When Kevin Durant departed Golden State for Brooklyn and Kawhi Leonard opted against pairing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the NBA entered into uncharted territory for the betterment of its competitive balance.
Big threes had become all the rage in the superteam era before dynamic duos usurped them as the must-have to compete for a championship.
LeBron and AD. Kawhi and Paul George. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
It’s no coincidence that each of their respective teams were among the prohibitive favorites heading into this season, boasting a level of top-tier talent that’s been a proven recipe for title contention.