Sleeping on the Clippers: Why Davis, Camby, & Kaman are a top trio

In the NBA, imitation is flattery. And after the Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant/Dennis Rodman combo won six championships, teams have spent the last decade imitating ‘The Chicago Model’ by building around three players.

Today, the NBA is full of copycat trios. And journalists, fans, and even players debate the quality of each squad’s three stars. Threesomes can be magical –and no, I’m not referring to what you think, get your mind out the gutter.

Recently, ESPN’s Chris Broussard assembled his list of top trios:

1) KG, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen

2) Duncan, Parker, Ginobili

3) Kobe, Bynum, Gasol.

4) T-Mac, Yao, Artest

5) Chirs Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler

6) Nash, Amare, Shaq

7) Chauncey, Rip, ‘Sheed

8) Dirk, Kidd, Josh Howard.

9) Arenas, Caron, Antawn Jamison

  10) Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller 

Honourable Mention: 

• Utah: Deron Williams, Boozer, Mehmet Okur or Andrei Kirilenko
• Denver: A.I., ‘Melo, Kenyon Martin.
• Portland: Brandon Roy, LeMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden.
• Orlando: Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis
• Toronto: Chris Bosh, Jose Calderon, Jermaine O’Neal

Once again, the Clippers get no love. L.A.’s newly formed trio of Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, and Chris Kaman warrant consideration for the top-ten and, at the very least, honourable mention.

This summer, L.A.’s other team transcended their laughingstock status, signing Davis to a five-year, sixty million dollar contract. On the one hand, Jessica Alba’s favourite point guard is known for pouting, getting injured, and arriving at training camp in terrible condition. On the flip side, B-diddy, when focused, is easily one of the NBA’s premier table-setters, leading the Warriors past Team Cuban in the first round of the 2006-07 playoffs.

Here’s the question: which player are the Clippers getting? Well, L.A. is Davis’ hometown, so expect the ‘We Believe” architect to rock Staples Center next season and for years to come.

             (A little ’We Believe’ flashback)

No Elton Brand. No problem. The Clippers shook off the Brand fiasco by stealing Marcus Camby in a trade with the Nuggets. Camby, a former Defensive Player of the Year, gets blocks, grabs rebounds, and changes shots. Best of all, the rail-thin post can anchor a defence, when his coaches and teammates are committed to getting stops.

Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard aside, Chris Kaman is the NBA’s best up-and-coming five-man. The big -formerly known as business at the front and party at the back for his horrible half mullet- averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds per game last year despite missing time with an injury.

Next season, Kaman could post a 20-point, 10-rebound season. He’ll have Davis feeding him the ball, Camby helping on defence, and valuable international experience after playing for Germany at the Olympics.

Somehow, Davis, Camby, and Kaman missed Broussard’s list. But this trio aren’t expecting to miss the playoffs in the highly competitive Western Conference.

Should Davis, Camby, and Kaman have a spot on Broussard’s list? Who do you think is the NBA’s best trio? Get at us in the comment box below and come back to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA tidbits. Photo courtesy of Lee Comma Dennis.