NBA: The Big 3 Welcomes Nate Robinson
The Big 3 inaugural season was a success, and a year later, it's time for another go-around. There are a couple of changes, like the game day being switched from Sunday to Friday and the games now being televised live, but for the most part, we're going to get a similar experience. Another alteration, though, is the players we'll see on the court. Some of the new additions are Carlos Boozer, Baron Davis, Drew Gooden, Nate Robinson, Salim Stoudamire, Amar'e Stoudemire, Metta World Peace, and others. Those seven players combined for 11 NBA All-Star appearances. It seems like the talent level is going to be higher which should create an even better event to follow. We're going to break down the eight teams, with projected records and standings.
1. Trilogy (Projected: 7-1): Trilogy was the undisputed champion of Season 1 of the Big 3 as they went unbeaten in the regular season, and then defeated the Ghost Ballers and 3 Headed Monsters, respectively, to win the title. It was an incredibly successful season from Rashad McCants and Al Harrington. They had an inside-out game that puzzled their opponents. They would feed Harrington early and often, and then McCants would take over for long stretches, before returning to Harrington in the late stages of games. Every week was a similar story as the two would propel Trilogy to a win. Kenyon Martin is back as well, who missed multiple games with an injury last year. Expect this team to flirt with an 8-0 record again.
2. 3 Headed Monsters (Projected: 6-2): The 3 Headed Monsters were just a couple of points away from winning the championship last year, and I think they come back with a bit of revenge on their mind. Whether or not that means they'll be able to upset Trilogy in the regular season or playoffs remains to be seen. But either way, I think it's clear who the two best teams are, and they should both win between 6-8 games. Rashard Lewis was the Big 3 MVP last year and I fully expect him to contend for that once again. He is a great shooter who can get a look from anywhere on the floor, and with his length, is very hard to defend. They also added Reggie Evans and Salim Stoudamire to a team that already had Kwame Brown and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.
3. Killer 3s (Projected: 5-3): I thought the Killer 3s were going to be one of the best teams in the league last year, but because of an early injury to Chauncey Billups, it wasn't meant to be. But Billups and Stephen Jackson are back, and are welcoming a host of new talent: Alan Anderson, Mike James, and the infamous Metta World Peace. This team could make some noise. Jackson and World Peace, and Billups and James played together with the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, respectively. The Killer 3s should be one of the better outside shooting teams as they have at least four players that are legitimate scoring threats from beyond the arc. They probably won't be able to hang with Trilogy, but every other opponent is a possible win.
4. Tri State (Projected: 5-3): Tri State limped to a 3-5 record last year with a -15 point differential, but they've reloaded, adding a pair of huge names in Amar'e Stoudemire and Nate Robinson. The former is a six-time NBA All-Star, while the latter is one of the best pure scorers in this league. They've also added the No. 5 overall pick in David Hawkins, who should be able to help them on the wing. With Julius Erving at the helm for the second year in a row, I think Tri State will improve and be 4-4 at the very least. After opening up with Trilogy in Week 1, they should be able to get a win against the Ball Hogs in Week 2, before matching up with Power the following game. Tri State also has former NBA players Jermaine O'Neal and Bonzi Wells.
5. Power (Projected: 4-4): Only the top four teams advance to the playoffs (or the semifinals), which means I don't think Power gets there this time around. However, they should be competing for one all year long and if they can get to a fifth win then it's much more realistic. Nancy Lieberman becomes the first female coach in Big 3 history and has a pretty talented team alongside her. Cuttino Mobley has a lot of gray hair, but don't let that fool you, because he can put the ball in the basket. They also have Corey Maggette coming back after being out for the majority of the year with an injury. Power is adding three new players: Glen Davis, the No. 10 overall pick Quentin Richardson, and the No. 4 overall pick Chris Andersen.
6. Ghost Ballers (Projected: 4-4): The Ghost Ballers reached the postseason, before going down to eventual champions Trilogy last year, and they might be able to do so again. But I don't think it'll be nearly as easy. I think the teams around them are going to be better, like the Killer 3s and Tri State, but the Ghost Ballers should be able to battle it out with the middle of the pack teams. Mike Bibby has turned into a meme over the last couple of days, but it's clear that he's ready for Season 2. Ricky Davis is a really good scorer and will look to continue being effective, now with Carlos Boozer next to him. George Gervin's team also adds No. 13 and No. 19 overall picks, Marcus Banks and Mario West. Power will play the 3 Headed Monsters in Week 1.
7. 3's Company (Projected: 3-5): 3's Company no longer has Allen Iverson as player-coach (for better or worse), but even more impactful than that, they lost Andre Owens as well. 3's Company is adding former UCLA Bruins star and Golden State Warriors point guard: Baron Davis. He should help take on some of the scoring load, and they clearly need it as 3's Company was just 3-5 last year with a -25 point differential. They were one of just two teams to allow 400+ points. They need improvement on offense and defense. Jason Maxiell could help protect the rim, and the addition of Drew Gooden could help a little bit on both ends. I just don't see this team being all that good. Dermarr Johnson and Derrick Byars are other significant players.
8. Ball Hogs (Projected: 1-7): The Ball Hogs were bad. It was that simple. They had a 2-6 record last year and had an embarrassing -56 point differential. It was clear that they were the worst team in the league, and somehow, I think it's going to get worse. They added No. 1 overall pick Andre Owens who should help a lot, but there just isn't enough talent on this squad. With all due respect to guys like Brian Scalabrine and Josh Childress, they're not good enough to compete with the other teams. The Ball Hogs also selected Jermaine Taylor, the former Florida State guard, with the No. 14 overall pick. Rick Barry is back to coach for the second straight season, but don't expect a lot of wins. They open the year with a Week 1 game versus Power on June 22nd.
Photo Credit: Spark Sports.
