BIG3 preview, standings, roster, schedule, Paramount+ streaming: July 31 picks from basketball expert

SportsLine's Ameer Tyree just locked in his picks for Saturday's BIG3 basketball action on Paramount+

By CBS Sports Staff

Jul 31, 2021 at 8:22 am ET • 3 min read

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The Triplets ran through the last BIG3 season, losing only one game on the way to the championship. The only way to improve upon that is by going undefeated, and the team certainly looks as if it could run the table during the 2021 BIG3 schedule. Their entire team, including coach Lisa Leslie, returned, and that continuity has left the Triplets as the only undefeated team left standing in the BIG3. You can stream Saturday's action on Paramount+.

The league's reigning MVP, Joe Johnson, is making a strong bid to repeat and will lead his squad against the Enemies in the fourth week of the 2021 BIG3 schedule. The action on Saturday also includes Brian Scalabrine captaining the Ball Hogs against the Ricky Davis-led Ghost Ballers. Both teams are 2-1 after winning their first two games of the season and suffering their first defeats last week. You can watch Saturday's BIG3 basketball on CBS starting at 3 p.m. ET and stream it live on Paramount+ with the must-have Premium plan.

Paramount+ now has levels of membership so you can watch the BIG3 and much more. The Premium Plan is $9.99 per month and you can watch your local CBS live stream (including plenty of sports like SEC on CBS, NFL on CBS, and the PGA Tour), no ads, on demand and the ability to download episodes for offline viewing. Both plans come with a free week to start, so sign up now here.

How to watch the BIG3 Basketball

Date: Saturday, July 31
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+

BIG3 predictions, picks for Saturday, July 31

Before you tune in to Saturday's BIG3 action, you need to see the BIG3 basketball picks from SportsLine expert Ameer Tyree. Tyree joined SportsLine after working as an NBA Fantasy sports and betting specialist at DraftKings and has a history of profitable basketball plays that help bettors find edges.

For Saturday's BIG3 action, Tyree is backing the Ball Hogs (-159) to secure the victory over the Ghost Ballers. Leandro Barbosa has been a godsend to the Ball Hogs after the team finished with the worst record last season. He may not be as quick as he was while playing in the NBA, but the players guarding him aren't either and no one has been able to stop him from getting to the hoop.

Jodie Meeks has also been a big factor for the team's success and is averaging 15 points per game. The Ball Hogs have rare size in the BIG3 with two seven-footers in Will McDonald and Spencer Hawes.

On the other hand, the Ghost Ballers are size-deficient, with only one player on the roster taller than 6-foot-7. Compounding their expected difficulties in scoring inside against the Ball Hogs is that the team is struggling from outside, as they are shooting just 33 percent from beyond the arc. Even though these teams have identical records, Tyree sees them as being far apart on the court, with the Ghost Ballers no match for the Ball Hogs.

"The Ball Hogs nearly upset Power in Week 3 and led through the first half," Tyree told SportsLine. "Taking on a less challenging team should yield a better result."