Game 1 (CBS): 3’s Company (5-2) vs Enemies (6-1)
The season finale starts off with a bang as 3’s Company looks to secure their playoff spot while Enemies fight for playoff positioning. With two spots left, 3’s Company controls their destiny but their path to the playoffs won’t be much of a cakewalk. Enemies are coming off their first loss since Week 7 to none other than 3’s Company. For Michael Cooper’s squad, he’s hoping Michael Beasley has another 30-ball in him as the BIG3’s third leading scorer has dropped at least 30 points in his last two games. That being said, they play arguably the toughest team defensively in the league as Enemies has given up league-low 273 points on the season.
It doesn’t help that 3’s Company is coming off arguably their worst defensive outing of the season while struggling to incorporate their bench. Nasir Core didn’t play the entire second half in last week’s loss, which was an interesting strategy seeing as they failed to find offense outside of Beasley – albeit Beasley had the hot hand. However, Core’s been the second leading scorer on the season and looks like the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. Look for 3’s Company to get Core more involved and shore up on the defensive end in hopes of stopping Enemies potent offense. That, and well, keep riding the hot hand in Beasley.
That certainly won’t be easy though as Enemies will look to redeem themselves after taking their first L of the season. Nick Young’s team struggled to box out on the defensive end and ultimately gave Bivouac multiple many second opportunities. Jordan Crawford was arguably the most aggressive he’s been since Week 1 and could be heating up just in time for the playoffs. It could be a game that comes down to who can stop the other team’s best scorer. Expect the Enemies to be out for vengeance and do everything they can to stop 3’s Company from returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Game 2 (CBS): Bivouac (6-1) vs Triplets (4-3):
Bivouac is riding high heading into Week 8 after locking up their first playoff appearance in franchise history. Triplets on the other hand face a must win situation. The biggest question mark and, ultimately, the biggest x-factor comes down to if Joe Johnson returns this week after missing the last two games. Even with Johnson though, Bivouac has been the league’s hottest team and one of the toughest to get past offensively. Their team provides versatility to be able to switch onto multiple different players and offensively they have plenty of weapons. Corey Brewer could lock up the MVP this week as he currently sits top-5 in five of the major statistical categories. Additionally, Brewer alongside Garlon Green are the top-2 rebounders in the entire league. Stingy defense and viable offense could be a recipe for disaster for Triplets.
But there’s always the chance Triplets shoot their way to a win. They boast both the 4-point leader in Jeremy Pargo and the 3-point leader in Jannero Pargo. In fact, Jannero held that spot even after being off two weeks while Jeremy has a chance to break the single-season 4-point record if he makes one this week. Add Johnson into the conversation and this could be a team that has too many answers offensively against this stout defense. If this team can limit the turnovers and make shots like we’re accustomed to seeing, they may be able to put themselves in a position to return to the playoffs.
Game 3 (CBS): Ghost Ballers (4-3) vs Tri-State (4-3)
Maybe the game with the most implications on the line, both teams need a win this week in order to have a chance at the playoffs. Ghost Ballers are reeling after they made personnel changes in Week 5 while Tri-State failed to separate themselves from the pack following their loss to Trilogy. DeWayne Jackson and Stefhon Hannah have fit this team seamlessly and it doesn’t hurt that Mike Taylor came back into form, dropping 18 points all in the second half. Add in the fact that they’ve limited the turnovers that plagued them earlier in the season and this feels more like the Ghost Ballers team from a season ago. When they’re knocking down shots at a high clip and not beating themselves, this is a scary bunch. Especially, if they lock up Tri-State the way they did the Aliens.
That’s never an easy feat with Kevin Murphy at the helm. The former MVP is second in the league in scoring and has thrust himself back into the conversation this season in his first season with his new team. But that’s not been the case with his running mate Jason Richrdson. Richardson, who started the year as one of the top-2 scorers in the league, has scored just eight points since Week 3 and seems to be hampered by a knee injury. To make matters worse, they struggled to make shots around the rim and had a season-high in turnovers last week. With Richardson’s struggles, they need someone else to step up to help with the load. If they can find a second option and limit the likes of Taylor or Chris Johnson, they may find themselves back in the driver’s seat. Either way, both teams should know what they need to do to get into the playoffs by the time their game rolls around.
Game 4 (X): Trilogy (3-4) vs Ball Hogs (3-4)
Despite making it to the season finale in San Antonio, neither will have much to play for. With five wins under 3’s Company’s belt and one of Ghost Ballers or Tri-State inevitably getting their fifth victory, that essentially takes these teams out of the playoff race. However, both teams are looking to end on a high note. That can especially hold true for Trilogy, who started the year 0-4 and could miraculously finish the season at .500. BIG3 leading scorer Isaiah Briscoe has been on a tear the past few weeks and has averaged 27 PPG in his last two games. Defensively, this is one of the best groups in the league and four of their five players sit in the top-5 in blocks this season. That being said, for a majority of the season, they struggled offensively but have found their groove during their three-game winning streak. During that time frame, they’ve shot 49 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc. Cady Lalanne also found his footing after a slow start averaging 13.3 PPG and 8 RPG. Let’s just say lucky for the other teams in contention, they don’t have to face the hottest team in the BIG3 this week.
For Rick Barry’s squad, it’s looking likely they’ll end the season as the only team that has yet to make the playoffs in the BIG3. After a promising Week 1, it’s been a ton of inconsistent games coupled with 3-point struggles. You could even go as far as saying they live and die by the 3, shooting the second most in the league for a whopping 28 percent. Adding insult to injury, two of their three wins have been against Killer 3’s and Power who have a combined 1-11 record. They’ve certainly had their bright spots though as Jodie Meeks and DaJuan Summers have started to find their shot while Lucas Mariano has had a couple solid performances during his rookie season. Defensively though, they’re going to have a hard time slowing down Briscoe as they’ve given up the fifth most points this season. If they can keep Briscoe from having another breakout game and hit some shots from the 3-point line, we could see them match their best record in franchise history.