The 21st century has seen some of the greatest NBA duos. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant dominated the early 2000s with the Los Angeles Lakers. They won three consecutive championships together. Later, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade joined forces in Miami. Their fast breaks and elite chemistry brought two titles to the Heat. In Golden State, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson changed the game forever.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook reached the 2012 Finals together and won multiple scoring titles. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks to the 2026 championship, their first since 1973, with Brunson named Finals MVP. Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox took San Antonio to the 2026 Finals, and Draymond Green could easily have been paired with Curry instead of Thompson.
These legendary duos defined eras of modern basketball. The 2026 season is included, so recent champions and contenders are in the conversation. Here are the ten greatest NBA duos of the 21st century.
Top 10 Greatest NBA Duos of the 21st Century
1. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant
Shaq and Kobe won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002, with Shaq winning Finals MVP each time. They reached the Finals again in 2004. Shaq was the most unstoppable force in the sport, and Kobe was already one of its most skilled scorers. The famous alley-oop from Kobe to Shaq in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals against Portland is the image that sums up their partnership. The feud that ended it is part of the legend, but their results speak for themselves.
2. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker
The Spurs won four championships in the 21st century, in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, and Duncan and Parker were present for all of them. Parker won the Finals MVP in 2007. Duncan was the quiet anchor, Parker the speedy, creative guard, and Manu Ginobili the third piece who made it a Big Three. Their longevity and consistency were unmatched.
3. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
The Splash Brothers changed basketball by turning long-range shooting into the main weapon. They won four championships together, in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Curry’s 402 three-pointers in 2015-16 were a record at the time, and Thompson’s 37-point quarter against Sacramento in 2015 remains the highest-scoring quarter in NBA history. Together they created a style that every team has tried to copy since.
4. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
The Miami Heat’s duo reached four straight Finals from 2011 to 2014 and won two titles, in 2012 and 2013. Their chemistry was strongest in transition, where LeBron’s power and Wade’s cutting made them nearly impossible to stop. Wade was the veteran who accepted a new role, and LeBron grew into the best player in the world during their time together.
5. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol
After the Shaq era, Kobe found a second great partner in Gasol. Gasol arrived in 2008, and together they reached three straight Finals, beating Orlando in 2009 and Boston in 2010. Gasol’s skill as a passer and finisher meant Kobe no longer had to carry the entire offence. The Game 7 win over the Celtics in 2010 was the high point of their partnership.
6. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray
Jokic is a three-time MVP, and Murray has become his ideal partner. Together they won the 2023 championship, the first in Denver’s history, with Jokic as Finals MVP. Their two-man game, built on the high pick-and-roll and handoffs, is among the most efficient combinations in the league. They are still active, so this ranking could rise.
7. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving
Their partnership produced one of the great moments in Finals history. LeBron and Kyrie reached three straight Finals from 2015 to 2017 and won the 2016 title after coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Golden State. Kyrie’s go-ahead three-pointer over Curry in Game 7 with under a minute left is the defining shot of the series.
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
Giannis and Middleton won the 2021 championship for Milwaukee, the franchise’s first in 50 years. Giannis was the Finals MVP, scoring 50 points in the clinching Game 6, and Middleton was the reliable second scorer who hit big shots all postseason. Their time together ended when Middleton was traded to Washington in February 2025.
9. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
Tatum and Brown took Boston to the 2022 Finals and won the 2024 championship, with Brown named Finals MVP. They were also regular contenders in the conference finals. The partnership has since been broken up, and Brown is now playing in Philadelphia this season.
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams
The Thunder duo led Oklahoma City to the 2025 championship, with SGA winning both the regular-season MVP and Finals MVP. Williams emerged as an All-Star-level second option, and together they built the best young team in the league. In 2026, Oklahoma City reached the Western Conference finals again before losing in Game 7 to San Antonio. The duo is young enough that its best days may still be ahead.
FAQs
Q. Which NBA duo won three consecutive championships?
A. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant won three straight titles with the Lakers.
Q. How many championships did Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson win together?
A. They won four NBA championships together.
Q. Which duo helped Denver win its first NBA championship?
A. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led Denver to its first title in 2023.
Q. Which NBA duo won the 2021 championship for Milwaukee?
A. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton won the title for the Bucks.
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