For several years, Basket USA has offered its Top 5 candidates for the “Most Valuable Player (MVP)” trophy every Tuesday. For this second opus, in the light of the performances of the tandem Zach LaVine – DeMar DeRozan with the Bulls, we decided to evoke the most prolific duets in history in scoring.
Respectively 5th and 6th in the league’s top scorers, with a cumulative average of 53.1 points, DeMar DeRozan (26.9) and Zach LaVine (26.2) have made a great start this season. Some observers, however, doubted their compatibility a month ago but, so far, the two All-Stars have proven them wrong. So much so that they are downright on course to become the first pair of Chicago teammates to shoot at least 25 points per game, on a campaign.
Better: if they continue their momentum, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are likely to become the first NBA teammates since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, in 2011/12 (Thunder), to each finish in the Top 5 of the best scorers of the league. A feat that only the duos Kobe Bryant – Shaquille O’Neal (with the Lakers, in 2000/01 and 2002/03), Allen Iverson – Carmelo Anthony (with the Nuggets, in 2007/08) and Dwyane Wade – LeBron James ( with the Heat, in 2010/11) have also been successful, since the beginning of the 21st century.
But the individual performances of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine above all allow the Bulls to dream, on the one hand, of a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and, on the other hand, of a potential home advantage in the first. round of the playoffs. On the condition, of course, that the good start of the Illinois franchise is not without a future and that the latter resists the awakening of certain top names in the East, such as Brooklyn and Milwaukee, or even New York, Boston and Atlanta. Because there is still a lot of time until next April.
Unheard of with the Bulls
All this time could nevertheless allow the Zach LaVine – DeMar DeRozan tandem to strengthen its position among the most prolific duos in scoring history. Probably a condition sine qua non so that Chicago remains in the Top 6 of its conference and qualifies, thus, directly for the playoffs, without going through this famous “play-in” of all the dangers.
For now, the 53.1 points scored by the pair LaVine / DeRozan remain in any case (very) far from the 72.3 points scored by the pair of Warriors (from Philadelphia) Wilt Chamberlain (50.4) – Paul Arizin (21.9), in 1961/62. A record total for two NBA teammates, even 60 years later.
On the other hand, DeMar DeRozan (26.9) and Zach LaVine (26.2) are currently doing better than the historical record of the Bulls, set by Michael Jordan (32.6) and Scottie Pippen (18.6) in 1992/93, with 51.2 points scored together, so. Note that the Jordan / Pippen tandem also exceeded 50 points on average in 1991/92 (51.1) and in 1989/90 (50.1), while “His Airness” had also achieved this in 1984/85 (51.1), with Orlando Woolridge this time around.
Historical Arizin / Chamberlain and West / Baylor duos
In the rest of the league, after the 72.3 points of the untouchables Wilt Chamberlain and Paul Arizin in 1961/62, we find the 69.1 points accumulated the same year by the duo of the Lakers, Jerry West (30.8) – Elgin Baylor (38.3). Then, a little further behind, it is this famous Arizin / Chamberlain pair, with its 61.6 points combined, still with the Warriors, in 1960/61, which completes the podium.
That is 0.1 unit more than the 61.5 points scored by the Rockets tandem Russell Westbrook (27.2) – James Harden (34.3), in 2019/20. This total of 61.5 points scored is also the highest since the ABA / NBA merger of 1976. And to complete this historic Top 5, it is again the duo of the Lakers West / Baylor which is present, with its 61.1 points of average in 1962/63.
Good to know: before being dethroned by James Harden and Russell Westbrook two years ago, they are Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, also present in the Top 10 all-time, who were the most prolific post-ABA / NBA-merger pair, scoring 57.2 points in 2002/03.
Finally, it should be noted that two other players particularly prominent since the start of the 2021/22 season, namely Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, together established for the Warriors in 2018/19, the third highest point total. scored by teammates over the last fifteen years: 53.3. Behind the 61.5 points of the Westbrook / Harden tandem in 2019/20, therefore, and behind the 53.5 points of the Wizards tandem Russell Westbrook (22.2) – Bradley Beal (31.3), in 2020/21.
Most prolific pairs of teammates in scoring, over a season
1. Paul Arizin (21.9) – Wilt Chamberlain (50.4) : 72.3 (Warriors – 1961/62)
2. Jerry West (30.8) – Elgin Baylor (38.3) : 69.1 (Lakers – 1961/62)
3. Paul Arizin (23.2) – Wilt Chamberlain (38.4) : 61.6 (Warriors – 1960/61)
4. Russell Westbrook (27.2) – James Harden (34.3) : 61.5 (Rockets – 2019/20)
5. Jerry West (27.1) – Elgin Baylor (34.0) : 61.1 (Lakers – 1962/63)
6. Tom Meschery (16.0) – Wilt Chamberlain (44.8) : 60.8 (Warriors – 1962/63)
7. Paul Arizin (22.3) – Wilt Chamberlain (37.6) : 59.9 (Warriors – 1959/60)
8. Jerry West (31.0) – Elgin Baylor (27.1) : 58.1 (Lakers – 1964/65)
9. Kobe Bryant (30.0) – Shaquille O’Neal (27.5) : 57.5 (Lakers – 2002/03)
10. Kobe Bryant (28.5) – Shaquille O’Neal (28.7) : 57.2 (Lakers – 2000/01)
1 – Stephen Curry (Warriors)
With: 9 wins, 1 loss – 1st in the West.
Matches: 10 contested out of 10 possible.
Stats : 27.6 pts, 6.6 reb, 6.6 pds, 1.6 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.2 bp in 34 min.
Percentages: 43% on shots, 39% on 3-pointers and 98% on throws.
2 – Jimmy Butler (Heat)
With: 7 wins, 3 losses – 2nd in the East.
Matches: 10 contested out of 10 possible.
Stats : 25.3 pts, 6.0 reb, 5.5 pds, 2.1 int, 0.4 ctr and 2.1 pdb in 35 min.
Percentages: 53% on shots, 31% on 3-pointers and 84% on throws.
3 – Kevin Durant (Nets)
With: 7 wins, 4 losses – 6th in the East.
Matches: 11 contested out of 11 possible.
Stats : 29.5 pts, 8.7 reb, 5.3 pds, 0.6 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.3 bp in 35 min.
Percentages: 57% on shots, 38% on 3-pointers and 83% on throws.
4 – DeMar DeRozan (Bulls)
With: 7 wins, 3 losses – 3rd in the East.
Matches: 10 contested out of 10 possible.
Stats : 26.9 pts, 5.7 reb, 3.6 pds, 1.0 int, 0.4 ctr and 1.7 bp in 35 min.
Percentages: 50% on shots, 39% on 3-pointers and 86% on throws.
5 – Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
With: 6 wins, 4 losses – 6th in the West.
Matches: 10 contested out of 10 possible.
Stats : 25.4 pts, 13.6 reb, 5.7 pds, 1.6 int, 1.0 ctr and 3.6 pdb in 32 min.
Percentages: 61% on shots, 40% on 3-pointers and 79% on throws.
Mentions : Ja Morant (Grizzlies), Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Paul George (Clippers), Zach LaVine (Bulls), Rudy Gobert (Jazz), Bradley Beal (Wizards)…
