Poll: Which Big-3 was best - 2008 C's, 2013 Heat, 2016 Cavs, 2017 Warriors?

[jpotter33]

I saw this on Bleacher Report, and I thought it'd bring about a good discussion on here.

Boston Celtics 2008 Big-3: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen

Record: 66-16, NBA Champions

- All Three were All-Stars
- KG was DPOY, All-NBA 1st Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- Paul Pierce All-NBA 3rd Team, NBA Finals MVP

Miami Heat 2013 Big - 3: Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh

Record: 66-16, NBA Champions

- All Three were All-Stars
- Lebron was MVP, NBA Finals MVP, All-NBA 1st Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- Wade was All-NBA 3rd Team

Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 Big - 3: Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love

Record: 57-25, NBA Champions

- Only James was an All-Star
- James was NBA Finals MVP, All-NBA 1st Team

Golden State Warriors 2017 Big - 3: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant

Record: ??

- All Three were All-Stars in 2016
- In 2016, Curry was MVP, All-NBA 1st Team
- In 2016, Green was All-NBA 2nd Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- In 2016, Durant was All-NBA 2nd Team

So who do you got as the best? To me, it's 1A, 1B, 3, and 4 with 2008 Celtics and 2013 Heat being too close to call, and the 2016 Cavs edging out the 2017 Warriors until they can actually show that they fit together.

[green_bballers13]

I would love to say the Celtics, but 2013 Miami had the greatest player of the last 10 years and Dwayne Wade, an all-time great in Miami who won 3 rings. Bosh was def. not as good (16pts, 7 rebs during the season), but no slouch. He took a backseat to the other two like Ray Allen. I don't blame Ray for wanting to play with LeBron. Say what you want about him, but every team he is on has a chance to win the championship, regardless of the surrounding pieces.

[max215]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

[jpotter33]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

Eh, I'm not buying it until I see them actually play together. They may have the most talent combined, but if they don't put it together, then it won't mean jack crap.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Heat hands down. LeBron was the unquestioned best player in the world and they're the only ones in this group with multiple titles. Not to mention 4 finals appearances in 4 years together.

[green_bballers13]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

All fair points. On paper, the most dominant group of players ever put together.

I think the other 3 answers are better fits for this question: 1) they all won championships and 2) they all had good players check their egos. The 17 Warriors haven't proven either of these yet. Semantics, yes. Talk is cheap though- that's why they play the games.

[max215]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

Eh, I'm not buying it until I see them actually play together. They may have the most talent combined, but if they don't put it together, then it won't mean jack crap.

I think it's pretty hard to deny that their games fit together perfectly. The only thing that remains to be seen is how their egos will fit together, but winning usually takes care of that anyways.

[KG Living Legend]

I saw this on Bleacher Report, and I thought it'd bring about a good discussion on here.

Boston Celtics 2008 Big-3: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen

Record: 66-16, NBA Champions

- All Three were All-Stars
- KG was DPOY, All-NBA 1st Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- Paul Pierce All-NBA 3rd Team, NBA Finals MVP

Miami Heat 2013 Big - 3: Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh

Record: 66-16, NBA Champions

- All Three were All-Stars
- Lebron was MVP, NBA Finals MVP, All-NBA 1st Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- Wade was All-NBA 3rd Team

Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 Big - 3: Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love

Record: 57-25, NBA Champions

- Only James was an All-Star
- James was NBA Finals MVP, All-NBA 1st Team

Golden State Warriors 2017 Big - 3: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant

Record: ??

- All Three were All-Stars in 2016
- In 2016, Curry was MVP, All-NBA 1st Team
- In 2016, Green was All-NBA 2nd Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
- In 2016, Durant was All-NBA 2nd Team

So who do you got as the best? To me, it's 1A, 1B, 3, and 4 with 2008 Celtics and 2013 Heat being too close to call, and the 2016 Cavs edging out the 2017 Warriors until they can actually show that they fit together.

 Is it a coincidence that both The Celtics and heat had the number of the beast in both there seasons record?

 666

 66-16 for both team's.

 Satan's influence or dumb luck.

[jpotter33]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

Eh, I'm not buying it until I see them actually play together. They may have the most talent combined, but if they don't put it together, then it won't mean jack crap.

I think it's pretty hard to deny that their games fit together perfectly. The only thing that remains to be seen is how their egos will fit together, but winning usually takes care of that anyways.

I'm not so sure about that. Steph, Klay, and Durant are all high usage players that have all got as many shots as they wanted this far in their career, but they all will have to sacrifice shots now. Further, outside of Green, who is superb defensively, and Klay, who is a bit overrated defensively and is really only slightly better than average, neither Steph nor Durant are necessarily two-way players, and they're average at best defensively.

Also, I think "fitting together" is just as much about chemistry as it is playing style, so beyond the questions about playing style, I think you have to actually see if they all can gel together before claiming they're the best Big-3 of the aforementioned group. As we've seen with both of Lebron's Big-3 teams, it usually takes more than a year for them to actually gel as a group.

[Beat LA]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

Eh, I'm not buying it until I see them actually play together. They may have the most talent combined, but if they don't put it together, then it won't mean jack crap.

I think it's pretty hard to deny that their games fit together perfectly. The only thing that remains to be seen is how their egos will fit together, but winning usually takes care of that anyways.

Offensively, sure, but defensively?  Well, that remains to be seen, lol .

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

All fair points. On paper, the most dominant group of players ever put together.

I think the other 3 answers are better fits for this question: 1) they all won championships and 2) they all had good players check their egos. The 17 Warriors haven't proven either of these yet. Semantics, yes. Talk is cheap though- that's why they play the games.

#ilovethelate50sthroughearly90s .

In regards to the topic of the thread, it's the 2008 Celtics, and it's not even close, imo.  In fairness, I'm not factoring in the Warriors because they have yet to play a game together, but the 2013 Heat, like all of those other Miami teams, just never fit well together, imo, because both Wade and Lebron are non-shooters who have to have the ball in their hands in order to be successful.  Bosh, by far, was the best shooter of the trio, imo, which is pretty funny, to say the least, lol ; and as for the Cavs, they don't fit together well, either, lol, and if the Warriors hadn't crapped the bed, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now , not to mention that that Miami club wouldn't be in the discussion, either, had it not been for Popovich repeatedly choking down the stretch of game 6, plus guys missing free throws and Ray Allen.  Ugh.

I just think that the reason why teams from 2008-2012 were so successful, aside from their defense, was that Rondo, Ray, Pierce, and KG all complimented each other so well on offense, but if we're only talking about the Big 3 part 2 , then yeah.  It worked because you had a guy who did the vast majority of his damage without the ball in Ray, a great slasher and scorer in Pierce who could score with or without the ball, and a great post presence and passer in Garnett, not to mention the fact that all of them were great shooters.  As time has passed, it's become glaringly obvious that that team won in spite of Doc's offense, and not because of it, imo.  With the amount of talent on those teams, we should have been one of the, if not the, best offenses in the league, but all Doc ever told them was 'get stops and run' , and Stevens does the same thing.  How about we work on our halfcourt offense, instead, guys.  Please?  One time?  And stop with this pick and roll crap all the time.  Ugh.  If only Doc was capable of making  adjustments...sigh .

[max215]

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

Eh, I'm not buying it until I see them actually play together. They may have the most talent combined, but if they don't put it together, then it won't mean jack crap.

I think it's pretty hard to deny that their games fit together perfectly. The only thing that remains to be seen is how their egos will fit together, but winning usually takes care of that anyways.

Offensively, sure, but defensively?  Well, that remains to be seen, lol .

Warriors and it's not close. They have 2 of the 3 best players in the world, along with the best complimentary player in the entire NBA, who aslo happened to finish 6th in MVP voting last year and may be the best defensive player in the league.

All fair points. On paper, the most dominant group of players ever put together.

I think the other 3 answers are better fits for this question: 1) they all won championships and 2) they all had good players check their egos. The 17 Warriors haven't proven either of these yet. Semantics, yes. Talk is cheap though- that's why they play the games.

#ilovethelate50sthroughearly90s .

In regards to the topic of the thread, it's the 2008 Celtics, and it's not even close, imo.  In fairness, I'm not factoring in the Warriors because they have yet to play a game together, but the 2013 Heat, like all of those other Miami teams, just never fit well together, imo, because both Wade and Lebron are non-shooters who have to have the ball in their hands in order to be successful.  Bosh, by far, was the best shooter of the trio, imo, which is pretty funny, to say the least, lol ; and as for the Cavs, they don't fit together well, either, lol, and if the Warriors hadn't crapped the bed, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now , not to mention that that Miami club wouldn't be in the discussion, either, had it not been for Popovich repeatedly choking down the stretch of game 6, plus guys missing free throws and Ray Allen.  Ugh.

I just think that the reason why teams from 2008-2012 were so successful, aside from their defense, was that Rondo, Ray, Pierce, and KG all complimented each other so well on offense, but if we're only talking about the Big 3 part 2 , then yeah.  It worked because you had a guy who did the vast majority of his damage without the ball in Ray, a great slasher and scorer in Pierce who could score with or without the ball, and a great post presence and passer in Garnett, not to mention the fact that all of them were great shooters.  As time has passed, it's become glaringly obvious that that team won in spite of Doc's offense, and not because of it, imo.  With the amount of talent on those teams, we should have been one of the, if not the, best offenses in the league, but all Doc ever told them was 'get stops and run' , and Stevens does the same thing.  How about we work on our halfcourt offense, instead, guys.  Please?  One time?  And stop with this pick and roll crap all the time.  Ugh.  If only Doc was capable of making  adjustments...sigh .

They'll struggle to protect the rim, but Klay and Draymond are great defenders, Zaza and Durant are good (Durant is GREAT come Playoff time), and Curry is fine in a team scheme. Coming off the bench, they have an additional great defender in Iggy and another good one in Livingston. They're defense will be just fine.

[Denis998]

This current GSW team is heads and heels better than the rest; their team is just unfair and is a result of a cap jump loop hole.
An interesting question if you combine both LBJ's teams

Kyrie Irving                    Steph Curry
Dwayne Wade                Klay Thompson
LBJ                       vs.    Kevin Durant
Kevin Love                     Draymond Green
Chris Bosh                     Zaza

[Smartacus]

This current GSW team is heads and heels better than the rest; their team is just unfair and is a result of a cap jump loop hole.
An interesting question if you combine both LBJ's teams

Kyrie Irving                    Steph Curry
Dwayne Wade                Klay Thompson
LBJ                       vs.    Kevin Durant
Kevin Love                     Draymond Green
Chris Bosh                     Zaza

I'll take the Hot Cavs. Although if LeBron get's Bosh and Wade, Warriors should get either Barnes or Healthy Bogut depending on how small ya'd want them.

Probably still take the Bron squad though an actual team being in the conversation is absurd.

Bonus question combine '08 Celtics with the '17 warriors,

Kyrie Irving                   Steph Curry
Dwayne Wade              Ray Allen
LBJ                       vs.    Paul Pierce
Kevin Love                    Kevin Durant
Chris Bosh                    Kevin Garnett

Maybe swap out Ray Allen for Draymond or Klay Thompson.

[mr. dee]

2008 Celtics. Would have been a 3peat under Brad Stevens and without injury issues.

[Moranis]

Rank the players in order of skill

James (2013)
James (2016)
Durant/Curry
Pierce/Garnett/Wade
Irving
Bosh/Green
Allen
Love

That is roughly how I would rate the players, so by that metric, it would be the 2013 Heat or the 2017 Warriors with the 2008 Celtics not that far behind and the 2016 Cavs bringing up the rear.

Also, the 2017 Cavs will be better than the 2016 Cavs though as a result of Irving not being injured and really coming into his own, I don't think James fades that much, and frankly I think Love will be better as well (he had the shoulder injury as well at the start of the year).