LeBron James, Anthony Davis clinch top 2 spots on best 100 list after Lakers title win

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are probably the NBA's most efficient duo right now. Dominating the 2019-20 season, they managed to win the Los Angeles Lakers their 17th title after a 10-year drought. James, 35, strives to be the league's most athletic player, while Davis shot their way to victory during the playoffs. Statistically, Davis performed even better than James in the NBA bubble, averaging 27.7 points per game.  

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LeBron James, Anthony Davis top the ESPN Top 100 NBA players list

Lakers fans have deemed James-Davis as the best duo in the NBA, elated at the championship. With their Top 100 NBA players list, ESPN confirmed the fan's views, ranking James and Davis No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. As per ESPN, it has happened for the first time in 10 years that teammates have ranked 1-2. 

Per ESPN, the ranking is proof of how well Davis played with James, even sparking a Finals MVP debate. The Lakers played better with Davis alone – who made five-plus points per 100 possessions. This seasons, Davis scored  26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game, while averaging 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals. 

James – who was recently named Time's Athlete of the Year – ranks first. While he lost the spot to Giannis Antetokounmpo last year, King James reclaimed his throne with his fourth NBA title. At 35, James continues to grow as a player, taking the league to new heights. He finished the 2019-20 season with 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and career-high 10.2 assists. He won another Finals MVP trophy to his name, making people reassess their NBA GOAT decision. 

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ESPN Top 100 NBA players list (No. 1 to 10)

1. LeBron James – LA Lakers
2. Anthony Davis – LA Lakers
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
4. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
5. Kawhi Leonard – LA Clippers
6. Kevin Durant – Brooklyn Nets
7. Damian Lillard – Portland Trail Blazers
8. Steph Curry – Golden State Warriors 
9. James Harden – Houston Rockets
10. Nikola Jokic –Denver Nuggets

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ESPN ranked Zion no.19 on their top 100 best NBA players. Ahead of PG, KAT, Kyrie, Trae Young, Westbrook, Kemba and more😂😂

Zion’s only played in 24 NBA games pic.twitter.com/JJBU6bD5Dl

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 9, 2020

Like most years, fans voiced problems with certain rankings. Rookies like Zion Williamson and Tyler Herro were ranked above players like Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan respectively. While fans appreciate the rookies and their dominating performances, they believe veterans have been more consistent. This was even a problem with Trae Young, who ranked 29 while Russell Westbrook was down at 36. 

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(Image credits: LeBron James Instagram)