Best NBA Duo

By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With a busy off-season filled with trades and free agent signings, a legitimate question arises: Who has the best NBA duo?
A couple of new duos have already been created in the Eastern Conference, some that have the potential to be very effective. Orlando added Rashard Lewis to complement Dwight Howard, Charlotte added Jason Richardson to complement Gerald Wallace, Boston added Ray Allen to complement Paul Pierce. All three of those situations have a similar quality, something that will ultimately hold them back. Those three teams all added players that play the same position as the star they already had. It makes very little sense, but because it is rarely done I don’t have any precedent to set it against.
You would assume that the best duo has to come out of the West since it has become such a dominant league. Phoenix has the combination of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire, San Antonio has Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, Utah has Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, Dallas has Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitski, Denver has Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, and Houston has Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. It remains to be seen if Jerry Buss will add anybody to complement a very angry and confused Kobe Bryant. But of all of those duos, I would have to say that a healthy combination of McGrady and Yao is the best right now. It would be easy to make a point for Parker and Duncan because of their numerous championships, but they have a better supporting cast and therefore a better team. Houston has McGrady and Yao and that is it. Until they add the third piece, the Rockets are going to continue to be a one and done team.
If, and I use that word lightly, the Lakers somehow end up with Kevin Garnett, then he and Kobe would become the best duo. Bryant is the most dominant player in the game today, and if you give him a strong inside presence without an ego, then it should work out well. L.A. could also add Jermaine O’Neal and it would have a similar effect, just for a longer period of time.
Of the newly created duos in the East, I think the Magic are the best off with Howard and Lewis. They already have a rising point guard in Jameer Nelson who can feed them the ball, and with Howard becoming better and better, this team should be very hard to beat. Look for them to win a couple of playoff series in the next year or two.
We still have what looks to be a busy off-season in front of us, but it already figures to be a much more exciting season than last year. Stay tuned.