The Big THREE in N.Y.C.

“The Big Three”: This label became a requisite element of NBA-speak in the 2007 offseason when the (then) last place Boston Celtics traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to play with Paul Pierce. The Celtics went from worst to first, beating the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals and winning the Celtics’ first NBA Championship since 1986.

The Big Three 1

“The Big Three” label grew legs this past summer when LeBron James of the Cavaliers took his talents to South Beach to join forces with newly acquired Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. Subsequent promotional appearances including simulated smoke filled stages and speculation about the 2011 Heat breaking the 1996 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular season wins followed. Many thought that “The Big Three” in Boston and “The Big Three” in Miami were on a collision course in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

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Last week, the New York Knicks completed a blockbuster trade to acquire All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony and other Denver Nuggets players. Anthony teamed up with Amare Stoudemire, whom the Knicks acquired in free agency from the Phoenix Suns this past summer. The sports media has been abuzz with talk of how the team of Melo and Amare would shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference. There has been constant talk of how this tandem has brought the spotlight back to New York. I have heard talk about how the Knicks might match up against one of the teams with a “Big Three” in the playoffs (the Celtics or Heat).

Who is that guy on the right and why is he in the picture with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire? 3

HELLOOOOOOOO! Was I the ONLY person who noticed one of the “other” players that came with Melo to the Big Apple? I know that I am a sports fanatic and guys like me tend to notice the activities of more obscure players, role players, and anonymous athletes who chip in their contributions to their teams by toiling in anonymity. So perhaps I am placing too much stock into one of those “other” guys who hitched his wagon to Carmelo Anthony’s star by ceremoniously moving the ball up and down the court to hand it off to one of the two big dogs.

Was Chauncey Billups not one of the pieces that the Knicks also demanded in exchange for being fleeced of draft picks and four of its starters? I thought I had been misinformed about Billups being part of the deal. Certainly, had Billups been included in this heavily covered trade, there would be talk of “The Big Three” in New York! Certainly, Billups would be one of three critical pieces upon which the Knicks would hinge their short term success if he were a part of the deal.

Nope! I must have heard all wrong. Billups must still be in Denver. Perhaps he has an undisclosed injury and just hasn’t been seen at the Pepsi Center. After all, the catchy “Big Three” label would be applied immediately to a point guard averaging 17 points per night. The acquisition of the 2004 NBA Finals MVP, a five time All-Star, joining Anthony and Stoudemire would trigger “Big Three” ink over every sports page in the country if it happened.

Melo said that last night was not just about the big stars. Look at him supporting one of the little people on the team. 4

I suppose the Knicks, one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA at the time of the trade, were able to hold the Heat Index (Miami’s “Big Three”) to under 90 points in the Heat’s own building on national television because Melo lifted the defense onto his shoulders and vicariously forced the Heat’s backcourt to turn the ball over nine times (side note: kudos to Melo for stepping his D UP last night against The King). The Knicks must have had a “#4 – Billups” jersey sitting around that some stunt double wore and sunk the go-ahead basket heading into the final minute of the game.

That’s only something I would expect to see from a member of a “Big Three”. If the Knicks did have a “Big Three”, the top seeded teams in the East might be on notice, heading into the playoffs. If the Knicks had a “Big Three”, the New York area might have some cause for optimism THIS year.

I am sure Doc Rivers, Eric Spoelstra, Tom Thibodeau, and Stan Van Gundy are all sleeping soundly in spite of the possibility of facing the Knicks in the playoffs…unless, of course, the Knicks have a “Big Three”.


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1) Image from boston.com
2) Image from nbaprimetime.com
3) Image from leeleeleelee.tumblr.com
4) Image from espn.com