Ray Allen makes a game-winning three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. (Photo: Getty Images) Ray Allen had a Hall of Fame career mostly because he is a terrific three-point shooter. During his 14 seasons in Boston, Allen made at least one three-pointer per game. He's the all-time leader in three-pointers made with 977 and he has a.443 career percentage from behind the arc.
Allen was a key part of the Boston Celtics' championship runs in 2008 and 2012. In addition to being one of the league's best perimeter defenders, he was also an integral part of the "Big Three" trio with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. The 36-year-old continues to play in several games each season for the Celtics.
Another famous name in basketball history that includes the three-point line in almost every game they played is Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls star made 3s at a high rate during his career, finishing with a 40% mark from downtown.
Today, only six players in NBA history have made more than 1000 three-pointers: Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and James Harden. Of these players, only Bryant and Durant remain active in the league.
Ray Allen is, in my opinion, the greatest three-point shooter of all time. Ray Allen holds the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in both regular and postseason competition. He was both precise and productive. His career percentage of 46% from behind the arc is the highest of any player who has taken at least 500 shots from beyond the arc.
Allen's success can be attributed to his ability to make shots even when they aren't necessarily available. He was able to do this because he used crafty moves and kept his eyes up while shooting. Many players try to go straight up or pull up for a mid-range shot, but Ray knew how to get himself open and had the confidence to take the shot when it went down.
The next best thing to making your own space is taking someone else's away. This is what Kevin Durant does best. He is one of the few players in NBA history to score over 3000 points while shooting over 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Durant uses his incredible size to force opponents into passing out of fear of him going coast-to-coast. When they do pass him the ball, he knows exactly where to go with it and how much time to let it hang before pulling the trigger.
Ray Allen's career 3-point scoring leaders in the National Basketball Association
| Rank | Name | Total 3-point field goals made |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray Allen* | 2,973 |
| 2 | Stephen Curry^ | 2,832 |
| 3 | Reggie Miller* | 2,560 |
| 4 | Kyle Korver† | 2,450 |
Ray Allen has missed the most three-pointers in his career, with 4,456 misses.
| NAME | GP | 3P MISS |
|---|---|---|
| Ray Allen | 1300 | 4,456 |
| James Harden | 875 | 4,280 |
| Jamal Crawford | 1327 | 4,158 |
| Reggie Miller | 1389 | 3,926 |
Golden State's point guard became the third player in NBA history to surpass 2,500 made 3-pointers with a 3 in the first quarter against the Bulls. Curry joined the ranks of Hall of Famers Reggie Miller and Ray Allen as a sharpshooter. Curry has 2,500 3-pointers on his career and needs 60 more to beat Allen on the all-time list.
Curry also needs two assists to pass Moses Malone for ninth place on that list. The last time someone shot like Steph did today was when Kobe Bryant made five three-pointers in a single game back in 2009. That's how many shots he took in this contest. He made all five attempts en route to 50 points.
It was also one of those games where everyone on the court was making shots. Klay Thompson had 26 points while Draymond Green had 10 rebounds. Stephen Curry finished with 39 points and seven assists.
The Warriors defeated Chicago 112-103 at home. This is Curry's team now. He's playing some incredible basketball and we can't wait to see what happens next season when he becomes a free agent. If anyone is able to stop him from getting awards, it's going to be the Bulls. They have no answer for him outside of Joakim Noah, who hasn't been able to contain him so far this year because of injuries.
NBA/ABA player Ray Allen
| Rank | Player | 3P |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ray Allen* | 2973 |
| 2. | Stephen Curry | 2832 |
| 3. | Reggie Miller* | 2560 |
| 4. | Kyle Korver | 2450 |
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the finest shooting big men in the NBA, as well as one of the greatest European players of all time. He is also regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. Nowitzki has won several awards including being named to seven All-NBA teams and five All-Defensive Teams.
The competition for this honor is pretty much limited to guys like Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Kevin McHale, and Mark Eaton. Although Andre Drummond has a higher field goal percentage than both Nowitzki and Roberson, he doesn't shoot very many three-pointers so it isn't enough to make up for the difference in attempts.
Nowitzki made his debut in the NBA in 1998 and since then he has been one of the most consistent shooters in basketball history. According to stats available at Basketball-Reference.com, Nowitzki is responsible for 42.4 percent of his team's shots from behind the arc during that period. Only Jason Kidd (45.9) is better at keeping opponents off the free throw line.
This number is even more impressive when you consider that Nowitzki played only 78 games over the first eight seasons of his career.
Kareem remains one of the most complete basketball players in history, as the NBA's all-time top scorer. The towering center has been named NBA Most Valuable Player a record eight times, six in the regular season and two in the NBA playoffs. He has also been a member of the NBA All-Star team a record 19 times.
In 1991, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson squared off. According to Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan is the "best ever" as of now, but LeBron James may overtake him if he wins more titles. The three-time NBA MVP, on the other hand, believes James is the finest all-around basketball player of all time.
Anthony Davis has evolved into one of the NBA's most versatile players, earning first-team All-NBA honors three times in the previous four seasons. Last season, his efforts helped the New Orleans Pelicans win their first playoff series since 2008, when they were still known as the Hornets.
"NBA 2K19" is the world's most painstakingly built basketball simulation, with statistics used to change ratings for over 350 NBA players during the season. Basketball fans and players have always had a positive reaction.
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