It's time to call it for what it is - The Big 3

[Moranis]

Average NBA rankings within the top 100 players in advanced stats EPM, RAPTOR, REAL+/- and for the players' effect on wins for the same three stats

04 JT
29 AH
33 JB
40 RW
41 MS

For example, JT's ranked 6th on the average of these three metrics. According to these same three metrics, JT's also 2nd in the NBA in his effect on wins because of how many minutes he plays per game. Unfortunately, these stats don't go back that far into the past to compare with other elite teams. In any case, JT's a top 5 player, and you have four different starters in the top 41, which doesn't fit the Pistons or a Big 3 model.

FWIW, DW would be ranked 46th, but it's for his combined stats with SAS and BOS, which I cannot pull apart.

Yeah, I think we are much closer to a Big 1 than we are to a Big 3.  Tatum is so clearly better than everyone else that it is hard to even put Brown with him, let alone anyone else.  Let's all remember Brown has never made a single All NBA or All Defense and he has just the 1 all star appearance.  Horford is the only guy on the team aside from Tatum that has made an All NBA, and he made just 1 3rd Team and that was the 2010-11 season (he made a 2nd Team All Defense in 17-18).  Horford has been an all star 5 times, but the last time was 17-18.  Smart has the most appearances on the All Defense teams (or will once he makes the 1st Team for the 3rd time this year) and is the only guy on the team with any sort of hardware, but has never made an all star team.  Tatum has 3 consecutive all star games, made the 3rd Team All NBA in 20, had more points than people on the 3rd Team in 21, and will more than likely make the 1st Team this year (at worst 2nd Team).  Boston is a Big 1 with a big grouping of players way behind Tatum. 

There is no definition of a Big 3 that would apply to Boston, and that is ok.  I mean the defending champions are a Big 1, the champions before that were a Big 2, and the champions before that were a Big 1.  I even have a hard time calling the Warriors are Big 3 or 4 because Curry and Durant were clearly a tier way ahead of Klay or Dray, but at least Klay and Dray were on All NBA Teams and in the case of Dray have hardware.  It also feels strange putting Kevin Love in the same grouping as Kyrie, let alone Lebron, but at least Love had All NBA Teams before he joined them. 

[Jvalin]

Is there a big separation between Marcus and Timelord or Al?

I guess we have a big 5 then.

In all seriousness, Smart is nowhere near the level of the Jays, simply because he cannot consistently create his own shot.

[jpotter33]

Yeah, I think Fab 5 is a better descriptor, as it’s really the starting unit as a whole that is so dominant, led obviously by our top 5 talent in JT.

[Jvalin]

Yeah, I think Fab 5 is a better descriptor, as it’s really the starting unit as a whole that is so dominant, led obviously by our top 5 talent in JT.

Top 5 is probably premature tbh. I got seven guys ahead of JT right now (in random order): Jokic, Giannis, Embiid, KD (despite his recent struggles), Steph, LeBron, Luka. Eight if Kawhi were healthy. Nearly all of these guys are older than JT though. I definitely think he can become a top 5 player going forward.

[timpiker]

 I'm looking forward to Marcus Smart's number being raised to the rafters.

[Moranis]

Yeah, I think Fab 5 is a better descriptor, as it’s really the starting unit as a whole that is so dominant, led obviously by our top 5 talent in JT.

Top 5 is probably premature tbh. I got seven guys ahead of JT right now (in random order): Jokic, Giannis, Embiid, KD (despite his recent struggles), Steph, LeBron, Luka. Eight if Kawhi were healthy. Nearly all of these guys are older than JT though. I definitely think he can become a top 5 player going forward.

he said he had top 5 talent not that he was already a top 5 player.

[gouki88]

I don't think it's a Big 3. It reminds me of Kobe with Pau, Bynum, Artest and Odom.

One true, bona fide MVP candidate type talent in Tatum. An excellent All-Star no. 2 in Jaylen. Three really good yet really different other guys in Smart, Horford and Rob Williams. White is better than Derrick Fisher was in his mid-30s though. PP = Farmar, I guess?

That's at least how I view this team.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

This is a weird debate, but I'm in.

If Utah was able to trade for a third star without giving up Mitchell or Gobert, they would be called a big three, because Gobert is a defensive MVP caliber player and that's considered one of the three.

Same for the Warriors with Green-Thompson-Curry.

Now Smart is a defensive MVP.

[GreenlyGreeny]

I think the era of the Big 3 is over given the current CBA and foreseeable future. Can we call this team The Big D instead?

That said, make no doubt that our top 5 superstar is Jayson Tatum. Given his progression, he is on pace to be the best basketball player in the world (him or Doncic) in 1-3 years. Frankly, if he keeps playing like he has the past three games and we win the title, he may have that title of best basketball player in the world come June…

One thing that has impressed me about JB the last few months: He finally accepts that it’s JT’s team, just like Pippen accepted it was MJ’s team. JB probably finally realizes it is better to be a legend’s sidekick on a title contender than to be the number one guy on a playoff also-ran. JB is a great player who has a chance to go down in history as the next Pippen, and Pippen is a HOFer just like JB could be if we win multiple titles with this crew. He just needs to keep doing what he has been doing in 2022 because it’s exactly what we need. As for Smart? He’s our version of Rodman, albeit as a guard. And Timelord is basically our big version of Rodman.

Yes, we can go on a Bulls-like Dynasty run. And like them, without being known as a Big 3. 

2022: The Big D is born.

The Celtics will own the 2020s. Yes, it’s happening! It’s finally happening!

[ETNCeltics]

No. I love Marcus smart. But he is not a big three player. He is a good player like Dennis Johnson was a good player but Dennis Johnson wasn’t a big three and neither is Marcus smart.

DJ was arguably as highly accomplished as Parrish, other than Parrish having extraordinary longevity.

[iadera]

What if this team’s paradigm is closer to the 2004 Pistons than the 2008 Celtics?

We don’t have to fit every successful team into the Big 3 model!

It is closer to the 2004 pistons, except with more elite talent. The 2008 team had 3 HOF players. This years team is not that.

Defensively yes, but our offense is on higher level, then the Pisons'.