The opening week of the 2022 BIG3 season is in the books. The first of the eight-week, regular-season slate took place at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, Illinois and featured six games between all 12 of the league’s teams spread out between Saturday and Sunday.
Trilogy entered the season as defending champions after they took down the 3 Headed Monsters in last season’s championship game. With that win, Trilogy became the first team in league history to win multiple titles. It will be a tough task for Trilogy to repeat again this season as they lost veteran guard Jarrett Jack over the offseason. Jack, who is now an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns, was central to the team’s success last season. They got off to a rough in their quest to repeat as champions after losing to Joe Johnson and the Triplets in Week 1.
The first week featured no shortage of action, and it saw some familiar faces making big plays. Here’s a look at the scores and three key takeaways from Week 1.
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Week 1 scores
- Triplets 51, Trilogy 45
- 3’s Company 50, Bivouc 47
- Ghost Ballers 53, 3 Headed Monsters 50
- Aliens 52, Enemies 44
- Killer 3’s 50, Ball Hogs 33
- Power 50, Tri-State 35
1. Michael Beasley puts on a show in debut
One of the most fun things about the BIG3 is the opportunity it provides to watch players you used to see play in the NBA. Former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley is a great example of that. Beasley hasn’t appeared in the NBA since 2019, but thanks to the BIG3 he still gets to show his stuff. Beasley made his BIG3 debut for 3’s Company in Week 1, and he put on a show. In a 50-47 victory for 3’s Company, Beasley led the team with 26 points.
Here’s how the league’s official website described Beasley’s debut performance:
The BIG3 has a new pair of superstars. Michael Beasley came into the opening weekend as one of the most hyped rookies in the history of the BIG3, and to say he did not disappoint would be an understatement. In his first half of FIREBALL3, Beasley had 21 points on just seven shots. He made two shots in the paint, two shots from midrange, made a three, and calmly drained the first two four-point shots of his career. If you had put a ball of sand in Beasley’s left hand during halftime, it likely would have turned to glass.
Beasley has always had an impressive skill set, and that skill set still looks to be relatively sharp, which could be a concern for the rest of the league.
2. Joe Johnson sinks Trilogy
Entering the season as defending champions, Trilogy was looking to start their campaign off with a win, but reigning two-time league MVP Joe Johnson had other ideas. In his two seasons in the BIG3, Johnson has established himself as arguably the league’s most elite offensive player and also probably the most clutch player, and that was all on display against Trilogy. Johnson dropped 30 points and added eight rebounds, and he closed the game out by converting the winning basket:
They don’t call him “Iso Joe” for nothing. Johnson will be looking to claim his third consecutive MVP award this season, and so far he’s off to a solid start.
3. Chalmers comes up clutch
Mario Chalmers made his fair share of clutch baskets during his time with the Miami Heat playing alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Years later, he’s still hitting clutch shots for 3’s Company. With the score standing at 48-47 and the game hanging in the balance, Chalmers knocked down the basket that sealed the victory for his squad over Bivouac:
Chalmers finished the game with a varied stat line: 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. Together, he and Beasley scored 36 of the team’s 50 points. As two players with tons of skill and legitimate NBA experience they form one of the most potent duos in the BIG3.
