The NBA’s ring culture is real.
Winning in the regular season doesn’t mean a thing anymore, and the fans, players, and media members will only judge you depending on how much hardware you have.
With that in mind, former NBA player Jay Williams put together his list of the top five NBA duos under the most pressure this season, starting with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as honorable mentions.
Then there was Kevin Durant and Chris Paul at the fifth spot, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard at four, James Harden and Joel Embiid at three, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic at two, and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum at number one.
The top 5 NBA duos with the most pressure to win a title according to @RealJayWilliams. What do you think of his list? pic.twitter.com/cMpJhpG03M
— Keyshawn, JWill & Max (@KeyJayandMax) March 29, 2023
This list is right on point.
No one actually expects the Los Angeles Lakers or Dallas Mavericks to win the ring this season, but that caliber of player will always be under heavy pressure.
The Phoenix Suns were considered the team to beat as soon as they traded for Durant, but they’re aging and might not be healthy enough to pull it off.
It’s been a while since the Los Angeles Clippers were expected to become a dynasty, yet that hasn’t been the case thus far.
The Philadelphia 76ers put together a championship-caliber team and need to deliver as such, but they have a long history of playoff shortcomings.
As for the Denver Nuggets, they need to prove that they’re not just a good regular-season team, especially now that they’re at full strength.
But above all, the young duo of Brown and Tatum needs to step up and prove that last season’s NBA Finals run wasn’t a fluke.
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Steph Curry Makes His Thoughts Clear After Warriors Comeback Victory
