The pick-and-roll is one of the most deadly offensive plays two players can engage in, especially when a dominant offensive player bolsters a talented playmaker and passer. Normally, we have seen the best pick-and-rolls feature a talented point guard and a dominant big man because a quick pass to a large and capable scorer often resulted in points on the board. We are seeing more in the modern NBA where forwards and centers are also engaging in the pick-and-roll except they are becoming passers.
Which duos had the most outstanding pick-and-roll partnerships, however? It is time to go through NBA history and select the greatest duos when it came to a pick-and-roll play that we see almost every other possession today. Of course, the pick-and-roll was more popularized and focused on in the 1990s decade, but that doesn’t mean players beforehand did not employ a form of that play. A successful pick-and-roll will always result in an easy look at the basket, and it can be devastating to defenses if done correctly.
There are some honorable mentions including Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant because whenever they engaged in the pick-and-roll, it was absolutely unstoppable although we did not see it enough with the Golden State Warriors teams that wanted more ball movement and cutting. However, there will be a hint that the Warriors will have a duo that will crack the top-10 list and it does involve Stephen Curry.
Without further ado, here are the 10 greatest pick-and-roll duos of all time, and there will be some key players who appear on this list rather unexpectedly.
Honorable MentionBob Cousy and Bill Russell
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Hall of Famer and Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy does not get mentioned enough when discussing the greatest playmakers and floor generals of all time. “The Houdini of the Hardwood” was one of the most iconic passers of his era, leading the NBA in assists a whopping eight times. He also helped make defensive-minded center Bill Russell a very strong scorer as well.
Russell was not a great scorer because he wasn’t interested in scoring over winning, but he did average a career 17.1 PPG because of Cousy’s elite passing. In the pick-and-roll, Cousy and Russell would have been even more deadly had they played in the modern era. Russell was incredibly explosive and a great leaper for his size, so he finished multiple chances at the rim with Cousy pulling the strings.
10. Walt Frazier and Willis Reed
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Walt Frazier was renowned for his quickness because he could get anywhere on the floor relatively quickly and only needed some space to score the ball or assist his All-Star teammate Willis Reed. Walt was a master at maneuvering around a screen, and when Willis was the one setting it, it was almost always a bucket.
Frazier could attack off the screen and finish with style or lay it off to a cutting Reed. Reed was one of the most physical players of his generation, even if he was a large man at 6’10” and 235 lbs. The big man was always effective at barrelling to the basket and it did not matter who was waiting for him inside.
9. Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp
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Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp once reached an NBA Finals together and the pick-and-roll was a key component of that. The Seattle SuperSonics ran into the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan in the 1996 Finals, the main reason why the team failed to win it all. Regardless, the Payton and Kemp connection was a sight to behold.
Payton made the Hall of Fame due to his elite defense and leadership although his playmaking and scoring ability was just as renowned. Kemp never made the Hall of Fame but Payton almost got him there because his ability to finish jams from the pick-and-roll was certainly deadly. Payton and Kemp were known to be unstoppable on the fast break, but their connection via the pick-and-roll was just as effective because the 6’9” power forward was incredibly explosive and powerful when he attacked the rim.
8. Kevin Johnson and Charles Barkley
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Kevin Johnson might be Charles Barkley’s greatest teammate considering the pair were the ones who led the charge to the 1993 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. Johnson was a 3-time All-Star, earning all three with the Phoenix Suns franchise. He had his most success with superstar Charles Barkley, however. Barkley could score in a variety of ways and was able to finish inside despite being only 6’6” in a big man’s league.
Running a pick-and-roll with Kevin Johnson, who once averaged double-digit assists for four seasons in a row, was deadly and would have been even deadlier in the modern NBA. When the two were teammates, Barkley averaged 23.4 PPG which was above his career scoring average. Thanks to Johnson’s elite quickness and Barkley’s ability to roll and finish inside with force, the pair worked beautifully and it was certainly painful to defend from the defense’s point of view.
7. Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Two of the 12 greatest players in NBA history, Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were a match made in heaven in terms of being a little and big duo. Quite frankly, there was no stopping them when they competed for the Milwaukee Bucks. Oscar was a wizard with the ball, employing skillful dribbles and moves to stun defenders. It was nearly impossible to stay in front of him, and he would have split defenders with ease coming off a screen.
Even if Robertson was not known to be an elite shooter, especially since the three-point shot didn’t exist, he was adept at attacking the rim off a pick from Kareem or feeding the NBA’s second-all-time leading scorer down low. Kareem did not need much to get his sky hook off, and a pinpoint pass from Oscar normally led to the enter getting two points for his side.
6. Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain
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If only Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain played in today’s game. The superstar duo would have ran riot across the league because the pick-and-roll is far more heavily utilized than in any era, including the 1960s. West feeding Chamberlain was one of the most dominant offensive sets the Lakers could run, and it often worked to their benefit. West was an iconic scorer with a career average of 27.0 PPG, but he also posted 6.7 APG as a combo guard.
Of course, Wilt was unstoppable down low. He did not need a spectacular pass to finish inside but if he got one, it was almost always a bucket. West was always capable of providing pin-point lobs or bounce passes when Wilt found himself setting picks, and it was hard to stop him. The duo should have won more than one championship together, but it was definitely better than none.
5. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin
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There wasn’t anything more exciting during the Los Angeles Clippers “Lob City” era than Chris Paul throwing lobs to Blake Griffin out of the pick-and-roll. Paul is one of his generation’s greatest passers and Griffin is one of the greatest finishers in the modern era.
Even as Griffin improved as a mid-range and even three-point shooter, the pick-and-roll play was even more deadly. This duo was excellent together and became title contenders with DeAndre Jordan also acting as a target. Even if Paul and Griffin couldn’t win a championship together, it sure made for some good television.
4. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
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The pick-and-roll play between Stephen Curry and Draymond Green is incredibly difficult to stop because of both players’ basketball IQs. Curry’s shooting is the clear reason why this play is so difficult to stop because if he got a little bit of space from the pick, he would drain a three-pointer almost every time. Even if the three is not there, Curry can attack and finish in the lane with a clever layup. No doubt, his best pick-and-roll partner is none other than Draymond Green.
Green is often underappreciated because of his limited offensive ability although his playmaking to receive the ball from the pick-and-roll and find shooters was the best play Golden State employed time and time again. Draymond’s playmaking should be respected as much as his defense because he literally makes Stephen Curry (and Klay Thompson) even more unstoppable than they already are. With four NBA titles to their name, their pick-and-roll success is clear and it worked to perfection.
3. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan
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Tony Parker is undervalued because he played in a spectacular San Antonio Spurs system led by Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. However, Parker would have been an All-Star for any franchise because his floater might be the best ever and his incredible quickness meant he was unstoppable in pick-and-roll situations. Whenever Duncan was the one rolling to the basket, it was game over for the defense.
Parker averaged 5.6 APG for his career and most of his assists went to Timmy down low. Duncan had an unbelievably soft touch around the basket and was always effective in drawing a foul at the rim or getting an easy layup. When the paint was clogged, Duncan could also receive Parker’s pass and nail a perfect shot off the backboard. No doubt, the Parker-Duncan connection was a top-3 ever and they rank only behind two duos.
2. Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire
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Steve Nash is one of the greatest playmakers ever, and his passing was simply sublime. The two-time MVP was not only a great floor general in terms of leading an offense but was an assist machine, a reason why he led the NBA in APG five times. Guess who Nash’s greatest recipient was? None other than powerhouse forward Amar’e Stoudemire.
Stoudemire in his prime was an absolute force off the pick-and-roll because he could roll to the rim and finish over any defender and his mid-range jumper was also to be respected. Stoudemire had his best seasons with Nash as his point guard, and it was a joy to watch them. As great as Amar’e was finishing, Nash had unlimited options when using the pick-and-roll and it didn’t really matter who his recipient was because the point guard would find him or even score for himself.
1. John Stockton and Karl Malone
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There is no debate that John Stockton and Karl Malone spearheaded the most unstoppable pick-and-roll play that ever existed in the NBA. That single play led the Utah Jazz to the playoffs every time Stockton was at the helm, and the duo also made the NBA Finals twice. If not for Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, the Jazz would have been champions. Regardless, Stockton and Malone had a perfect connection on offense.
Stockton is the all-time leader in assists because the play worked to perfection and the point guard had elite basketball IQ when it came to utilizing a bounce pass, lob, or chest pass. If needed, Stockton would also nail outside shots. However, the Jazz had the most success when Malone finished inside or used his automatic mid-range jumper. The pick-and-roll seems so basic but Stockton and Malone made it completely unstoppable. No other duo has perfected the pick-and-roll better than Utah’s incredible duo, and they will forever rank as the best to have ever done it.
