South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
The power of three
Heat-Nets a reminder of all things Big 3, with these trios mattering most
No, Sunday’s nationally televised game against the Brooklyn Nets, even in the absence of injuries and roster uncertainty, never was going to be a referendum on Big Threes.
Because, while substantial, it’s not as if the Miami Heat’s trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Victor Oladipo put them on equal footing with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
But the greater issue is whether Big Threes still matter most.
Because if they do, then it well could be game, set, match for the Nets, at least in the Eastern Conference.
When it comes to the Nets’ arrival for their lone visit of the season to AmericanAirlines Arena, the power of three again becomes a talking point, and for more than the memories of what LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh accomplished on the facility’s court at the start of last decade.
Two weeks ago, with the standings atop the East particularly compressed, the Milwaukee Bucks went all in on a max extension to Jrue Holiday.
What the Bucks couldn’t accomplish in recent years with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton as a dynamic duo officially will now endure as a three-for-all.
And yet elsewhere at the top of the league’s overall standings, the two-man game remains a driving force.
With the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s LeBron James, Anthony
Davis and . . . ?
With the Los Angeles Clippers, there isn’t a definitive third wheel alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
A similar case could be made with the Utah Jazz, and Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. And the same could have been said before Jamal Murray went down as Nikola Jokic’s running partner with the Denver Nuggets.
That’s what will make the balance of this season so compelling regarding what the Nets have put together. Because it never was about LaMarcus Aldridge before, nor about Blake Griffin now. And for all that Joe Harris, DeAndre Jordan and
Jeff Green can offer in support, complementary pieces stand as just that (Dexter Pittman, Ronny Turiaf, Joel Anthony, Terrel Harris and Jarvis Varnado all won championships alongside James, Wade and Bosh).
While history and playoff success ultimately will decide where the trio of Durant, Irving and Harden rank all-time, we’ll instead focus on the NBA’s top trios of the moment.
1. Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden.
While only Durant stands as a defensive component, the ultimate success of the Nets will stand as a referendum on how far offense can take you in this new NBA age. Steve Nash and Mike D’Antoni came up short in tandem with such an approach with the Phoenix Suns. Now they get a second chance as Nets coaches.
2. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, anyone.
This goes back to the adage about how Hank Aaron and Tommy Aaron are Major League Baseball’s top brother combination in terms of total home runs, never mind that Hank hit 755 and Tommie 13.
It’s sort of the same when you start with James and Davis, as evidenced by last season’s championship.
3. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday.
This has to work. There is no Plan B with the money spent, and the enduring outlay. As with all recent Bucks teams, this comes down to the postseason.
4. Phoenix Suns: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton.
This might be a stretch with Ayton listed as the third element (which he often is not on many Suns game days). But Paul has been that good, and Booker that unstoppable at times.
5. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris.
Yes, Harris has put himself in Big Three discussion with his contributions this season. If anything, where it gets dicey is with Simmons’ offensive limitations. Still, Embiid being in MVP consideration deserves at least this high a ranking.
6. Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Serge Ibaka.
Arguably a case could be made that Leonard, George and anybody should rank the Clippers higher, but this is not championship Serge Ibaka. Then again, Patrick Beverley likely counts himself as third wheel here.
7. Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, (and player of the day).
Yes, this defeats some of the premise of such rankings, but it also is what the Jazz have become. While on most nights it starts with Mitchell on offense and Gobert on defense, there almost always is at least one additional dynamic contribution, be it Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic or Joe Ingles. Now there might have to be more, with Mitchell injured. 8. Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart.
It would be a lot easier to justify such a Celtics placement had Gordon Hayward remained or Kemba Walker been fully revived. But never sleep on the edge provided by Smart.
9. Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Victor Oladipo/ Goran Dragic.
The initial returns with Oladipo were encouraging, as was the run to last season’s NBA Finals with Dragic at his best. If either falls into place, it is the boost that significantly lifts Butler and Adebayo.
10. Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam.
No, it has not gone well in a season of nothing but road games, and it well might not endure, with Lowry’s impending free agency. But had COVID not gotten in the way, there would have been nightly reminders of the possibilities.