Wednesday 4 November 2009

Best Three-Point Shooters in NBA History

The three point shot is one of the biggest weapons in all of basketball, an equalizer that can allow less talented teams to stick with more talented teams. It has become more and more in style in all levels of basketball, as teams have begun to see it as more beneficial than two point shots. When thinking about it... if you make 1 out of 3 three-point shots, that is comparable to making 50% of your two-point shots, so if you can hit a reasonable amount of them, it makes sense to shoot threes.

So who are some of the best ever from downtown? Near the top of the list would have to be Reggie Miller, who is the all-time leader in three point shots made. He is also one of the most clutch shooters ever, as he made big shot after big shot for the Indiana Pacers over the years. Perhaps most famous is his 6 points in 7 seconds against the New York Knicks in the NBA playoffs. He had a very consistent form, and made a lot of shots over a lot of years. He was likely the best three point shooter in NBA history. At 6'7'' he also had the height to get shots off against any defender.

Ray Allen is still active, and he is one of the best shooters in NBA history. He has perhaps the quickest release in NBA history, and seemingly needs only a blink of an eye to get a shot off. Whether he is creating his own shot, coming off a ball screen, or coming off another screen, if the defender is not right on him, he can and will get the shot off. He has enjoyed a long and successful career, playing for the Seattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Boston Celtics. He finally got his ring with the Celtics, further cementing his place as one of the best shooting guards in the game and one of the best shooters in history.

Steve Kerr is not one of the most prolific shooters ever, but he is one of the most accurate. Playing mostly for the Chicago Bulls, he made about 45% for his career. He was helped by playing with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pipper, which got him a lot of open looks throughout his career. His biggest moment came when he made the game winning shot to clinch an NBA Finals series. He parlayed his successful playing career into an NBA analyst spot, and is now GM of the Phoenix Suns.

The three-point shot has grown in popularity over the years, and has now become an essential part of any basketball team's strategy. Chances are, this trend will continue to develop as time passes.