CP3 and James are the most talented backcourt in history.

I was discussing the history of the nba with my teenage son earlier. He was a little upset that all of his friends and teammates believed that Steph and Klay are far superior to CP and the Beard. I know that the media echoes that same sentiment.

First off I go back to last season and as recently as the WCF last year. Steph and Klay are all time great shooters. Klay is a good to great defender. Steph is a decent play maker, but I believe that the Rockets exposed them both in the WCF. When you close out aggressively and specifically sit on their right hands, they can be held in check. I believe we proved that during the series. Jeff B’s switching defense, crowding them at the 3 point line and forcing them left makes them both look human. Just take away their space and force them to drive left and live with consequences.

You have no such luxury with CP and James. You cannot simply crowd them or pick a side. If you crowd them or pick a side you are cooked. If you play off of them you are cooked. If you send help they not only have the ability to make the right pass, but they both do it an all time elite level as a duo. CP is elite from the midrange as well and James still could be if looked for that mid-range step back that he used to shoot. Though I have noticed that he has gone to it a bit more early in this season. James also gets to the rim at will, and draws more fouls than anyone I have ever seen.

When you combine shooting, scoring and playmaking I believe this backcourt is not only better than Steph and Klay, but is the best of all time.

Defensively Klay can be a beast. He competes, moves his feet and has length. He can guard 1-3 and even some 4’s as he has shown vs Kevin Love.Steph is a baby defensively. He can be abused from the perimeter as well as the post. Our guards unmercifully abused him during the WCF.

CP is an all time great defender. He has the 7 first team all defense nods to prove it. He is pesky, a thief, physical, nasty, dirty ect and it all works for him. He even does a good job in the post using his physicality and quick hands to frustrate much larger opponents in the post. He is savvy enough to know when to pull the chair. He gets more clean strips and steals than any pg that I can remember since Gary Payton. Even at his age he still leads the league in steals and he earns every one of them.

James has been the topic of ridicule regarding his defense since his arrival in Houston. Most of it he deserved. He used to awful on that end of the floor and I can’t sugarcoat that. Over the last year or so I have noticed a significant uptick in his effort on the perimeter. He seems to be more engaged. I didn’t look up any stats but it looks like he is getting a nice amount of steals. His defense in the post has been exceptional. His strength and low center of gravity make him difficult to back down, and he seems to embrace the challenge of guarding bigs.

The only on court “adavantage” Steph and Klay have as a duo is in 3 point shooting percentage.That’s it.

We had good role players last year no doubt, but CP and James have not been surrounded by elite talent. Clint is on his way, but as a whole GS had a much more talented roster. Their backcourt was supported by an all time great scorer and freak in Durant. Because Draymond can push the ball and pass it they can just run to the corners and wait for quick 3’s. KD and Draymond at the 3 and 4 is a huge advantage, skills wise, over Ariza and PJ. And yet we had them beat. I don’t think they or our coaching staff gets enough credit for what they should have pulled off.

Unfortunately they also have rings and our dynamic duo do not. Ultimately this is a narrative that cannot be overcome unless we beat them and win a ring.

I posed this simple question to my son. If you gave CP and James KD and gave GS Ariza would GS even have even won a game? Small forward for small forward.It would have been a sweep imho. We had them beat in 6 games without KD on our team. GS was ready to quit.

I didn’t want to include any advanced stats, just the eye test. I’m only talking talent. Not rings.

I really became a fan if the nba in the early 80’s. I’m as old school as they get. But I have to admit that from a pure talent standpoint, this backcourt is the best of at least the modern era, and may be the greatest of all time. Rockets fans should enjoy this tandem while we can. After waiting over 20 years for another monster like Dream, I realize now how rare truly elite talents come around.

My son has a little more ammo to take back to friends in his defense of CP and James, but if I or he really wants to solidify our cases, we have got to win the whole thing. Then the world will acknowledge what I already know.

James and CP are the most talented backcourt of all time.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Nope.