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NBA: The 30 best trios in league history

By Hans Themistode

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Jerry West, Elgin Baylor
Jerry West, Elgin Baylor (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Best trios in NBA history: 18. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Rudy LaRusso

  • Baylor: 28.9, 14.2 rpg
  • West: 27.8 ppg, 6.8 apg
  • LaRusso: 14.1 ppg, 9.4 rpg
  • Finals record: 0-5
  • Time together: 1961-1968

Jerry West and Elgin Baylor will always be remembered in both NBA history and especially, in Lakers history.

Few were as dynamic as West with the ball in his hands. Not only did he seemingly have eyes in the back of his head as he routinely averaged over eight assists but when he wasn’t setting up teammates with the perfect pass, he was putting the ball in the hole at will.

Baylor though, was better at scoring than just about everyone during the 1960s. For three consecutive seasons, Baylor averaged at least 34 points per game. The countless All-Star appearances, league MVP awards, and All-NBA selections, ultimately overshadowed their highly productive teammate, Rudy LaRusso.

For seven seasons, LaRusso played his role as the third-best player on those Lakers teams nicely. His 14.1 point per game average, allowed him to meet his Laker teammates on the All-Star team on three separate occasions. This Laker trio had plenty of success but failed to win it all, despite playing in four NBA Finals.