Three's a Crowd

Dale, Hemet, CA
Subj: Three of a kind
Much has been made of the dominance of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, but who do you think are the best threesomes in NBA history?

Superb question Dale! After several hours of careful consideration I’ve come up with five deserving trios and one honorable mention. My selections are based upon offensive proficiency, winning percentage and overall dominance.

5. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen – LeBron James and co. may be the league's best contemporary trio, but until the win their first championship "Gang Green" will continue to hold onto this prestigious spot.
Best offensive season: 2007-2008. Pierce, Garnett and Allen are currently lit up opponents to the tune of 55.8 points per game en route to winning the NBA championship.

4. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman – Admittedly more of a “Big Two” than a “Big Three” Jordan and Pippen were so dominant during their prime that it seems like a shame to exclude them from this list. That’s why I paired them with Rodman, a defensive demon who helped the Bulls win three consecutive championships from 1996-to-1998. Although Jordan and Pippen’s 50 + points per game were key, it’s unlikely Chicago would have been nearly as dominant without the Worm’s willingness to do the dirty work and defend the other team’s top scorer.
Best offensive season: 1995-1996. The Bulls finished the 1996 season with a 72-10 record as their three main men combined for an average of 55.0 points per game.

3. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain – It isn’t often that a team can put three Hall of Famers on the court at the same time, but that’s precisely the luxury the Lakers had during the late 60’s and early 70’s when they suited up Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain. The high scoring trio went to the NBA Finals in three consecutive years before bowing out to the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. Despite their inability to win a title, Wilt, Big E and The Logo are all charter members of the league’s 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Best offensive season: 1969-1970. Opponents didn’t stand a chance against the Lake Show in 1970 when their three primary offensive weapons combined for an eye-popping 82.5 points per game. Granted, Wilt was injured for the bulk of the season, but when he was in the line-up Los Angeles was a formidable force.

2. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish – The original “Big Three” Bird, McHale and Parrish led the Celtics to five NBA finals in the 1980’s, winning the championship three times. Although Bird was the team’s unquestioned leader, Parrish was also a rock in the paint and McHale was a surprisingly adept rebounder and shot blocker who was named to the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team six times during his illustrious career.
Best offensive season: 1986-1987. The C’s were firing on all cylinders in 1987 when their “Big Three” combined for an absurd 71.7 points per game. Unfortunately their supporting cast let them down in the postseason and Boston fell to the Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and James Worthy – Although often overshadowed by their East Coast rivals, Kareem, Magic and Worthy formed the backbone of a Lakers squad that won four championships during the 1980s. Their selflessness and clutch play kept them on top of the standings year after year and their fan-friendly, fast breaking attack revitalized a league that was teetering on the brink of irrelevance.
Best offensive season: 1985-1986. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s no denying that the Showtime Lakers knew how to put the ball in the basket. L.A.’s terrific trio were at their best statistically in 1986 when they combined for 62.2 points per game.

Honorable Mention: Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond – Although this trio never won a championship they did manage to keep things interesting by scorching their opponents on a nightly basis. Hardaway initiated the attack with his killer UTEP Two Step, while Mullin and Richmond kept defenses guessing with their nearly unstoppable inside-outside game.
Best offensive season: 1990-1991. Run TMC set the league on fire in 1991 when they combined for 72.5 points per game. Sadly for fans around the league, the trio was broken up the following year when Richmond was unwisely traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Billy Owens.

You've Got To Be Joking

Sit back and relax as you enjoy this week’s Sports Shorts.

Evander Holyfield knocked out Frans Botha to win the WBF Heavyweight Title. It’s the biggest victory Holyfield has had since the Civil War.

Texas Stadium has been reduced to a useless pile of dust… just like Jerry Jones.

Dwyane Wade reportedly lost $1.5 million on the sale of his South Florida home. Luckily playing for the Heat has prepared him well for dealing with big losses.

Butler has given Brad Stevens a 12-year, multimillion dollar deal to continue coaching the Bulldogs. That’s a lot of money for someone who’s not even old enough to shave.

Umpire Joe West has called the Yankees and Red Sox a disgrace to baseball. He’s obviously never had to officiate a Pirates-Nationals game.

Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan is on the disabled list with a stiff neck after sleeping on a rolled-up towel. The veteran hurler said he learned his lesson and next time will sleep on Prince Fielder’s soft pillowy gut instead.

Georgia police have finished probing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. No word yet on whether Ben Roethlisberger has finished probing Georgia college students.

Phil Mickelson has won his third Masters title. The veteran golfer now has more ugly jackets than Don Cherry.

Tiger Woods finished five strokes behind at The Masters. Fortunately he’s used to taking extra strokes now that his wife has him on lockdown.

Philadelphia head coach Eddie Jordan says he isn’t interested in coaching Rutgers. That’s hardly surprising since he doesn’t appear to be very interested in coaching the Sixers either.

The sale of the New Jersey Nets to Mikhail Prokhorov is in jeopardy. Apparently he finally saw them play.

You've Got To Be Joking

Sit back and relax as you enjoy this week’s Sports Shorts.

An Oregon urology clinic is offering a special deal on vasectomies to coincide with March Madness. It’s nice to know that you can still make the cut even if your team doesn’t.

NFL Films has laid off nearly 10 percent of its workers. Luckily they should have no problem finding work with the New England Patriots.

Bud Selig is the highest paid among the league commissioners of baseball, football, basketball and hockey. In fact, his salary is so high it’s almost like it’s on steroids or something.

Tampa Bay outfielder Rocco Baldelli will begin the season on the disabled list because of a condition that leaves him feeling extremely fatigued after short workouts. Doctors are tentatively calling it John Daly Disorder.

Miami guard Dwyane Wade has started to undergo shockwave therapy on his injured left knee. The innovative treatment is rumored to be almost as painful as watching the Heat.

Canada earned a berth in the Olympic baseball tournament, defeating South Korea 4-3. The victory was particularly surprising since the Canadians were using hockey sticks.

The Cavaliers have signed 6-foot-11 center Lance Allred to a 10-day contract, making him the NBA’s first legally deaf player. Ironically, Allred is the only one who hasn’t heard the news.

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s wife has given birth to the couple’s first son. The newborn weighs 6 pounds, 10 ounces and is expected to pitch fifth in the Red Sox’s rotation.

Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels have avoided a trial on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight. You know your team is in a rut when your only victories come in court.

Chipper Jones now has his own signature beverage called Chipper Chardonnay. It’s the perfect product for a man who’s always been a whiner.

Michael Vick's trial has been delayed yet again. Prosecutors are believed to be waiting for the dog days of summer.