best out of a dismal season in our nation's capital.
Young, the lightning-quick USC product, is averaging a solid 17.3 points per contest. He is quickly becoming one of the bright, young (no pun intended) stars of this great league.
John Wall (who calls him just Wall anyway?) made himself known as an excellent point guard under John Calipari's system. He quickly escaped the demon, and found himself in a Wizard uniform this season. He is averaging 14.7 points, second among all rookies, and 9.2 assists, first among the diaper dandies.
Now if only the Wizards were improving they would be higher, but that is a whole different story.
5. Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
7 of 11
The Atlanta Hawks make this list due to their consistent backcourt play. There's a reason that they are 32-18 and ahead of the Orlando Magic. It has to do with their guards.
Mike Bibby's supporting cast is helping his cause, but the seemingly ageless 32-year-old has proven that he can still lead a team proficiently. He is shooting 44 percent beyond the arc.
Joe Johnson is great as usual, and the five-time All-Star is averaging 20.5 points and 5.6 assists in his 10th season.
The frontcourt may be receiving all the attention in A-Town, but you shouldn't lose sight of the two ballers in the backcourt.
4. Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors
8 of 11
Surprised to see them here? Don't be; this ranking is easily justified.
The Golden State Warriors have two more than solid guards in Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis.
Curry is doing his part tremendously, putting up 19.1 points and 5.9 assists per game.
Ellis, considered an All-Star snub (and for good reason), is fourth in the league with 25.1 points per game to go with 5.6 assists. Throw in the 2.2 balls that he snatches every game and you have a true snub.
To have two guards who put up great numbers every night is a rarity, and the Warriors have a legitimate backcourt.
Surprised at the ranking still? Didn't think so.
3. Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
9 of 11
The Lakers' seemingly only "weak" position is at the one slot, and it isn't even a dire situation.
When Derek Fisher briefly took his talents to Oakland to play for the Warriors, the Lakers couldn't win the big one with point guards like Smush Parker and Jordan Farmar. This truly shows his importance to the two-time defending champs.
I recently took a lot of heat for declaring Kobe Bryant as still the best player in the game, but I stand by my decision. He is still averaging better than 25 points, and five rebounds and five assists per game.
Who else do you want taking the last shot? I'd take Kobe.
2. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
10 of 11
The San Antonio Spurs are winners, simply put.
They hold the NBA's best record, currently 41-8, at press time.
Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker make up one of the top guard duos in the NBA. Manu is an All-Star whose job is to make plays left and right, and the majority of the time he does just that. Parker has avoided distraction this season, and has put up a better than respectable 2010-11 resume.
For the first time in a long while, the Spurs will need to be carried by their guard play if they expect to go far. I can see "going far" possibly meaning seeing June.
1. Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
11 of 11
Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo make up the best guard tandem in the league. They are the only duo on this list with a pair of All-Stars.
Rondo is transforming into a top-five point guard in his fifth season as a Celtic, while Allen is still one of the best shooters in the league despite his timely decline.
Rondo's 12.5 assist average can partially be attributed to his supporting cast of four future Hall of Famers, but at the same time they are helping him develop into a leader for the future.
Ray Ray still puts up 17.4 per night, good for second on the East-leading Celtics. He is still shooting a solid 50.7 percent. He is likely to be a Hall of Fame inductee and at the moment, it will be two or three games before he takes over Reggie Miller's thee-point record.
