Top Teams with the Best Trios in NBA History

(last updated on October 11, 2025)

The NBA is without a doubt a star-driven league. While having one star player is a good starting point, most teams with championship aspirations will typically need a trio of players to lead their team to a title. Just look at some recent NBA champions … the Warriors (Curry, Thompson, and Green) … the Nuggets (Jokic, Murray, and Gordon) … the Celtics (Tatum, Brown, and Porzingis).

Who is the best trio in NBA history? Let’s look at the top teams with the best trios to play in the NBA.

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, & Dennis Rodman

Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman would be high on anyone’s list of the best trios in the NBA. This trio led the Chicago Bulls to a 72-10 mark during the regular season, a record for wins that would stand for 20 years. In the playoffs, the trio would lead the Bulls to their fourth of six titles in the decade. Jordan and Pippen had proven to be a championship-caliber duo, winning three consecutive titles together from 1991 to 1993. By adding Dennis Rodman, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time champion himself with the “Bad Boy” era Detroit Pistons, they instantly became the most dominant and well-rounded team in the league and arguably the best trio in NBA history.

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2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, & Tony Parker

The San Antonio Spurs’ “Big Three” of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker won four NBA titles under legendary head coach Gregg Popovich, beginning in the 2002-03 NBA season. By the start of that season, Tim Duncan was already a five-year vet who won a title in 1999. However, little known to the Spurs at the time, rookie Manu Ginobili and sophomore Tony Parker were rising stars in their own right, giving San Antonio one of the best trios in the NBA for a decade and a half. Between the three of them, they amassed 23 All-Star games, 21 All-NBA honors and four Finals MVPs.

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1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, & James Worthy

The Showtime Lakers won five championships in the 1980s, three with the trio of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and James Worthy. The 1987 title team was special, posting a 65-17 record and a 115.6 team offensive rating. The three Hall of Famers were one of the best trios in the NBA during the 1980s and should appear in any discussion of who is the best trio in NBA history. Worthy and Johnson spent their entire careers with the Lakers, a franchise known for taking care of their stars and formulating excellent trios. Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson and Worthy were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, 2002 and 2003, respectively. 

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2016-17 Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, & Kevin Durant

While the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green was the backbone of the Warriors dynasty, the immediate impact Kevin Durant had when he signed with the Warriors in 2017 is undeniable. Adding the superstar and former MVP to a team that had set the NBA all-time record for wins a season prior spelled doom for the rest of the NBA. Durant turned the already-potent “Splash Brothers” into arguably the best trio in NBA history. The result was two consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018, cementing the dynasty status of the 2010s Warriors. Durant was named Finals MVP in both of these championships. 

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1985-86 Boston Celtics

Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, & Robert Parish

As the Showtime Lakers built a dynastic big three in the Western Conference during the 80s, their archrivals built the same in the East. The Boston Celtics’ trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish was built for the 1980-81 season when the Celtics traded for Parish. The formation of the trio paid immediate dividends, as the Celtics won the NBA championship that year, the first of three the trio would win together. The 1985-86 championship team was the greatest team to feature this trio. During the season, the team posted a league-best 102.6 defensive rating and won a whopping 40 games at the Garden.

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2011-12 Miami Heat

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, & Chris Bosh

LeBron James’ infamous “decision” to sign with the Miami Heat instantly produced one of the most hyped trios in NBA history. Though they only played for four seasons together, they could be the best trio in NBA history by talent alone. The Heatles won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs (each with a formidable trio of their own), respectively. Bosh and Wade continued to play together after James left to return to Cleveland. Bosh was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 and Wade in 2023.

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2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, & Kevin Love

After scorning Cleveland with his decision, Ohio’s prodigal son returned home in 2014 when LeBron James announced he would return to the Cavaliers. James joined budding young star Kyrie Irving and soon enough the team would trade for three-time All-Star forward Kevin Love, instantly forming one of the best trios in the NBA. The trio delivered Cleveland its first and only NBA title in 2016 against the potent Golden State Warriors. All three are currently still playing in the NBA … James with the Lakers, Irving with the Mavericks and Love with the Jazz.

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1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, & Moses Malone

Though much of the 1980s were dominated by the Lakers and Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers were also a competitive force in their own right led by a big three of Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks and Moses Malone. The case for these three as the best trio in NBA history is their perfectly complementary roles. Malone was the dominant big man, Erving the athletic star wing and Cheeks was the point guard who ran the show. The trio played together from ’82-’83 through the ’85-’86 season. In their first year playing together they won a title with a sweep of the Lakers. This remains the 76ers most recent championship. All three players are in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

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2007-08 Boston Celtics

Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, & Paul Pierce

“Anything is possible!” yelled Kevin Garnett after winning the 2008 NBA championship with the Boston Celtics. Garnett joined the team with fellow future Hall of Famer Ray Allen during the 2007 offseason, forming one of the best trios in the NBA with homegrown Celtic Paul Pierce. The trio played together until 2012, when Allen signed with the defending-champion Miami Heat and their big three. In their first year together, the much-hyped trio delivered by posting the league’s best defensive rating and winning the title against the Lakers, four games to two. Today, all three are Hall of Famers.

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1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, & Robert Horry

While the Lakers of the early 2000s were considered to be led by a duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, the contributions of Robert Horry can’t be overlooked. Though he came off the bench, Horry played starter’s minutes and was a significant contributor as the trio led the Lakers to three consecutive titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

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This entry was posted on Friday, January 26th, 2024 at 9:10 pm and is filed under Top 10 Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.