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Dennis Rodman claims his Chicago Bulls would win against the LeBron James-led Miami Heat
Star-studded trios have been around the NBA for a really long time. However, the "Big 3" era was pushed to the forefront by LeBron James in 2010 when he decided to join fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat, forming a lethal trio that would go to four straight NBA Finals, winning two championships.
Another squad that featured a "Big 3" was the Chicago Bulls from the 1990s, when Dennis Rodman joined his previous rivals, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. That squad was incredibly successful, reaching a then-record 72 wins in 1996 and winning three straight NBA titles.
When asked which team would come out on top in an imaginary showdown, Rodman didn't bat an eye in saying his Bulls would prevail. In fact, the controversial forward boldly claimed they would win rather easily.
"It would be a no-contest," Rodman said.
Better defenders, smarter players
While Rodman admitted that the Heat may have had loads of talent in the combined offensive forces of LeBron, Wade, and Bosh, the Bulls still had the edge in defensive ability and overall experience.
"The Heat have the better talent than we had but we have smarter players. That's the only thing we have, smarter players. But guess what? When matching with the Heat, that's easy," Rodman shared.
While the Bulls boasted of a generational talent like His Airness, what's often overlooked was their stifling and relentless defense. Jordan, Pippen, and Ron Harper were all incredibly active defenders. Rodman, the anchor of the defense, was a walking brick wall who could shut down opposing players.
"I would take Bosh out of his damn game easy," Rodman added. "How would Dwyane Wade match up with Scottie Pippen? Really? Scottie Pippen would guard LeBron easy. And Michael Jordan, how could you cover those two guys there?"
Jordan would feast
Rodman also alluded to the fact that in today's NBA, with rules leaning toward offense, it would be even easier for Jordan to have his way.
"The game has changed so much. If Michael played the game at 28 years old today, he would average 40 points per game, probably even more," Rodman pointed out.
Bias aside, it's not hard to envision His Airness completely dominating, given how he shredded more physical defenses in his prime. Plus, Jordan's legendary competitive fire would give him an edge, no matter the rules or era.
