The Big Three

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and the Rebirth of the Boston Celtics

By: Michael Holley

Narrated by: Jean-Francois Donaldson

A New York Times bestselling sportswriter tells the inside story of how three star players joined together to form the most dominant team in basketball and lead the Boston Celtics to their first championship in more than two decades.

The first of "The Big Three" was Paul Pierce. As Boston Celtics fans watched the team retire Pierce's jersey in a ceremony on February 11, 2018, they remembered again the incredible performances Pierce put on in the city for fifteen years, helping the Celtics escape the bottom of their conference to become champions and perennial championship contenders. But Pierce's time in the city wasn't always so smooth. In 2000, he was stabbed in a downtown nightclub eleven times in a seemingly random attack. Six years later, remaining the sole star on a struggling team, he asked to be traded and briefly became a lightning rod among fans.

Then, in 2007, the Boston Celtics General Manager made two monumental trades, bringing Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Boston. A press conference on July 31, 2007 was a sight to behold: Pierce, KG, and Ray Allen holding up Celtics jerseys for the flood of media. Coach Doc Rivers made sure the team bonded over the thought of winning a title and living by a Bantu term called Ubuntu, which translates as "I am because we are." Rivers wanted to make it clear that togetherness and brotherhood would help them maximize their talent and win. What came next—the synthesis of the Celtics' "Big Three" and their dominant championship run—cemented their standing as one of great teams in NBA history, a rival to Kobe Bryant's Lakers and LeBron James's Cavaliers.

This is the team that brought excitement back to the Garden, and therefore to one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. They met their historic rivals, the Lakers, in the 2008 NBA Finals, winning the series in Game 6, in a rout on their home court with a raucous, concert like atmosphere. Along the victory parade route, Paul Pierce smoked a cigar—as a tribute to legendary former Celtics Coach Red Auerbach. In a city now defined by a wealth of championships, "The Big Three" joined the club. Michael Holley, the premier chronicler of Boston sports, brings their story to life with countless untold stories and behind-the-scenes details in another bestselling tome for New England and sports fans across the country.

©2020 Michael Holley (P)2021 Hachette Books

An Amazing Inside Look into the NBA

I absolutely loved this book. Learning the inside story of the Boston Celtics, the ownership, Danny, the big three, Rondo, & Doc was fascinating. Holley is under rated in his ability to tell amazing stories & get the inside scoop you will not hear anywhere else. This is a must read for Boston Celtics fans, but would also be extremely enjoyable to a fan of the NBA. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Okay basketball book

I’m a Celtics fan, and expected to love this book. The first half was good, but the second half went on to the problems following their championship and intimately to the breakup of the Big Three. Very anticlimactic. The narrator mispronounced too many player names and local places. The first half was worth the listen.

PHENOMENALLY written, HORRIBLY delivered

I am a born-and-raised Bostonian and old enough to remember the 1980s Celtics. This was the in-depth and context-filled story I expected from Michael Holley. Unfortunately, the narrator learned how to read yesterday. Whether it was the pronunciation of Massachusetts town names (Con Cord instead of Conkerd) or the pronunciation of players names (Hav-ih-lek instead of Havlicek), I cringed every time something else was said incorrectly. I really wish I had simply read the book and not listened to the audio book.

O.G. Big 3

great celtics history background when the first big 3 was put together( garnett pierce allen).

Entertaining Look at The Big Three

Anyone that loves basketball will love The Big Three. Great inside look at Boston’s big three. Their triumphs and their hard losses. Fun and entertaining.