5 Best starting backcourts and how Spurs stack up entering the 2026-27 season

Individual guards make a difference in the NBA, but backcourt units are much more interesting. They require chemistry, fit, and the ability to play off each other to raise the overall ceiling of the team. San Antonio's playmaking duo was imperative to their deep run to the NBA Finals.

Although newly formed, they quickly proved to be one of the most formidable tandems in the league. Let's take a look at the top five backcourts in the NBA heading into next season and see where they stack up.

5. Knicks - Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart

Let's be quick on this one. They earned this. It's the champion tax. Spurs fans don't have to love them, but they deserve enough respect to land on this list. Brunson is a true leader and an unbelievably clutch performer, and his co-star is the gritty do-it-all guy who knows how to contribute to winning basketball. It is what it is.

4. Spurs - De'Aaron Fox & Stephon Castle

Making the top 5 out of 30 possible options is pretty damn good, especially when one part of the duo is only in his second season, but here we are. Castle's playmaking and defensive ability, combined with his explosiveness, make him. nightmare to deal with, and Fox is still one of the fastest in the league with the ball in his hands. They put relentless pressure on defenses, earning them a spot here.

3. Lakers - Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves

Luka is an MVP candidate every season. He's an offensive savant, recognized as one of the greatest players ever on that end of the floor. Reaves is a legitimate secondary scorer—a real threat to go off on any night. They have to be respected. But their lackluster defense keeps them from climbing higher on this list.

2. 76ers - Tyrese Maxey & Jaylen Brown

We haven't seen this duo in action yet, but between these two and Nick Nurse, it'd be foolish to believe they won't work well together. Brown is a Finals MVP and one of the premier two-way players in the NBA. Maxey isn't awesome on defense, but he can go off for 30 or 40 points at the drop of a dime. They'll be a huge threat to any team they face.

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Jalen Williams

These two don't need much of an introduction. They're going to be a thorn in San Antonio's side for years. OKC's lead guards are proven champions, elite two-way players who can create, sacrifice, and do just about everything you need on the floor. The Spurs may have knocked them off, but we can admit that they were compromised, and it still wasn't easy. They're number one.

The Spurs have the talent to climb this list before the season ends. If Stephon Castle takes another leap and De'Aaron Fox bounces back from his disappointing postseason, San Antonio could push their way into the top three and maybe even vie for the top spot by next spring.

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