Active players are ineligible for this list; however, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Warriors should make at least the top 3 when all is said and done.
10) Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney of the Philadelphia 76ers
Toney was one of the most underrated players of the 1980s due to injuries limiting his playing time and ultimately shortening it. On the other hand, Cheeks was lightning quick and averaged two steals per game for over ten years as part of leading the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA title victory in 1983.
9) Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher
Kobe Bryant was known for being a ball-dominant player while Fisher excelled as a spot-up shooter; both styles complimented each other perfectly while leading the Lakers to five NBA Titles.
8) Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli, San Antonio Spurs
Parker may not have been an elite shooter, but his mid-range shot was uncannily accurate. Ginobli could hit shots from anywhere on the court, and these two helped lead some incredible Spurs teams.
7) Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe of the New York Knicks
Frazier had an outstanding 10-year career in New York, amassing seven All-Star nods, six All-NBA awards, seven All-Defensive team selections, and winning two championships. Together with Monroe he formed one of the greatest backcourt duos ever seen on an NBA court!
6) KC Jones and Sam Jones of the Boston Celtics
Consider this statistic: Under these guys' leadership, the Celtics won 8 consecutive NBA Titles! Though unrelated, they often seemed like brothers and cooperated as one cohesive unit when playing together.
5) Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper from Los Angeles Lakers
Sure, Cooper might not start many games, but he most certainly finished them. Coop was an outstanding shooter and lockdown defender who helped make Showtime a huge success. Magic may go down as one of the world's finest point guards ever seen - or at least top 3!
4) Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman from the Boston Celtics
Cousy and Sharman earned 21 All-Star nods, 14 All-NBA First Team honours, and 10 NBA Championships between them. While Cousy became known as one of the great point guards in NBA history, Sharman is often overlooked. He was nonetheless an exceptional player with ten championships under his belt - it would be impossible not to notice him!
3) Michael Jordan and Ron Harper of the Chicago Bulls
Jordan had one of the finest defensive backcourts ever seen in history with Harper as his backcourt partner; other teammates such as B.J. Armstrong, John Paxson and Steve Kerr mainly were spot-up shooters while Harper emerged as a 20-point scorer who quickly transformed himself into an aggressive defender - together they won an unparalleled 73 games as one unit!
2) Jerry West and Gail Goodrich of the Los Angeles Lakers
Jerry West was one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever and a 14-time All-Star widely considered one of the greatest pure scorers ever seen in the game of basketball. His lightning-quick release and deep range made him virtually unstoppable when placed against one opponent at once, while UCLA great Nate Goodrich contributed double-digit scoring every year after his rookie campaign; additionally he excelled as both facilitator and shooter - they both helped lead their team past the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals with both players averaging 25 points per game overall during that season!
1) Joe Dumars and Isaiah Thomas from the Detroit Pistons
Before Thomas and Dumars led Detroit to World Championships in 1989 and 1990, it was generally assumed that low post players were necessary to achieve success. That all changed with Detroit's bad boys; Thomas and Dumars could do everything; Thomas being one of the greatest point guards ever and Dumars being an all-around defensive stalwart who also contributed offensively.
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