Commentary

Big three not all it's cracked up to be?

Thoughts on big threes, All-Star reserves and Jeremy Lin (PER Diem: Feb. 10, 2012)

Updated: February 10, 2012, 5:58 PM ET
By John Hollinger | ESPN.com

Three stars, right? That's the formula for a championship, supposedly.

Never mind that teams have won titles in all sorts of ways, from Dallas' lone-star approach with several not-quite-star-caliber players surrounding Dirk Nowitzki, to the Kobe-Shaq tandem that won three straight rings earlier in the decade, to the Pistons' essentially starless champions in 2004. Doesn't matter: "Three stars" still resonates in the minds of teams and fans alike as the surest path to the championship.

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John Hollinger | email

ESPN Insider contributor
  • NBA Insider for ESPN.com since 2005
  • Developed PER, Pace Factor and other key metrics
  • Former author of "Pro Basketball Forecast"

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