DALLAS — The Big3, Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz’s professional 3-on-3 basketball league, held the first round of its playoffs and its annual Celebrity Game on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Games in the Big3 are played street-ball style, using different rules and half a regulation court. Those rules include a four-point shot, where players can shoot from three distinct circles beyond the three-point line for an extra point.
Another rule is called “Bring the Fire”. If a team would like to challenge a foul call, they can “Bring the Fire” once a half and the players involved in the call will play 1-on-1 for one possession to determine whether the call stands or is overturned. If there’s a foul on a shot, players will take one free throw for two, three or four points, depending on where they were fouled.
Teams have a 14-second shot clock, ten seconds shorter than the NBA’s, to keep up the pace. The first squad to reach 50 points wins the game, but they must win by at least two points.
Big3 Celebrity Game Opens Playoff Action In Dallas
The day began with the Celebrity game, featuring former athletes like Chad Ochocinco and Bobby Taylor, as well as musicians like Key Glock, Russ and Hunxho.
3-time Celebrity Game MVP Gillie Da Kid represented Team Panini in its 45-36 win, but didn’t come away with MVP honors this time around. Instead, his teammate Hunxho used his frame en route to 17 and 20 rebounds to claim the award.
Former Ohio State basketball player Jimmy Sotos recorded a game-high 22 points in a losing effort.
Boston Ball Hogs Beat Chicago Triplets To Reach Big3 Championship
Saturday’s first playoff game pitted the Boston Ball Hogs against the Chicago Triplets, with the former going 5-3 in the regular season and the latter finishing 6-2. The contest marked Boston’s first playoff appearance since the Big3’s founding.
Both teams featured MVP candidates with the Ball Hogs’ Jeremy Pargo and Chicago’s Montrezl Harrell. Pargo led the league in total points, assists, field goals, 3-pointers and 4-pointers. Harrell averaged a league-leading 26.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
Both players struggled with shooting efficiency in the playoffs, but Pargo ultimately got the last laugh.
Midway through the game, Pargo was officially bestowed with MVP honors. Then, with the score knotted at 47, Boston big man Deshawn Stephens secured an offensive rebound before handing the ball off to Pargo in the right corner and screening his man. Pargo caught it in stride, found an opening and drilled a fallaway corner triple to advance the Ball Hogs to the Big3 Finals.
Pargo finished the game with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists on 6-for-22 shooting. He hit only one three in the game, but it proved to be the one that mattered most.
Stephens was Boston’s superpower. In the game, he recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and a pair of blocks. He was all over the floor securing loose balls, finishing around the rim and making extra-effort plays. All the while, Stephens helped to contain Harrell, who finished with 8 points and 13 rebounds on 3-for-14 from the floor.
“I just wanted to be engaged,” Stephens said. “I just wanted to really lock in and (be) a pest and not let him be comfortable, not let him get in rhythm. I think we did a good job. We were switching, everybody was trying to be aggressive and we were just trying to avoid him taking over the game.”
Leandro Barbosa did all he could to buoy the Triplets, hanging in the air for tough finishes on multiple occasions. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year led his team with 19 points and 4 assists, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts and going 6-for-11 from the field.
Ultimately, Chicago couldn’t overcome its 36.9% field goal shooting in the loss. Only three players scored for the Ball Hogs, with Garlon Green tallying 9 points, but it was enough to advance.
“It means everything,” Stephens said. “Obviously, our goal was to win the championship at the beginning of the season, so we’re moving in the right direction. We got another challenge though, next week, so we just gotta get over the hump.”
Dallas Power Beats Miami 305 To Reach Big3 Championship
The final game of the day featured the hometown Dallas Power, who achieved a league-best 7-1 mark in the regular season, versus reigning champions Miami 305. Despite winning the league a year ago and featuring two-time reigning MVP Michael Beasley, Miami squeaked into the playoffs with a 4-4 record.
Beasley was as advertised, putting up 18 points and 10 rebounds with an exhibition of mid-range and fallaway jumpers, but the 305 couldn’t contain Dallas and fell 50-36.
Behind Beasley and Lance Stephenson, Miami managed a 25-20 halftime lead, Stephenson nailing a near-impossible short corner jumper with the defense draped all over him to send the game to the break.
After Mario Chalmers knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple to extend the 305’s lead to 36-31 in the second half, Miami was in position to extend its winning streak over the Power to four games. That was until Beasley went down.
Apparently injured, Beasley left the game and thus left the door open for Dallas. Miami went cold and the Power’s Elijah Stewart and Greg Monroe wouldn’t slow down. By the time Beasley could return, it was too late.
Stewart, who led Dallas with 17.1 points per game this season, finished the game with 20 points and 12 rebounds, not to mention the winning bucket. Sent to the free-throw line with his team leading 48-36, Stewart calmly knocked down the winner to send his squad to its third title game appearance.
Monroe was effective doing what he does best. Averaging 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds on the season, Monroe used his poise and feel around the block to get easy buckets and second-chance opportunities.
He finished the game with 18 points and 13 boards, showing the skills that earned him 10 years of service in the NBA.
The Power got help from down the roster, as well. Glen Rice Jr. added 7 points and 9 rebounds, although he shot just 2-for-15. 2026 Big3 4th Man of the Year TJ Cline added 2 points and Cameron Smith finished with 3.
Outside of Beasley, only two other players scored for the 305. Stephenson recorded 11 points on 4-for-21 shooting while Chalmers tallied 7.
Dallas Power, Boston Ball Hogs Set For Big3 Championship
Next week, the Big3 will hold its championship and All-Star Game. Dallas and Boston will meet at 12 p.m. CT on August 22 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
The Ball Hogs aim for their first-ever title while the Power look to win it all for the first time since 2018.
