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Ranking the 10 best Big 3s in the 2023-24 NBA season

By Holden Walter-Warner

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 08: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors congratulate Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors during a time out of their game against the New York Knicks at ORACLE Arena on January 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 08: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors congratulate Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors during a time out of their game against the New York Knicks at ORACLE Arena on January 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Khris Middleton #22, Damian Lillard #0, Malik Beasley #5, Giannis Antetokounmpo #34, and Bobby Portis #9 of the Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

4. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton

A majority of the remaining Big 3s on this list were formed during the past offseason. None were formed more recently than that of the Milwaukee Bucks, though, which came together only weeks ago.

It starts, of course, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek Freak and one of the best players in recent NBA history. Milwaukee is smarting from their first round playoff upset, but their superstar can’t shoulder much of the blame. During the regular season, he averaged a career-high 31.1 points per game and became only the second player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game while hitting at least 55 percent of their shots – the other is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Because of a lower back contusion, he did miss part or all of three games in the playoff series against the Miami Heat. When he’s on the court, though, there may not be anyone scarier to come up against than Antetokounmpo.

If Antetokounmpo isn’t scary enough, in comes one of the scariest scorers and most clutch shooters in NBA history, Damian Lillard. It took until the waning days of the offseason, but the Bucks acquired Dame Time from Portland, losing the likes of Grayson Allen and Jrue Holiday in the process.

The sudden resignation of Bucks assistant – and former Lillard head coach – Terry Stotts was shocking, but it does nothing to dull the potential duo of Antetokounmpo and Lillard. It may take some time for two ball-dominant players to gel, but they are both motivated to do so.

Khris Middleton becomes the somewhat forgotten star in Milwaukee, the third player in this triumvirate. Between offseason wrist surgery prior to 2022-23 and knee soreness that sidelined him for a month, Middleton only played 33 games last year, averaging 15.1 points per game. A return to health should boost his status.

From a pure scoring perspective, a return to form for Middleton could create the scariest Big 3 in the Eastern Conference.

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