Back-to-back – The basketix Lexicon

It’s one of the toughest feats to pull off in the basketball world. Whether it’s about championships, individual awards, buzzer beaters, or anything else, achieving a back-to-back (B2B) is rare. And those who manage to do it automatically step into another realm: the realm of legends.

What’s a back-to-back?

Pretty simple. A back-to-back means winning something two years in a row. It can happen on an individual level or as a team. Either way, it’s an insanely hard thing to do.
When it comes to championships, the last back-to-back dates back to 2018, during the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Since then, seven straight seasons have seen a new champion every year — which makes sense in a league that’s become way more competitive lately. Still, that’s a record! The last time six different teams won in a row was between 1975 and 1980.

Yes, going back-to-back as a champion is rare — but winning two MVPs in a row might be even crazier. Only the absolute elite of the elite have ever done it. Proof? Just 13 players in NBA history: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James (twice!), Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokić.
What do they all have in common? They’re all certified legends of the game.

And you know what’s even rarer — almost impossible, actually? Hitting two game-winners in back-to-back games. If that ever happens to you, go buy a EuroMillions ticket immediately. Chances are, you’ll hit the jackpot.
That’s how rare it is: it’s only happened once in basketball history. January 2022, thanks to one of the most clutch players of recent years, DeMar DeRozan.

The best back-to-backs in history :

Houston Rockets : Back-to-back titles 1995 and 1996

Los Angeles Lakers : 2009 and 2010

Golden State Warriors : 2017 and 2018

Stephen Curry 2x MVP : 2015 and 2016

Steve Nash 2x MVP : 2005 and 2006

TJ Shorts, the King of the Back-to-Back

The NBA has its legends, and so does Paris Basketball. Last year, TJ Shorts made history for our club. Crowned Betclic ELITE MVP last season after a monumental year, our American point guard did it again, becoming the first foreign player in French league history to pull off a back-to-back MVP!
An XXL performance from the “King of Paris,” who keeps leaving his mark on the very top of French basketball.