Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire: Re-Ranking the Top 10 Scoring Duos
You know, I used to work for a swingers magazine that had me do a column about married couples with this exact title.
That…is not actually true.
But this is a fun column nevertheless.
What I was looking at for this entry was a pair of teammates’ actual ability to score, not necessarily averages. That means you need to be versatile, able to operate in different areas of the court and athletic enough to get your shot off—or in the case of Paul Pierce, have proof that you can do it anyway. Ideally, the duos complement each other, although I admit some who made the list are just guys who can score that happen to be on the same team.
In my opinion, the stat to look at here is FTA. It’s the No. 1 indicator of how much pressure you put on a defense, and as such, how well you’re able to score.
Honorable Mentions: Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli, Chris Paul and David West, Kevin Love and Michael Beasley, Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews.
10. Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler
1 of 10
PPG: 37.7
FG Percentage: 50.0 percent
3PT Percentage: 42.8 percent
FT Percentage: 85.4 percent
FTA: 8.8
I know, I know—but when healthy, they deserve to be on this list.
Dirk is one of the premiere scorers in the league, able to operate in the post or step back behind the three-point line, while Caron is a tough, versatile slasher able to get to the rim and hit from mid-range.
Their shooting percentages are weighted a bit toward Nowitzki, but not too significantly. Plus, they’re stellar in every regard but FTA. The points are there too, even as they play on a team with a myriad of offensive options.
9. Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph
2 of 10
PPG: 39.9
FG Percenage: 47.7 percent
3PT Percentage: 35.6 percent
FT Percentage: 78.0 percent
FTA: 9.7
Surprising, but accurate. Gay and Randolph both have their flaws,—one is less aggressive than his abilities would suggest, and the other is chubby—but they can put the ball in the basket.
Randolph is a pure a scorer (which I think means fat guy can score anyway). He’s tough in the post, and opportunistic on the offensive glass.
Gay is as physically talented as anyone in the league, and his graceful slashing is a perfect complement to the interior game of Randolph.
8. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce
3 of 10
PPG: 36.1
FG Percentage: 50.0 percent
3PT Percentage: 42.6 percent
FT Percentage: 84.9 percent
FTA: 8.0
These two are on this list because of their proven capacity to score against the top defenses in the league and the complementary styles in which they do it.
Allen is the modern-day Reggie Miller, reliant on Boston’s offense to score, but a nightmare to chase off screens and deadly from the three-point line.
Pierce is hysterical to me because I honestly have no idea how he gets his shot off. He’s deceptively slow, but incredibly crafty and plays with a tremendously unique pace that makes him a surprisingly difficult one-on-one guard.
7. Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin
4 of 10
PPG: 43.7
FG Percentage: 49.2 percent
3PT Percentage: 36.6 percent
FT Percentage: 69.4 percent
FTA: 15.7
Still only 22 and 21 respectively, these two are the first duo on the list to make me use my "holy crap, they’re averaging 15.7 free throws a game?" face (they’re actually the only ones on the list who made me use exactly that face).
On pure talent, they’d be a lot higher. The reason they aren’t is because they’re currently doing this through only pure talent. Neither Griffin nor Gordon really play a complete offensive game yet (Blake has but a few actual moves, and I think Gordon can be even more effective once his ball handling improves), and yet here they are.
They’re at seven on this list because of nuance, but their numbers above tell you which way they’re headed.
6. Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer
5 of 10
PPG: 44.1
FG Percentage: 46.9 percent
3PT Percentage: 38.8 percent
FT Percentage: 82.1 percent
FTA: 10.7
Already nice complements, this one has the potential to rise even higher as Boozer gets more comfortable pick and rolling with Rose.
Derrick is one of the elitely (how is that not a word? Screw it, I’m keeping it) talented players in the league, able to beat anyone off the dribble and constantly improving from the perimeter.
Boozer is smooth, offers a myriad of post moves and is a phenomenal option in either the pick or the pop. The only times he really struggles are when matched up against the type of strong, lengthy defenders who can contest his shot at the rim. He’s still undersized, and because of that, he has trouble getting a clean release.
But that said, how many of those such defenders are in the league?
5. Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry
6 of 10
PPG: 43.7
FG Percentage: 46.9 percent
3PT Percentage: 38.8 percent
FT Percentage: 82.1 percent
FTA: 9.5
This is team offense right here (not team offense, a team called offense).
Monta is every bit as explosive as Rose, he’s just none of the other things. But in a scoring column, that matters little. One of the few guys in the league capable of going for 60, Monta is relentless going to the basket, and while streaky, he is unguardable when he gets it going from the perimeter.
Curry has as smooth a stroke as his father, and is a brilliant offensive tactician (if you put he and Monta together, you’d have one average basketball tactician). He knows where to get his shots, and he’s on a team with Monta Ellis. Curry’s biggest weakness is really his size defensively, and defense is not at all a concern of this list (nor of Monta Ellis).
Boom. Done.
4. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook
7 of 10
PPG: 51.1
FG Percentage: 45.6 percent
3PT Percentage: 33.1 percent
FT Percentage: 86.4 percent
FTA: 17.1
The best actual duo (as in guys who play off each other) in the league.
They’re good, and they’re still getting better. As Westbrook’s perimeter game improves (and it is), and as Durant strengthens his ability to hold position against the stronger of defenders (and he’s working on it), these two may end up topping the list.
You know why?
Because they’re the most aggressive, talented guys in the NBA. They constantly attack like they each have a massive chip on their shoulder, and the better they get, the more difficult that will be to deal with. Could you imagine what LeBron’s stats would look like if he pushed it hard every play? I’m not saying LeBron is dogging it, but by nature, he facilitates.
By nature, these guys attack the basket.
Like Griffin and Gordon, the young Thunder(s?) get to line a ton, and unlike Griffin and Gordon, they are as clutch a free-throw shooting pair as there is in the league. In all honesty, and if you haven’t watched them you’d think I was crazy for this, I’d take either of them over Kobe to make two foul shots at the end of a game. Partially because since Kobe hurt his finger, he’s not as automatic in those situations, but it’s also because these guys are really good.
3. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol
8 of 10
PPG: 43.9
FG Percentage: 48.9 percent
3PT Percentage: 31.5 percent
FT Percentage: 82.3 percent
FTA: 12.5
I initially had them ahead of the newfound/imaginary Amar’e/Carmelo pairing, but ultimately, as pure scorers, I realized I was breaking all my own rules. Bryant and Gasol complement each other well, and they’re both tremendously versatile, but at this stage of their careers, the attacking of the rim will be held to a minimum.
Kobe still has the largest offensive toolbox in the league, but his athleticism is starting to slide.
Gasol is still the most skilled offensive big, but I actually feel like I’m seeing his age too. Quite possibly it’s season fatigue, but he’s had a month of underwhelming play.
If this was 2007, these guys top the list.
2. Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony
9 of 10
PPG: 51.3
PREDICTED NY PPG: 47.1
FG Percentage: 48.0 percent
3PT Percentage: 35.4 percent
FT Percentage: 80.6 percent
FTA: 16.3
Last season, on the Cavs and the Heat, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade averaged a combined 56.3 PPG.
This season, they’re down to 51.5, basically an 8.5 percent decrease in scoring output.
All I did for Carmelo and Amar’e was subtract that 8.5 percent because I actually think LBJ and Wade set a little bit of a standard here. They are both perimeter slashers, yet neither has seen their production dramatically cut.
While Amar’e and Carmelo don’t run in exactly the same circles, they do both like to set up in the post. In spite of that, like James and Wade, I can’t see their numbers falling off too much.
Carmelo and Amar’e are both bulls on the interior, and I’m not sure there’s a 3-4 pairing in the league with the combination of strength and lateral foot speed it would take to keep these guys away from the basket. In Carmelo’s case, apathy is sometimes his best defender, and I don’t know that apathy would be available to defend him for the rest of the season if the 'Melo deal goes down.
Now, moving onto important things, I think we need a nickname for these two.
How about Anthomire?
Trust me, it’s better then Stoudony. Say that fast and it sounds like an arrestable offense in Texas.
Boom. Sodomy joke. Next slide.
1. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade
10 of 10
PPG: 51.5
FG Percentage: 49.1 percent
3PT Percentage: 33.2 percent
FT Percentage: 74.9 percent
FTA: 17.7
Poor Chris Bosh. He would’ve made the list if there were only two of them.
I wouldn’t say that they complement each other, but LeBron James is the preeminent scorer in the league, and Dwayne Wade is probably second in the running.
Put them together…kind of ends the debate quickly.
Yay for competition.
