Winning Sum Is Big Men Plus 'Big Three'
5th Sep 2005, 13:58 GMT
It's not good enough anymore to put two or three good players on the floor and expect them to carry a team in the playoffs. Even the Los Angeles Lakers of Shaq and Kobe found that out the hard way a year ago. The Pistons last year, followed by the Suns and Nuggets and Bulls this season have led the league in something of a new direction, one that abandons the star system and calls on a handful of players to make heavy contributions.