This is why there’s no league like the BIG3. With two weeks left in the regular season, there’s a seven-way tie for the best record in the league. Let’s see where the league stands as we head into what promises to be an absolutely epic stretch run:
(Note: The Aliens and 3 Headed Monsters have been eliminated, and will not play any more games this season.)
TIER 1: The 4-2 Crew
Enemies (4-2):
Through the first half of the season, this was kind of a gimmick team. They were successful, but they were almost entirely reliant on Jordan Crawford and his teammates hitting long jumpers off the dribble. Now that Elijah Stewart has established himself as a second star, the ball is actually moving, and they still have that ridiculous shotmaking when they need it, they look like a genuine championship threat.
Ball Hogs (4-2):
Big man Jeff Ayres hasn’t played much in recent weeks. The Ball Hogs appear to be more comfortable playing small, but getting routinely beat up on the boards does give them a low margin for error. If their outside shooting abandons them in a big game against a team with a consistent interior presence, things could get tricky.
Ghost Ballers (4-2):
Over the last 3 games, Mike Taylor has scored a combined 56 points on 22-32 shooting from the floor and 12-15 from beyond the arc. When he’s playing like that and keeping the floor spaced for the Ghost Ballers’ bigs, they’re really tough.
Power (4-2):
Power is the most balanced team in the league, moves the ball beautifully, and does a great job in the paint on both ends. However, sometimes games are going to come down to your superstar scorers, and Glen Rice Jr. has struggled a bit with his shot this season. He’s emerged as a spectacular playmaker and has come up with some clutch buckets, but overall he’s shooting just 42.7% from the floor and 26.1% from three. Power isn’t the strongest outside shooting team in general, so it would really help them out if Rice could find his stroke again.
Trilogy (4-2):
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the history of the BIG3, it’s that Trilogy just knows how to win games – and championships. It looks like they’ve pulled off yet another miracle this year with Ryan “Hezi God” Carter – when the team looked like it might be in danger of actually
missing the playoffs, the social media sensation and mid-season addition led the team to three straight wins and won three straight player of the week awards in the process. Amazing stuff
Killer 3’s (4-2):
Amazing bounce-back performance from Frank Nitty in Week 6, who led the team to a win with a 28-point performance. When he’s hitting his outside shots, the Killer 3’s are almost impossible to stop. What a year for guards in the BIG3 – traditionally, taller players who can play/guard multiple positions have thrived in FIREBALL3 while true guards have had a harder time, but has been the year of the little man – Frank Nitty, Crawford and Stewart, Meeks and Barbosa, Taylor, Hezi God, the list goes on. And Trilogy’s Isaiah Briscoe might be coming back soon!
Triplets: (4-2):
Lisa Leslie’s squad was cruising until they ran into a red-hot Frank Nitty last week. I’d expect Jeremy Pargo and Iso-Joe to right the ship sooner rather than later, but there are no safe teams in the BIG3 right now.
TIER 2: Not 4-2 and feeling blue
3’s Company (2-4):
Speaking of how the league has been guard-dominated this year, it’s hard not to wonder if Mario Chalmers should have taken a more active role in 3’s Company’s offense this season. The team seemed to look a little smoother with Chalmers at the helm – with the ball in Michael Beasley’s hands, stagnation often occurred. Something to watch out for.
Bivouac (2-4):
It’s the same story for Bivouac: they don’t have a consistent way of getting into the paint, and rely on long, contested jumpers. They need to find a new blueprint for next season, and might as well start experimenting now.
Tri-State (2-4):
After a promising start, it’s been a rough season for Tri State, who also struggled to consistently put pressure on the rim. This is another team that will probably need to go back to the drawing board in the offseason.