Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA History: 25 best sidekicks of all time

ByHans Themistode|
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L), Shaquille O'Neal (C) and Brian Shaw (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers joke on the bench during the final minutes in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (L), Shaquille O'Neal (C) and Brian Shaw (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers joke on the bench during the final minutes in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
3 of 26
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Ranking the 25 best NBA sidekicks of all time: 24. Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett enjoyed beating his chest almost as much as he did beating down the opposition.

Heading into a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves meant two things. One, the opposition was going to have to scratch and claw for a win. Two, while the opposing team was always going to have a difficult time, more times than not, they left with the win anyway.

With 14 years of mediocre results as the best player on the team, Garnett found what he was looking for once he moved to the Boston Celtics and took a backseat to Paul Pierce. Garnett and his 15.7 points and 8.7 rebounds were just what the doctor ordered as the Celtics went on to win an NBA title in 2008, Garnett’s first season.

Since Pierce was on the Celtics for nine seasons before the organization brought him some help, there was simply nothing Garnett could do to usurp him as the team’s best player.