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NBA: Who is the best duo from each franchise’s history

By Christopher Jeter

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 6: Scottie Pippen #33 of the Chicago Bulls is seen talking to Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on May 6, 1997 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 6: Scottie Pippen #33 of the Chicago Bulls is seen talking to Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on May 6, 1997 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Best duo from Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry

Separately, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are solid star players. Sure, they have glaring deficiencies — Lowry’s meekness in critical situations and DeRozan’s tepid-at-best 3-point shooting, for starters — but both men are skilled enough to be contributors on almost every NBA team.

But with the Toronto Raptors, these two friends meant more to the franchise than that. Their play elevated Toronto into the national conversation. They’re also a big reason why the Raptors have an NBA Finals win to their name.

First, the backstory. DeRozan came first, getting drafted ninth overall in the 2009 draft. The young wing from USC was more of a project than a finished product, but with Chris Bosh entrenched as the franchise player, the team had some time to mold a discernable NBA skillset out of his RAW athleticism.

Once Bosh bolted for South Beach, the team went through some lean years — which included them taking a chance on some fool’s gold named Rudy Gay — but in the interim, GM Bryan Colangelo swung an at-the-time innocuous deal to get cantankerous point guard Lowry from the Rockets.

Soon after, former Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri replaced Colangelo and proceeded to clean house. One of his first orders of business was trading Gay to Sacramento so he can ban stat sheets from that locker room instead of Toronto’s. But before he could do the same to Lowry, something odd happened: the Raptors started winning!

DeRozan and Lowry spent the next six years forging a brotherhood on and off the court, as their .158 combined WS/48  led to six straight five straight postseason appearances and the pleasure of losing to LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016.

Unfortunately, it was this failure to beat James’ Cavs in the playoffs that resulted in this duo’s breakup, as the Raptors upgraded to the jovial Kawhi Leonard and, well, we know what happened next.