Ray Allen's playoff career...

[Gurleyman]

He is now 10-16 on tying or go ahead 3 pointers in the final minute of playoff games. He had his toe on the line in Game 6 v Chicago or it'd be 11-17.

He's also 1-1 in dunks on Tracy McGrady in those situations as well.

 

[Matrim55]

Anybody have a clip of that dunk on McGrady? A quick Youtube search turned up nothing for me.

 

[McWalker]

 

[billythekid]

Ray is often compared to Reggie Miller from a career perspective. I always thought that what separated the two were Ray's ability to take it off the dribble, especially early in his career. He was always a better athlete than most gave him credit for.

 

[superjohn]

I don't think there is a player that has hit more big shots over the course of his career, Ray is unbelievably clutch.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Ray is often compared to Reggie Miller from a career perspective. I always thought that what separated the two were Ray's ability to take it off the dribble, especially early in his career. He was always a better athlete than most gave him credit for.

He was a great athlete with excellent hops, spectacular dunks, and acrobatic lay-ups. He was very flashy, smooth, and graceful. There are many out there that don't remember that cuz he played in Milwaukee and Seattle in his athletic prime. After his last season with Seattle, he had double ankle surgery, which some players never recover from. He only lost some hops and his explosive first step. He's stayed healthy enough, and in great shape with that same golden stroke to prolong his career as an all-time great shooter (one of the greatest).

 

[Dogdeacon]

He is now 10-16 on tying or go ahead 3 pointers in the final minute of playoff games. He had his toe on the line in Game 6 v Chicago or it'd be 11-17.

He's also 1-1 in dunks on Tracy McGrady in those situations as well.

Ray is often compared to Reggie Miller from a career perspective. I always thought that what separated the two were Ray's ability to take it off the dribble, especially early in his career. He was always a better athlete than most gave him credit for.

I think you and Huskies4ever are right about Ray's abilities off the bounce and as an overall scorer being overlooked partially due to playing in secondary markets. But the Reggie Miller comparisons were truly born out of Ray's breaking the career 3-pt record. At the time there was an argument that Miller was the 'better' shooter because of what Reggie had done in the playoffs.

And this is a big reason why (like I contended at the time) and where Ray made a great move to sign with Miami. He knew with the Heat he'd be in many more playoff situations with the opportunity to succeed. And he knew he'd prepare better than anyone to make those shots. And he keeps making those shots and Ray's legacy grows. Recency is part of it, but I'd say there are few who'd argue for Reggie Miller over Ray Allen at this point.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't think there is a player that has hit more big shots over the course of his career, Ray is unbelievably clutch.

 

[Horatio]

Best Uconn Pro career + First Uconn NBA Hall of Famer. Oh Jesus!!!!!!

 

[Gurleyman]

Depends on how you look at it. Ray has more big shots, and it isn't really all that close, but every time Horry hit a big one, it ended up leading to a title. Rings are 7-2, so that's not that close either.

Horry has credit for six "big shots" in his career on his Wiki page (two of which came with his team already leading). Ray practically did that in one playoff series - but the Cs lost to Orlando in the next round, so with the advantage of historical perspective, they lose some of their bigness. The threes that Horry hit against the Kings and Pistons are probably the third and fourth biggest threes in playoff history (behind Ray's and Mario Elie's).

 

[Scoe]

I don't think there is a player that has hit more big shots over the course of his career, Ray is unbelievably clutch.

Some guy named Jordan, but I get your point, Ray is still doing it at age 38.

 

[Gurleyman]

He was a great athlete with excellent hops, spectacular dunks, and acrobatic lay-ups. He was very flashy, smooth, and graceful. There are many out there that don't remember that cuz he played in Milwaukee and Seattle in his athletic prime. After his last season with Seattle, he had double ankle surgery, which some players never recover from. He only lost some hops and his explosive first step. He's stayed healthy enough, and in great shape with that same golden stroke to prolong his career as an all-time great shooter (one of the greatest).

In that playoff run with Milwaukee, Ray often became the PG in the half court and nobody could stay with him off the dribble. He averaged 6 apg in that playoff run - often breaking down the D and kicking it out to shooters. Charlotte finally had some success running hard doubles at him and forcing the ball out of his hands and nearly won that series - but Ray hit a tiebreaking 3 with 20 seconds left in Game 6 on the road. One of his forgotten daggers.

And then he pretty much daggered Sacramento in the whole first round while in Seattle. A shame he spent four of his prime years out of the playoffs. His highlight reel would be even longer.

 

[Matrim55]

Reggie had a great career, but had the advantage of playing in a scheme which was ahead of its time in the way it valued ball movement and spacing. He also played with significantly better players through his prime than Ray did. He had every advantage.

Even so, in terms of overall body of work, it's no contest. The people to really compare Ray to are Kobe, T-Mac, Vince and AI - ball-dominant SGs whose prime came before the advent of analytics and subsequently better basketball (seriously, the NBA is much, much smarter and more fun than it was a decade ago).

Given that the analytics movement is all about spacing, shooting and ball movement, and that Ray was the best of the bunch in terms of those first two... I mean, is anyone built for the modern game the way he is?

So as it stands, the only one from Ray's peers who's clearly had the better career is Kobe. And if you had the choice to draft one or the other, you'd draft Kobe.

But when it comes to who has the large impact on the game going forward? Ray. Motherducking. Allen.

 

[dogfan96]

Ray is often compared to Reggie Miller from a career perspective. I always thought that what separated the two were Ray's ability to take it off the dribble, especially early in his career. He was always a better athlete than most gave him credit for.

Yeah.. Reggie Miller had difficulty creating his own shot.. no such problem for Ray

 

[CallMeBruce]

It's pretty hard to understand how McGrady gets the and-1 when Ham makes almost no contact, and then goes and hammers Ray on the dunk the other way without a whistle. NBA refs are a disaster.

 

[Dogdeacon]

In that playoff run with Milwaukee, Ray often became the PG in the half court and nobody could stay with him off the dribble. He averaged 6 apg in that playoff run - often breaking down the D and kicking it out to shooters. Charlotte finally had some success running hard doubles at him and forcing the ball out of his hands and nearly won that series - but Ray hit a tiebreaking 3 with 20 seconds left in Game 6 on the road. One of his forgotten daggers.

And then he pretty much daggered Sacramento in the whole first round while in Seattle. A shame he spent four of his prime years out of the playoffs. His highlight reel would be even longer.

Yeah, but the relo to the Celtics was a major coup (esp for those of us in NE who got to watch him more) and going to Miami was brilliant and is cementing his legacy. You take 2 championships with an excellent shot at a 3rd and even 4th.

 

[StevieDude]

Of course if he doesn't go 3-14 in game 7 in the '10 finals he could had another ring.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Of course if he doesn't go 3-14 in game 7 in the '10 finals he could had another ring.

Ouch. I'd counter that's basketball and we've got a greater abundance of great playoff performances and clutch shot making that easily trumps that bad game. I don't think I've ever heard anyone pin that series loss on Ray's shooting as the Perkins injury and terrible calls down the stretch are most often cited. And Kobe went 6/24 (worse) in the same game but won series MVP.

 

[Gurleyman]

Ouch. I'd counter that's basketball and we've got a greater abundance of great playoff performances and clutch shot making that easily trumps that bad game. I don't think I've ever heard anyone pin that series loss on Ray's shooting as the Perkins injury and terrible calls down the stretch are most often cited. And Kobe went 6/24 (worse) in the same game but won series MVP.

Ray guarded Kobe that game - wasn't like he didn't contribute anything. Pierce was outplayed by Metta World Peace, and Garnett had three frickin' rebounds on a day when Perkins was out and the Lakers dominated the paint in the fourth. All three of them could have done more.

That game was really terrible basketball - both teams were gassed at the end of long playoff runs.