Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn showed in Boston that having a superstar trio on the same team can work wonders.
asserted
having → show → wonders
So, too, did Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy with the Los Angeles Lakers.
asserted
Johnson → do → Lakers
They spent four years together with the Heat, went to four NBA Finals, won two championships and were the biggest thing in basketball.
asserted
They → spend → basketball
Many thought it would be easy.
asserted
it → think → ?
Miami started 9-8 in the trio’s first season together and the road was rocky for much longer than anyone imagined.
asserted
anyone → start → season
“It’s a wild ride,” Bosh said.
asserted
Bosh → ’ → ?
James, as he now gets set to be part of another Big Three — a Big Four, really, alongside the likes of fellow superstars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown on the now star-studded Philadelphia 76ers — remembers those early Miami days well.
asserted
he → set → days
Perhaps that’s why he sounded the alarm about what the next few months could be like for these 76ers.
uncertain
months → ’ → 76ers
“Everyone wants instant oatmeal,” James said.
asserted
James → want → oatmeal
“You just put the oatmeal in the bowl, you put some water and then throw it in the microwave.
asserted
you → put → microwave
In a minute and a half, you’ve got something to eat, you’re ready to go.
asserted
you → get → something
If you want to do something special, it takes time. ...
asserted
it → want → time
In order for us to be great, we have to do things that are just not comfortable.”
asserted
that → have → things
“You really have to stay solid within the team,” said Bosh, who might have sacrificed more stats than anyone during that four-year run in Miami.
uncertain
who → have → Miami
“At the end of the day, the main stat was the ‘W’ and putting one in the ‘W’ column.
asserted
stat → put → column
You can average a bunch of points and be out of the league.
asserted
You → average → league
You can average a bunch of points and not be competing for a championship.
asserted
You → average → championship
They’re going to have to remember the priority.
asserted
They → go → priority
“And when tough times come — not if, but when — handle it and talk about it, communicate, and remember why you’re there.”
asserted
you → come → it
Stats will be sacrificed
asserted
Stats → sacrifice → ?
There are statistical sacrifices that will have to be made if the 76ers are going to get to where they want to go this season and win the title that has eluded Philly since 1983.
asserted
that → be → 1983
Even with Embiid missing more than half of the 2025-26 season, he topped the 1,000-point mark — as did James (with the Los Angeles Lakers), Brown (with Boston), Maxey and Philly’s star-in-waiting in VJ Edgecombe.
asserted
James → miss → Edgecombe
Combined, James, Maxey, Embiid, Edgecombe and Brown took 234 shots in clutch situations — game margin within five points, five minutes or less on the clock in the fourth quarter — last season.
asserted
James → combine → quarter
That simply won’t happen this season, since most teams don’t combine for that many shots in clutch times over a whole season.
asserted
teams → happen → season
There will be moments where Philly’s star players are used to having the ball in their hands — but now will see teammates in those roles at times.
asserted
players → use → times
It’s a fine line.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The Warriors won a title in 2017 with Curry, Thompson, Durant and Draymond Green all needing to adjust their roles, at least on some level.
asserted
Curry → win → level
But as Curry pointed out when that title series was over, that didn’t mean any of them could suddenly become passive.
uncertain
any → point → them
“We all needed to be aggressive and be the players that we are in what we bring to the table every single night,” Curry said after that series — against James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
asserted
Curry → need → James
“We can all show up every night and be ourselves and really achieve the potential that we all have together.
asserted
we → show → that
Roles will change as well, at times
James set the tone for this Philly team over the summer when he took a pay cut of roughly 92% from last season and agreed to play this season for the bargain price of $3.9 million.
asserted
he → change → million
He doesn’t need more money.
asserted
He → need → money
The lure of becoming the first player in NBA history to win a championship with four different franchises seems to be enough motivation.
asserted
lure → become → franchises
And, in fairness, it’s also easy for the player who holds the NBA scoring record to say that stats don’t matter.
asserted
stats → ’ → record
Officially, he took only one shot from the field in his preseason debut with the 76ers; he also drew enough fouls to get eight more shots from the line.
asserted
he → take → line
(He made them all, for what it’s worth.)
asserted
it → make → them
Nobody knows what’ll happen this season, but it seems highly unlikely that James will clamor for more shots.
asserted
James → know → shots
It would be ideal if everyone in Philly felt the same way.
asserted
everyone → feel → Philly
“My focus is winning,” Brown said over the summer.
asserted
Brown → win → summer
“Other people’s focus may be scoring.
uncertain
focus → score → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
