Ray Allen to Heat: How Addition Will Impact Eastern Conference
We saw in Game 5 of the NBA Finals last season what happens when the Miami Heat find a deadly outside shooter.
In short, their offense takes on a whole new dimension.
Mike Miller scored 23 points in the Heat's title-clinching effort in Game 5 last season, and now it appears the Heat are set to walk away with one of the most dangerous pure shooters of all time.
That's right: Ray Allen.
Micky Arison, managing general partner of the Heat, tweeted the news on Friday:
"Its 2:30am in London and I was just woken up with great news.Welcome to the family #20!!
— Micky Arison (@MickyArison) July 7, 2012"
After Jason Terry agreed to a contract with the Boston Celtics this week, there was a general sentiment that Allen may be on his way out, given a logjam at shooting guard with Avery Bradley. That now appears to be the case.
Allen, 36, averaged 14.2 points in 46 games for the Celtics last season, shooting nearly 46 percent from the floor and 45 percent from downtown. In the postseason, those numbers dropped, but Allen's still considered a hot commodity for a contender given his resume.
Allen, a 10-time All-Star and NBA champion, is one of the most accurate shooters in NBA history, from beyond the arc and the free-throw line. He's shot 40 percent from downtown for his career and owns the NBA record for career three-pointers (6,788).
Allen's role for the Heat will be simple, whether he starts and Miami moves Dwyane Wade to point guard or, more likely, he comes off the bench as a dangerous outside shooter: Allen will be expected to stretch the floor.
Both Wade and LeBron James can penetrate to the hoop with the best of them and will see their fair share of attention in the lane. That should give Allen some good looks at the basket in Miami. And, as we all know, good looks for Allen generally equal made buckets.
With the addition of Allen, it's really quite simple: the defending champions are still the favorites in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics and Chicago Bulls will look to contend, but you have to give the upper hand to Miami.
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