Topic: We wonder which three Lakers of all-time would people choose to create their ultimate 3-on-3 team.
Context: This weekend in downtown Los Angeles, the Nike 3-on-3 basketball tournament is taking place as a number of players of all ages, skills, shapes, and sizes put together teams to find out who is the best.
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Obviously basketball is still basketball, but playing a half-court game of 3-on-3 is much different than playing a 10-man, full court basketball game.
With only half of the court to work with and no way to build momentum on a fast break, one-on-one playmaking and shot-making are both at a premium.
Additionally, versatility and quick thinking are extremely important as players must quickly move from offense to defense and a mere second of indecisiveness can cause your team to give up a basket.
As with all basketball, an excellent shooter can completely change the outlook of a game. Needless to say, simply picking the best players may not be the surefire way to ensure victory.
Verdict: We went to Twitter and asked the Lakers Nation faithful, which three Lakers would they choose for their all-time 3-on-3 team? These are some of the responses:
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation MAGIC. KOBE. KAREEM in their prime
— Gary Todd (@Icemn62) August 10, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation Shaq, Kobe, & Magic would annihilate all
— Uxi ن (@uxixu) August 10, 2014
@TheeCoreyH Magic, Kobe, Kareem. Hands down.
— Joey Walker (@joeywalker18) August 10, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation magic worthy and kareem, chemistry already there
— Rey (@The_N_Crowd) August 10, 2014
@TheeCoreyH KoBe Worthy Cooper defense and athletes can't go wrong
— Max Dillion (@DjDeuce_Four) August 10, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation Kobe, SHAQ, and Magic… Unstoppable
— Lou Velázquez (@lewis_velazquez) August 10, 2014
These fans clearly had two players in mind over everyone else as Kobe Bryant or Magic Johnson was on nearly every team. Many people had both Kobe and Magic with a big man, either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Shaquille O’Neal. In theory, a team of Magic, Kobe, and either Shaq or Kareem would seem to be dominant, but personally, I’m not sure it would be the best choice.
My main problem with a team of that nature is that there is no lights-out shooter on that team. I would also worry that Shaq or Kareem would be stuck down low, unable to create outside of the paint, and further clogging an already smaller court.
One could clearly argue that Shaq or Kareem would be so unstoppable down low that it doesn’t matter, and it would be hard to dispute that. It is a thin line without a doubt.
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At the end of the day, my all-time team would start with Kobe Bryant, as his competitiveness, defense, and one-on-one skill would be absolutely perfect for this type of game.
Instead of Magic, I would go with Jerry West, who gives me the knockdown shooter I need, while not sacrificing playmaking, and probably improving defense.
The big man choice was the toughest as I wanted to get someone who could control the paint, but not be stuck down low, and finally, the perfect choice popped in my head, Lamar Odom.
Odom is the perfect big man for a 3-on-3 game. He is tall and long enough to patrol the paint, and offensively skilled enough to attack from the post or outside, opening up the floor for the rest of the team. A little weird without a doubt, but I fully believe that my team could succeed in any environment.
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