Who Is The NBA's Greatest Shooter?

(OK, I apologize i couldn't post a more mysterious or tantalising picture, I'm sure you will forgive me!)

Let us begin with a few simple, yet profoundly important definitions, or rather the attempt to distinguish between two similar but robustly different types of modern, offensive NBA player.

1. Scorer

A man who finds ANY way to put the ball in the basket. Simple. Be it dunk, layup, jump shot or even circus play. Here, I round-heartedly grant this prestigious award to our reigning MVP, LeBron James (D-Wade coming a close second and Mr. Bryant finishing a very, VERY distant third. No prizes for guessing, I'm not a fan!).

Night after night LeBron seemingly effortlessly dissects any given "D" and consistently posts 30 point games stuffing the stat sheet.

2. Shooter

This is what this article is all about. This type of athlete possesses a rare, uncanny and devastating talent that manifests itself upon every inch beyond half-court. A guy who can come off the bench to add attacking zest to any club with ridiculous accuracy and almost paradoxical efficiency.

By paradoxical I mean they may not have the ability to convert in any other medium than the jump shot.

This is the kind of guy who has the sheer power to force thousands of captivated onlookers hold their breath and simultaneously gasp for air as soon as the ball leaves his sweaty hands.

So, who do you reckon readers. T-Mac. perhaps but he becomes noticeably less accurate with every passing season. Michael Redd, Rip Hamilton, good, very good, but not great, not ..... Ray Allen.

Here I would like to issue a word of warning, if you don't like Ray Allen (shame on you!) leave. Because if you don't the remainder of this article will drive you CRAZY!

Personally, I could watch Ray Allen shoot for hours. His elegant shooting touch is surpassed only by his swift firing motion. Knees bent, explode upwards, pull the trigger... money! This monotonous routine is almost entertaining.

Before this report does develop into its inevitable rave about Rays shining abilities (pun intended) lets look at some stats, the bread and butter of every basketball article.

In a glorious 14-year career, Allen has posted a stellar 21 ppg lifetime average and his shooting percentages are simply spectacular. He has drained 40% of his threes, he scores 90% of his freebies from the charity stripe and he has hit 45% of his career shots.

To this very second he is still clutching onto unsurpassed feats of 3-point accuracy, such as most treys nailed in the regular season, and most made in a playoff series.

Speaking of clutch, there is no man on earth I would rather have shoot the ball in the dying seconds of a close fourth quarter. On countless occasions Allen has won the game at the horn for Boston, Seattle and Milwaukee, the three clubs he has played for during his 14 exemplary seasons in which he has graced the courts of the NBA.

His aforementioned field goal percentage is rarely anything but sky high, and it's this example of technique that has paved his road to super-stardom.

However, Shaq among many other centers boast a similar percentage, does this mean HE can shoot, of course not! He cant even kiss the ball outside of five feet! How hard can it be to miss when all you do is post up and dunk!

Ray Allen is undoubtedly the greatest shooter to ever play in thus league. And currently housed by a Celtics roster simply stewing in star power, he consistently shows us why, most recently a 51-point game in the greatest first round series ever played.

Only a player of his legendary calibre, who else but Ray Allen.