Greatest Tandems in NBA History

Even the best basketball talents need someone to have their back.

Greatest Tandems in NBA History

NBA tandems — Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, center, celebrates with guard Stephen Curry, left, after scoring against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 29, 2018, in Chicago.

Funny how even the greatest athletes can’t win the Big One without a capable wingman, isn’t it? That’s especially true in the star-driven NBA, where every Hans Solo needs a Chewbacca at some point. If the No. 2 plays like it, then the No. 1 probably got no chance, if you catch our drift.

Well, ain’t that right, Charles Barkley? Patrick Ewing? Steve Nash?

These are the greatest tandems in NBA history based on a combination of individual brilliance, team success and longevity, roughly in that order.

25. Elvin Hayes-Wes Unseld

Team: Baltimore-Capitol-Washington Bullets

Years as teammates: 1972-81 (nine seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 427-320 (.572)

Regular-season record as teammates: 387-276 (.584)

Postseason record as teammates: 40-44 (.476)

Championships as teammates: 1978

Bottom line: Yeah, I know about their two NBA Finals duds. But let’s not forget about their four division titles and one league championship that they captured in the 1970s when Les Boulez was a consistent contender.

Note: All candidates on this list had to play at least four seasons together to be considered. Statistics are through the 2020 NBA All-Star break.

Elvin Hayes

Positions: forward-center

Years: 1968-84 (16 seasons)

Other teams: San Diego-Houston Rockets (1968-72, 1981-84)

Career statistics: 21.0/12.5/1.8

Statistics as teammates: 21.3/12.7/1.8

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The Big E was an all-time scorer-rebounder-shot-blocker despite obvious flaws in his game. Decades after retirement, he still ranks 10th, fourth and 24th in those categories on the all-time list, respectively.

Wes Unseld

Positions: center

Years: 1968-81 (13 seasons)

Other teams: Baltimore Bullets (1968-72)

Career statistics: 10.8/14.0/3.9

Statistics as teammates: 9.2/12.4/4.1

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Captain Serious set the tone with brute physicality. It took a Roto-Rooter to move him out of the lane. Don’t mess with Wes, indeed.

24. John Stockton-Karl Malone

Team: Utah Jazz

Years as teammates: 1985-2003 (18 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 991-593 (.626)

Regular-season record as teammates: 906-506 (.642)

Postseason record as teammates: 85–87 (.494)

Championships as teammates: none

Bottom line: Have any two basketball players displayed better chemistry than this pair? Probably not. Only Michael Jordan and his supporting cast stood between this longtime duo and a league championship. Still, that postseason record bothers us a little bit.

John Stockton

Positions: guard

Years: 1984-2003 (19 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 13.1/2.7/10.5

Statistics as teammates: 13.5/2.8/10.8

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: There will be a man on Mars before someone breaks his career assists and steals records. He has 6,264 more helpers than Chris Paul, the pace-setter among active players. And he has 1,058 more steals than Paul, also the active leader.

Karl Malone

Positions: forward

Years: 1985-2004 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04)

Career statistics: 25.0/10.1/3.6

Statistics as teammates: 25.0/10.1/3.6

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: No big man ran the floor and finished the fast break better than this one. Load management? Haha! The Mail Man played at least 80 games in all except one of his 18 seasons in Jazzland.

23. Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Years as teammates: 2008-16 (eight seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 378-230 (.622)

Regular-season record as teammates: 331-195 (.629)

Postseason record as teammates: 47-35 (.573)

Championships as teammates: none

Bottom line: Their 48.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 11.5 assists rank with any pair, any team, any time. It’s the absence of championship bling that holds them back. Imagine what these two could have achieved if they had gotten along!

Russell Westbrook

Positions: guard

Years: 2008-present (12 seasons)

Other teams: Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19)

Career statistics: 23.2/7.1/8.3

Statistics as teammates: 21.5/5.6/7.6

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: There was no question about his off-the-charts athleticism and boundless energy. But when a guy is his own stats-keeper, there’s reason to wonder about his agenda. Beastbrook shot 37 percent (28 of 76) and committed 15 turnovers in the final three games of the 2016 Western Conference meltdown, at which point this marriage had run its court.

Kevin Durant

Positions: forward-guard

Years: 2007-2019 (12 seasons)

Other teams: Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-08), Golden State Warriors (2016-2019)

Career statistics: 27.0/7.1/4.1

Statistics as teammates: 28.4/7.4/3.9

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The league has never seen a physical freak quite like him — a 6-foot-10 big who shoots the ball like a 6-foot-4 small.

22. Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett

Team: Boston Celtics

Years as teammates: 2007-13 (six seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 341-188 (.645)

Regular-season record as teammates: 288-145 (.665)

Postseason record as teammates: 53-43 (.552)

Championships as teammates: 2008

Bottom line: Seldom have well-worn veterans complemented one another better than the 30-year-old Pierce and 31-year-old Garnett in the 2008 season. Darn if the geezers almost didn’t repeat the magic two years later, when they lost Game 7 of the championship round.

Paul Pierce

Positions: forward-guard

Years: 1998-2017 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Boston Celtics (1998-2007), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-17)

Career statistics: 19.7/5.6/3.5

Statistics as teammates: 19.2/5.4/4.0

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: His top two Win Shares/48 minutes totals came with Garnett at his side.

Kevin Garnett

Positions: forward

Years: 1995-2016 (21 seasons)

Other teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2014-16), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15)

Career statistics: 17.8/10.0/3.7

Statistics as teammates: 15.7/8.3/2.7

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: K.G. assumed a lesser role on offense when he arrived before the 2007-08 season, but his defensive contributions were never greater than in Beantown.

21. Tim Duncan-David Robinson

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Years as teammates: 1997-2003 (six seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 331-150 (.688)

Regular-season record as teammates: 289-126 (.696)

Postseason record as teammates: 42-24 (.636)

Championships as teammates: 1999, 2003

Bottom line: Never had a fractured foot felt better than the one that Robinson sustained early in the 1996-97 campaign. The mishap allowed the 20-62 Spurs to suck bad enough to have Duncan fall into their laps as the No. 1 pick in the next draft.

Tim Duncan

Positions: forward-center

Years: 1997-2016 (19 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 19.0/10.8/3.0

Statistics as teammates: 22.9/12.3/3.2

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Almost everything about the guy was seamless, and his transition to the NBA was no different. Timmy reached the 20-point mark in all six seasons with Robinson compared to three of 13 without him.

David Robinson

Positions: center

Years: 1989-2003 (14 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 21.1/10.6/2.5

Statistics as teammates: 15.2/9.2/1.7

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: No sooner did Timmy arrive than the 32-year-old Robinson was downgraded to Vice Admiral. Yet while no longer dominant, his size and savvy were key elements in two championship runs.

20. Dwyane Wade-Shaquille O’Neal

Team: Miami Heat

Years as teammates: 2004-08 (four seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 130-75 (.634)

Regular-season record as teammates: 105-61 (.633)

Postseason record as teammates: 25-14 (.641)

Championships as teammates: 2006

Bottom line: Wade was a 23-year-old pup, and Shaq was a 32-year-old senior dog when they joined forces. So, yeah, this marriage had about four years written all over it. But what a four years there were.

Dwyane Wade

Positions: guard

Years: 2003-2019 (16 seasons)

Other teams: Miami Heat (2003-04, 2008-19), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016-17), Chicago Bulls (2017-18)

Career statistics: 22.0/4.7/5.4

Statistics as teammates: 25.8/5.0/6.9

Championships as non-teammates: 2012-13

Bottom line: The 2006 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player was at the height of his athletic powers in this period when he turned in two of his top five statistical seasons.

Shaquille O’Neal

Positions: center

Years: 1992-2011 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Phoenix Suns (2007-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11)

Career statistics: 23.7/10.9/2.5

Statistics as teammates: 19.6/9.1/2.1

Championships as non-teammates: 2000-2002

Bottom line: Even on what amounted to the 13th 14th, 15th and 16th holes of his career, Shaq Daddy could still put the ball in the hole.

19. Cliff Hagan-Bob Pettit

Team: St. Louis Hawks

Years as teammates: 1956-65 (nine seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 398-314 (.558)

Regular-season record as teammates: 355-275 (.563)

Postseason record as teammates: 43-29 (.524)

Championships as teammates: 1958

Bottom line: The most lethal forward combo of the pre-expansion era put up roughly 46 points, 24 rebounds and six assists per game. They were part of the only team to take down Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics in the championship series. They also took the C’s to a pair of seventh games.

Cliff Hagan

Positions: forward

Years: 1956-66 (10 seasons)

Other teams as non-teammates: St. Louis Hawks (1965-66)

Career statistics: 18.0/6.9/3.0

Statistics as teammates: 18.5/7.3/3.1

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: This late starter was among the elite scorers of the pre-expansion era. Clutch? His 20.4-point average in the playoffs was 2.4 better than in the regular season. He also was a two-time league leader in points per game in the postseason.

Bob Pettit

Positions: forward-center

Years: 1954-65 (11 seasons)

Other teams: Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1954-56)

Career statistics: 26.4/16.2/3.0

Statistics as teammates: 27.1/16.5/3.0

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Any All-time Game 7 Team wouldn’t be complete without him. Big Blue averaged 29.2 points and 16.2 rebounds in a half-dozen seventh games. His 50-point, 19-point masterpiece against the Boston Celtics in the sixth and final game of the 1958 championship round remains one of the greatest that few have heard about — let alone remember.

Jerry West-Wilt Chamberlain

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Years as teammates: 1968-73 (five seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 579-99 (.722)

Regular-season record as teammates: 214-74 (.743)

Postseason record as teammates: 43-25 (.632)

Championships as teammates: 1972

Bottom line: While on the back nines of their Hall of Fame careers, they could win games on know-how alone. They were front and center on the legendary 1971-72 team that some consider to be the greatest of all time. The Big Dipper ranked fifth, and Zeke was sixth in Wins Shares per 48 minutes that season.

Jerry West

Positions: guard

Years: 1960-74 (14 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 27.0/5.8/6.7

Statistics as teammates: 26.6/4.4/8.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Most remember Zeke as a prolific scorer. Lesser known is the All-Star combo guard that he would become in the final stage of his career. The arrivals of Wilt and backcourt partner Gail Goodrich allowed him to expand his game as the primary facilitator of the offense. Five of his top six assists-per-minute totals came in his Dipper days.

Wilt Chamberlain

Positions: center

Years: 1959-73 (14 seasons)

Other teams: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-68)

Career statistics: 30.1/22.9/4.4

Statistics as teammates: 17.7/19.2/4.3

Championships as non-teammates: 1967

Bottom line: Never has there been a more extreme player in team sports history. Once the most dominant offensive force that the game had even seen, The Big Dipper was the last option in a perimeter-oriented attack at this late stage of his career. Instead, he dropped anchor in the lane, content to control the backboards, distribute the ball, trigger the fast break and generally scare the excrement out of anyone who ventured into the lane.

17. Walt Frazier-Willis Reed

Team: New York Knicks

Years as teammates: 1967-74 (seven seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 303-160 (.654)

Regular-season record as teammates: 259-132 (.662)

Postseason record as teammates: 44-28 (.611)

Championships as teammates: 1969, 1973

Bottom line: We almost paired Clyde with longtime backcourt partner Earl Monroe here, but we decided on The Captain, even though they were teammates for only two prime seasons. How could we overlook their two league titles together with a franchise that hasn’t won one since?

Walt Frazier

Positions: guard

Years: 1967-80 (13 seasons)

Other teams: New York Knicks (1967-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-80)

Career statistics: 18.9/5.9/6.1

Statistics as teammates: 19.2/6.3/6.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The Captain was selected as the 1973 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, but Clyde would have had our vote instead. In a five-game meat grinder that no player dominated, he put up a solid 16.6/6.8/5.2 slash line, limited Los Angeles Lakers great Jerry West to 21.4 points per game and played all except 10 minutes of the series.

Willis Reed

Positions: center-forward

Years: 1964-74 (10 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 18.7/12.9/1.8

Statistics as teammates: 18.8/12.5/2.0

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The fact that Captain Courageous lasted as long as he did was no small miracle. His medical resume included surgeries on both knees, numerous stitches over both eyes, three (or more) breaks in his nose, a sprained right shoulder, a torn muscle in his right thigh, ligament burns on his right ankle and surgery to remove bone spurs on his right instep.

16. Isiah Thomas-Joe Dumars

Team: Detroit Pistons

Years as teammates: 1985-94 (nine seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 443-283 (.610)

Regular-season record as teammates: 380-249 (.604)

Postseason record as teammates: 63-34 (.649)

Championships as teammates: 1989-90

Bottom line: Heart and soul. Fire and ice. Pride and poise. Sinner and saint. Call 'em what you want, but Zeke and Joe D. epitomized the Bad Boys for better or for worse. It’s easy to forget just how close they came to a three-peat in the Larry Bird-Magic Johnson-Michael Jordan era.

Isiah Thomas

Positions: guard

Years: 1981-94 (13 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 19.2/3.6/9.3

Statistics at teammates: 18.5/3.4/8.8

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Motown loved him. Almost everyone else loathed him. Yet almost everyone could agree on this much: His 25 points with a rolled right ankle and dislocated left pinkie in the third quarter of Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals was as heroic as any in basketball history.

Joe Dumars

Positions: guard

Years: 1985-1999 (14 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 16.1/2.2/4.5

Statistics as teammates: 17.1/2.2/4.7

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Joe D. was the ideal backcourt complement — a consistent perimeter threat and four-time First-Team All-Defensive Team selection whose performance spoke for him.

15. Tony Parker-Tim Duncan

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Years as teammates: 2001-16 (16 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 864-350 (.712)

Regular-season record as teammates: 733-269 (.732)

Postseason record as teammates: 131-81 (.613)

Championships as teammates: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014

Bottom line: These two were the only starters with the four Spurs championship teams. Swingman Manu Ginobili was also in the mix but mostly as a sixth man.

Tony Parker

Positions: guard

Years: 2001-19 (18 seasons)

Other teams: Charlotte Hornets (2018-19)

Career statistics: 15.5/2.7/5.6

Statistics as teammates: 16.6/2.9/5.9

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: His 2007 NBA Finals Most Valuable Performance was no fluke. T.P. averaged 2.4 more points per game in the playoffs than in the regular season.

Tim Duncan

Positions: center-forward

Years: 1997-2016 (19 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 19.0/10.8/3.0

Statistics as teammates: 18.2/10.5/3.1

Championships as non-teammates: 1999

Bottom line: Like the man himself, I‘ll let someone else speak for him: “The thing with Tim is that he wasn’t only the greatest player for those years,” Parker once said to The Players’ Tribune. “He was also the greatest teammate. OK, maybe this is a cliché. But I don’t think people realize how much of our team’s entire culture could really be brought back to just Tim being Tim. That’s the truth.”

14. Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Years as teammates: 2007-2014 (seven seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 301-145 (.675)

Regular-season record as teammates: 246-111 (.689)

Postseason record as teammates: 55-34 (.618)

Championships as teammates: 2009-10

Bottom line: Bryant had to win without Shaquille O’Neal to solidify his legacy. But who would replace Shaq Diesel after he took his talents to South Florida? In The Spaniard, as Mamba liked to call Gasol, he found his hombre. In their first full season together, the Lake Show won 65 games in the regular season and then hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Kobe Bryant

Positions: guard

Years: 1996-2016 (20 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 25.0/5.2/4.7

Statistics as teammates: 26.9/5.5/5.1

Championships as non-teammates: 2000-02

Bottom line: Mamba had entered the back nine of his career (ages 29 to 35), when his will to win was never greater. As the undisputed No. 1 option in the offense, he produced slightly better numbers than in the Shaquille O’Neal years.

Pau Gasol

Positions: center-forward

Years: 2001-19 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Memphis Grizzlies (2001-08), Chicago Bulls (2014-16), San Antonio Spurs (2016-19), Milwaukee Bucks (2018-19)

Career statistics: 17.0/9.2/3.2

Statistics as teammates: 17.7/9.9/3.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: What can a better supporting cast do for you? In this case, boost your Win Shares/48 minutes by 21 percent. The Spaniard answered any questions about his testosterone levels along the way.

John Havlicek-Dave Cowens

Team: Boston Celtics

Years as teammates: 1970-78 (eight seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 424-229 (.649)

Regular-season record as teammates: 378-199 (.655)

Postseason record as teammates: 40-36 (.605)

Championships as teammates: 1974, 1976

Bottom line: We know what the mainstream numbers say. What we want to know is, how many points were these borderline maniacs worth on loose balls? If there’s a list for most floor burns in a career, then they’re at or near the top of it.

John Havlicek

Positions: forward-guard

Years: 1962-78 (16 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 20.8/6.3/4.8

Statistics at teammates: 21.6/6.2/5.7

Championships as non-teammates: 1963-66, 1968-69

Bottom line: Hondo remains the greatest marathon runner in hoops history. Really, the next time you see him motionless on a video clip will be the first. His lungs were so large, they required two plates for a chest X-ray. We kid you not.

Dave Cowens

Positions: center

Years: 1970-80, 1982-83 (14 seasons)

Other teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83)

Career statistics: 17.6/13.6/3.8

Statistics as teammates: 18.8/15.2/4.0

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Talk about the man in the middle. Here’s the poor soul who succeeded Bill Russell as the Celtics center. (Sorry, Henry Finkel doesn’t count.) Yet it didn’t take long for New Englanders to fall in love with the guy. Championships aside, that may have been his greatest accomplishment of all.

12. Larry Bird-Kevin McHale

Team: Boston Celtics

Years as teammates: 1980-92 (12 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 647-261 (.713)

Regular-season record as teammates: 555-200 (.735)

Postseason record as teammates: 92-61 (.601)

Championships as teammates: 1981, 1984, 1986

Bottom line: We picked McHale because he’s more closely associated with Bird as arguably the best forward tandem of the 3-point era. If you prefer center Robert Parish, though, there’s no beef here. The Chief-Larry Legend win percentages are slightly better (.721/.740/.618).

Larry Bird

Positions: forward

Years: 1979-92 (13 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 24.3/10.0/6.3

Statistics as teammates: 24.6/10.0/6.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: You either loved Bird or wanted to flip him one.Know this much: This all-time trash-talker was the first to be selected Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in his career.

Kevin McHale

Positions: forward-center

Years: 1980-1993 (13 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 17.9/7.3/1.7

Statistics as teammates: 18.4/7.5/1.8

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The three biggest heists in the C’s history: 3) Havlicek Stole The Ball; 2) forward Cliff Hagan and center Ed Macauley for center Bill Russell; 1) centers Rickey Brown and Joe Barry Carroll for McHale and center Robert Parish.

11. Oscar Robertson-Lew Alcindor

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Years as teammates: 1970-74 (four seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 242-86 (.738)

Regular-season record as teammates: 211-70 (.751)

Postseason record as teammates: 31-16 (.660)

Championships as teammates: 1971

Bottom line: At 32, the Big O was desperate for a quality big man in his search for a league championship, while Big Lew and the young Bucks needed an elite floor leader to show them the way. Consider this to be a match made in hoops heaven, even if it did come about one year too late.

Oscar Robertson

Positions: guard

Years: 1960-74 (14 seasons)

Other teams: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970)

Career statistics: 25.7/7.5/9.5

Statistics as teammates: 15.7/4.7/7.2

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The Big O was only a shell of his former triple-double self, as his points total decreased every season here. Yet an elusive league title was well worth the trade-off at this late date in his career.

Lew Alcindor

Positions: center

Years: 1969-89 (20 seasons)

Other teams: Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89)

Career statistics: 24.6/11.2/3.6

Statistics as teammates: 30.9/15.8/4.4

Championships as non-teammates: 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88

Bottom line: This was Big Lew at his most athletic, dominant best.Was it any coincidence that three of his top four Player Efficiency Ratings came with The Big O at the controls? The correct answer is no.

10. Julius Erving-Moses Malone

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Years as teammates: 1982-86 (four seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 220-87 (.717)

Regular-season record as teammates: 198-78 (.717)

Postseason record as teammates: 22-9 (.710)

Championships as teammates: 1983

Bottom line: After several postseason failures with Caldwell Jones and Darryl Dawkins in the middle, general Pat Williams fleeced the Houston Rockets for Malone, already a five-time All-Star who was only 27 at the time. The price: the 32-year-old Jones and the third pick in the 1982 draft (forward Rodney McCray). The Malone-Erving combo was an immediate smash hit — the Sixers won 65 games in the regular season then went 12-1 in the playoffs in their first season.

Julius Erving

Positions: guard

Years: 1976-87 (11 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 21.9/7.0/4.2

Statistics as teammates: 20.5/6.0/3.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Dr. J won far more games with floor leader Maurice Cheeks (516) and wingmate Bobby Jones (473), but it wasn’t until Mo arrived that he finally won it all. Yep, just what the Doctor ordered.

Moses Malone

Positions: center

Years: 1976-95 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-82), Washington Bullets (1986-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-93), Philadelphia 76ers (1993-94), San Antonio Spurs (1994-95)

Career statistics: 20.6/12.2/1.4

Statistics as teammates: 23.9/13.4/1.4

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Magician David Blaine has nothing on this all-time glass-eater. Dude, even some teammates claimed that he would miss gimmes on purpose to pad his rebound numbers. In his Sixers debut, he became the only repeat Most Valuable Player with different teams.

9. Hal Greer-Wilt Chamberlain

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Years as teammates: 1964-68 (four seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 224-87 (.720)

Regular-season record as teammates: 195-68 (.745)

Postseason record as teammates: 25-19 (.568)

Championships as teammates: 1967

Bottom line: Few marriages brought out the best in both parties than this one. These veterans were paired at the height of their athletic prowess, and the result was all-around brilliance. Some consider their 1966-67 championship team to be the best ever, and we're not convinced they’re wrong.

Hal Greer

Positions: guard

Years: 1958-73 (15 seasons)

Other teams: Syracuse Nationals (1958-63), Philadelphia 76ers (1963-64, 1968-73)

Career statistics: 19.2/5.0/4.0

Statistics as teammates: 22.3/5.4/4.4

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: As one of the first great jump shooters in the league, The Bulldog had been an All-Star already. But when Chamberlain arrived, his game took off to another level. While The Big Dipper attracted multiple defenders in the low post at one end and dominated the glass at the other, he thrived at the perimeter and on the fast break.

Wilt Chamberlain

Positions: center

Years: 1959-73 (14 seasons)

Other teams: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-64), Los Angeles Lakers (1968-73)

Career statistics: 30.1/22.9/4.4

Statistics as teammates: 27.6/23.9/6.8

Championships as non-teammates: 1971

Bottom line: Finally, The Big Dipper had a star-studded cast around him, which allowed him to display all of his wondrous talents for the first time. Over four seasons, he was the league leader in rebounds (thrice), points (twice) and assists (once).

8. Stephen Curry-Klay Thompson

Team: Golden State Warriors

Years as teammates: 2011-present (eight seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 472-164 (.742)

Regular-season record as teammates: 395-130 (.752)

Postseason record as teammates: 77-34 (.694)

Championships as teammates: 2015, 2017-18

Bottom line: The Bay Area Bombers rate as the two best distance shooters in the same backcourt ever. A fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy would move them into the top half dozen on this list. Will they be healthy enough to do it? We shall see.

Stephen Curry

Positions: guard

Years: 2009-present (11 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 23.5/4.5/6.6

Statistics as teammates: 25.0/4.6/6.8

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: St. Stephen of Arc is the patron saint of the 3-ball era, but we've become so blinded by the circus shots, there’s a tendency to overlook his skills as a ball-handler and distributor. He’s also a selfless teammate, and really, how many superstars can we say that about these days?

Klay Thompson

Positions: guard

Years: 2011-present (eight seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 19.5/3.5/2.3

Statistics as teammates: 19.5/3.5/2.3

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: He’s the ideal yang to Curry’s ying, a 6-foot-6 sniper who can also D-up his man.

7. Dwyane Wade-LeBron James

Teams: Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers

Years as teammates: 2010-14, 2017-18 (five seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 258-113 (.695)

Regular-season record as teammates: 200-85 (.702)

Postseason record as teammates: 58-28 (.674)

Championships as teammates: 2012-13

Bottom line: Remember when King James took his talents to South Beach? And infamously predicted “Not one, not two, not three, not four (championships) ... ”? Well, this tandem (and Chris Bosh) fell short of expectations, but two parades and four NBA Finals appearances in four seasons were pret-ty, pret-ty good.

Dwyane Wade

Positions: guard

Years: 2003-19 (16 seasons)

Other teams: Miami Heat (2003-10, 2017-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17)

Career statistics: 22.0/4.7/5.4

Statistics as teammates: 20.5/5.1/4.6

Championships as non-teammates: 2006

Bottom line: Wade and James split the offensive load virtually down the middle, which made for one of the most efficient duos ever. Flash produced four of his top nine Player Efficiency Ratings while the two were together. League-wide, he was third in PER in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.

LeBron James

Positions: forward-guard

Years: 2003-present (17 seasons)

Other teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18, Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Career statistics: 27.1/7.4/7.4

Statistics as teammates: 27.0/7.8/7.3

Championships as non-teammates: 2016

Bottom line: This was Bron-Bron at the height of his powers. Of the six times that he led the league in Player Efficiency Rating, half of them came in South Florida.

6. Jim Pollard-George Mikan

Team: Minneapolis Lakers

Years as teammates: 1948-54 (six seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 296-138 (.673)

Regular-season record as teammates: 252-122 (.674)

Postseason record as teammates: 44-16 (.733)

Championships as teammates: 1949-50, 1952-54

Bottom line: Their individual stats don’t jump off the page, but remember, they played without the benefit of a shot clock. There were 27 percent more points scored in the 2019-20 season than the combined average of their six seasons together. And five league titles in six seasons? Can’t do much better than that, people.

Jim Pollard

Positions: forward

Years: 1948-55 (seven seasons)

Other teams: Minneapolis Lakers (1954-55)

Career statistics: 13.2/7.8*/3.2

Statistics as teammates: 13.5/7.8*/3.4

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Teammate Vern Mikkelsen had a higher Wins Shares rate, but we chose The Kangaroo Kid because only he and Mikan were part of all five championships in the first Lakers dynasty. The four-time All-Star was a dead-eye from the corners and could dunk from the free-throw line. (Gasp!) Geez, how much would this guy be worth today?

George Mikan

Positions: center

Years: 1948-54, 1956 (seven seasons)

Other teams: Minneapolis Lakers (1955-56)

Career statistics: 23.1/13.4*/2.8

Statistics as teammates: 24.3/14.1*/3.0

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Mr. Basketball was the first marque name in the league, a 6-foot-10 force so dominant that some opponents took the air out of the ball to contain him, a tactic that led to the 24-second shot clock. If he hadn’t finished the 1955 postseason with a plate taped to his fractured leg, his team probably would have won six titles in a row.

5. Sam Jones-Bill Russell

Team: Boston Celtics

Years as teammates: 1957-69 (12 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 716-280 (.719)

Regular-season record as teammates: 617-227 (.731)

Postseason record as teammates: 99-53 (.651)

Championships as teammates: 1957, 1959-65, 1968-69

Bottom line: So dominant was the Gang Green dynasty before free agency, any number of Hall of Famers would fit with Russell here. Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, John Havlicek . . . but we chose Jones for one reason more than any: He won more league titles (10) with The Bearded Wonder than any other player.

Sam Jones

Positions: guard

Years: 1957-69 (12 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 17.7/4.9/2.5

Statistics as teammates: 17.7/4.9/2.5

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: This bank-shot artist played long before the metrics geeks took over the game. But if such data was available, we would be astounded by the number of big shots that Mr. Clutch drained late in close games.

Bill Russell

Positions: center

Years: 1956-69 (13 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 15.1/22.5/4.3

Statistics as teammates: 15.1/22.6/4.4

Championships as non-teammates: 1964-66, 1968-69

Bottom line: This all-time rebounder-shot-blocker revolutionized the game as the first superstar to make his name off of defense. (Think: a taller Dennis Rodman without the goofball antics.) The guy was largely a non-factor at the other end, but the options were so deep and talented, he could afford to take a breather there.

4. Magic Johnson-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Years as teammates: 1979-89 (10 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 616-226 (.731)

Regular-season record as teammates: 506-179 (.739)

Postseason record as teammates: 110-47 (.701)

Championships as teammates: 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88

Bottom line: This marriage of infectious young floor leader and savvy big was a show-stoppin’, Magic-makin’ winner from the start. As one of the select twosomes with .700-plus win percentages in the regular season and playoffs, they appeared in eight NBA Finals and won five of them.

Magic Johnson

Positions: guard

Years: 1979-91, 1995-96 (13 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 19.5/7.2/11.2

Statistics as teammates: 19.5/7.4/11.2

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: The Showtime orchestrator had wingmates who could fly on the fast break, the best low-post option in the hoops history in the half court game. Now do you know why he had that permanent smile on his face?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Positions: center

Years: 1969-89 (20 seasons)

Other teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75)

Career statistics: 24.6/11.2/3.6

Statistics as teammates: 20.6/7.6/2.8

Championships as non-teammates: 1971

Bottom line: Magic proved to be just what the 32-year-old warhorse needed — an energetic floor leader to breathe new life into his well-worn body. Cap went on to play 10 more seasons, eight which were productive. Remarkably, he was the league leader in Player Efficiency Rating at 33 years of age.

3. Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen

Team: Chicago Bulls

Years as teammates: 1987-98 (10 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 631-228 (.735)

Regular-season record as teammates: 514-177 (.744)

Postseason record as teammates: 117-51 (.696)

Championships as teammates: 1991-93, 1996-98

Bottom line: Does it matter who plays second fiddle here?Seriously, if you paired His Airness with Sam From Melrose Park, they would be somewhere on this list. Come to think of it, Sam From Melrose Park would have been an upgrade over some of the players he worked with early in his career.

Michael Jordan

Positions: guard

Years: 1984-98, 2001-03 (15 seasons)

Other teams: Washington Wizards (2001-03)

Career statistics: 30.1/6.2/5.3

Statistics as teammates: 31.4/7.5/6.3

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: Wanna win a bar bet? Ask some know-it-all which teammate had the highest win percentage (minimum: 150 games) with His Airness in his career. Answer: the immortal Dickie Simpkins (.868, 132-20), of course.

Scottie Pippen

Positions: forward

Years: 1987-2004 (17 seasons)

Other teams: Houston Rockets (1998-99), Portland Trail Blazers (1999-2003), Bulls (2003-04)

Career statistics: 16.1/6.4/5.2

Statistics as teammates: 761 17.6/6.6/5.3

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: He was the perfect Beta to Jordan’s Alpha Plus — a faithful servant who played shutdown defense and could hit the odd shot but not get in the way on offense.

2. Jerry West-Elgin Baylor

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Years as teammates: 1960-71 (12 seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 426-277 (.606)

Regular-season record as teammates: 365-228 (.616)

Postseason record as teammates: 61-49 (.555)

Championships as teammates: none

Bottom line: If one didn’t beat you, the other did.No twosome comes close to their combined 55.2 points per game. So, how is it possible that they failed to win a single a league championship in six NBA Finals appearances? Rotten luck and even worse timing. The Boston Celtics dynasty was responsible for roughly half (24) of their 49 postseason losses. They included three-, two- and two-point losses in seventh games.

Jerry West

Positions: guard

Years: 1960-74 (14 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 27.0/5.8/6.7

Statistics as teammates: 27.8/6.1/6.2

Championships as non-teammates: 1971

Bottom line: Mr. Clutch forged his legacy on ice-in-the-veins offense, but he was one of the few superstars who didn’t lollygag at the other end. As even Boston Celtics antagonist Tom Heinsohn once said, “Jerry West was Michael Jordan 20 years ahead of Jordan.”

Elgin Baylor

Positions: forward

Years: 1958-71 (14 seasons)

Other teams: Minneapolis Lakers (1958-60)

Career statistics: 27.4/13.5/4.3

Statistics as teammates: 27.4/13.1/4.4

Championships as non-teammates: none

Bottom line: His 1961-62 season is one of the greatest and most overlooked in league history. Dude, the guy put up a crazy 38.3/18.6/3.2 slash line even though he played only on weekends and with a bum back. He spent the rest of the time in the Army Reserves. In other words, he barely practiced and still put up all-time numbers. (Don’t let Allen Iverson read this, OK?)

1. Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Years as teammates: 1996-2004 (eight seasons)

Overall Record as teammates: 412-168 (.710)

Regular-season record as teammates: 336-125 (.729)

Postseason record as teammates: 76-43 (.638)

Championships as teammates: 2000-02

Bottom line: There have been numerous must-see tandems in NBA history, but not even the Kardashians were more fun to follow than this one. Not even close. Their relationship was highly complex, and the inevitable breakup was as ugly as Shaq’s free-throw technique. Yet at the height of their powers — these drama kings combined for 57.5 points per game in the 2002-03 season — no inside-outside combination imposed their will quite like this one. They co-own one of only five three-peats in league history. No team has done it since.

Kobe Bryant

Positions: guard

Years: 1996-2016 (20 seasons)

Other teams: none

Career statistics: 25.0/5.2/4.7

Statistics as teammates: 21.8/5.0/4.3

Championships as non-teammates: 2009-10

Bottom line: These totals don’t tell the whole story. The partnership started with Mamba as a brash 19-year-old rookie who came off the bench. By the fifth season, he had morphed into a cold-blooded serial winner. His 27.0/6.0/5.4 slash line in the final four seasons spoke of someone who was ready to become the main man.

Shaquille O’Neal

Positions: center

Years: 1992-2011 (19 seasons)

Other teams: Orlando Magic (1992-96), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11)

Career statistics: 23.7/10.9/2.5

Statistics as teammates: 27.0/11.8/3.1

Championships as non-teammates: 2006

Bottom line: So preoccupied were opponents by Mamba at the perimeter, the Diesel became an even bigger beast in the low post. He was the league leader in Player Efficiency Rating in five consecutive seasons (1997-2002). Only Wilt Chamberlain (seven), Michael Jordan (seven) and LeBron James (six) had better runs.