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Twin towers in basketball refers to two skilled big men on the floor. It's a timeless tactic that allows teams to put emphasis on rim protection and size. Given that it's an effective tactic used by coaches, here is a look at the 10 greatest twin-tower combinations in NBA history.
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1. Tim Duncan and David Robinson
There aren't a lot of twin-tower combinations that have been as successful as the San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and David Robinson. The Spurs were cellar dwellers until Gregg Popovich took over and drafted Robinson and Duncan with lottery picks. After that, the Spurs would mount a dynasty. Duncan and Robinson would bring two championships in San Antonio together.
2. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum
Although Kobe Bryant was the face of the Lakers squad in the late 2000s, he couldn't have completed back-to-back NBA championships without the help of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Both Gasol and Bynum pretty much protected the rim at all costs. They also managed to thrive under Phil Jackson's triangle system. Furthermore, they were also threats in the post.
3. Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld
The Washington Bullets don't exactly have a decorated history. However, they do have a championship thanks to the leadership of Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. Unseld and Hayes formed a formidable frontline for the Bullets.
In fact, the two big men led the Bullets over the Seattle Supersonics in the 1978 NBA Finals. Unseld won Finals MVP and Hayes was the leading scorer for all players in the 1978 NBA Playoffs.
4. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford
In 2024, the Boston Celtics finally captured championship banner No. 18 to lead all NBA teams in league history. The Celtics were a balanced squad as they got contributions from across the board.
Among those major contributors was Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Standing at 6'9 and 7'0 feet tall respectively, both All-Stars did their part in spacing the floor while also becoming post scoring threats. But more importantly, they came up huge on the defensive end as well.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez
When it came to size, the Milwaukee Bucks had plenty during their 2021 NBA championship run. In fact, they even paraded a front court of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
With enormous height and length, the Bucks simply overpowered the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals. Both players also exhibited an inside-and-outside partnership that proved to be pivotal in the Bucks' first title in five decades.
6. Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard
Although Dwight Howard had a forgettable first Lakers stint, his second was ultimately more successful. Howard would team up with Anthony Davis to man the front court for the Purple and Gold.
Their combination of size and elite athleticism allowed the Lakers to dominate in transition while making life difficult for elite centers like Nikola Jokic. The duo was a huge part in the Lakers' 2020 NBA title run.
7. Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson
In the 1980s, the Rockets were legitimate contenders thanks to their intimidating front-court duo of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Olajuwon stood at 7'0 while Sampson at 7'4. The duo even managed to tow the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals before falling to the Boston Celtics in six games.
8. Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond
The sky was the limit for Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond's partnership. Unfortunately, the San Francisco Warriors weren't patient enough to stick with the duo.
Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, while Thurmond blossomed into a certified star. While there were plenty of “what-ifs” regarding this partnership, Warrior fans would've wished the duo had more time together.
9. Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns
The Minnesota Timberwolves were a force to be reckoned with in a stacked Western Conference. Thanks to Anthony Edwards and a fearsome front-court combination of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves were difficult to stop.
Towns and Gobert perfectly complemented each other with the former knocking down jumpers while the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year patrolled the paint effectively.
With the duo, the Timberwolves made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, the franchise's first time since the Kevin Garnett era. Surprisingly, the Timberwolves pulled the plug on this duo, after trading away Towns to the New York Knicks.
10. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins
Coming from the same alma mater, both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins left their mark on Kentucky. Years later, the two found themselves on the same side while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. With the Pelicans' dynamic duo, the team pieced together a surprising run in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, reaching the second round of the playoffs.
