Every team has a few select key players, without whom the team would be at a huge disadvantage. They are the players who play a major role in the team’s progress though the season, and the ones who can single-handedly ruin their team’s season if they don’t perform to the high standards that are expected of them. In this basketball scoreboards feature, I have identified the BIG Threes of the NBA:

Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler
The Dallas Mavericks has been the most surprising team this season. They are playing at an entirely new level and the credit goes largely to this trio. Nowitzki’s game has evolved fast with time, and he has led the team to ten consecutive playoffs. Furthermore he has the great advantage of his height: he is 7 ft tall. Jason Kidd is an established star and plays extremely well week in week out. He is a versatile player and is a double-triple threat to opponents. He is only the third player to score a double-triple in the regular season of the NBA. Tyson on the other hand wasn’t previously as great a player as Kidd and Nowitzki. However, he has worked really hard and has brought up his game up to the level of the scoring duo of Kidd and Nowitzki. These three players have lit up the basketball scoreboards, and are a big threat to any team this season.

Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo
Yes I cheated on this one! It’s a BIG four not a three, but excluding anyone of these to make it a trio just isn’t possible. The Boston Celtics would be nowhere without these four players. The Big Ticket, Garnett, is a monster and the most intimidating player in the NBA. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are two of the best shooters in the league. On 10th February, Allen surpassed Reggie Miller’s record of hitting the most three-pointers in NBA history, in a match against the Lakers. Rondo has established himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA and has scored multiple triple-doubles.

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili
These three have so far won 3 championships for the San Antonio Spurs, and have done so by complementing each others game extremely well. They arguably make up the best trio in the league. With Duncan and Ginobili in their 30s, and Parker just nearing it, they are still the most fit and healthy trio in the NBA. Duncan is the most respectable player in the league and leads the Spurs in blocks and rebounds. Given his age, he still manages to average a double-double in every game. Parker leads in assists, has great pace and a high field goal percentage, while on the other hand Ginobili leads the Spurs in points per game and plays a high tempo and intensive game.

For more information on the NBA, go to:
nba.com