New Orleans Pelicans: Ranking the Top-Ten Backcourts in the NBA

#8: Kyle Lowry and  Fred VanVleet

Though both Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet are both technically point guards, they often share the floor together and form an impressive backcourt for the Raptors.

This one will definitely draw some arguments, as Lowry and VanVleet lack the individual talent of some of the players on this list.

But you can’t argue with the results.

Not only does this duo already have a ring together, but they, along with standout wing Pascal Siakam, have the Raptors right back in the hunt this year.

They were second in the Eastern Conference heading into the hiatus and were destined for an Eastern Conference Finals re-match with the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is largely because of the play of Lowry and VanVleet, whose combination of offensive skills and defensive versatility make them a unique NBA backcourt.

Both Lowry and VanVleet are plus-defenders at their position, averaging 1.3 and 1.9 steals per game respectively.

But they aren’t all defense.

Lowry averages 19.7 points and 7.7 assists, while VanVleet adds 17.6 points and 6.6 assists of his own.

Did I mention they can rebound? Lowry pulls down 4.8 boards a game while VanVleet grabs 3.8, making them one of the top rebounding backcourts in the NBA.

They might not have the flash of some of the players on this list, but defense and rebounding matter.

So do rings.