Tuesday's Top 5: Top 5 Shooters in the NBA

5. Kevin Durant 

Kevin Durant surpassed hat would have been Dirk at this spot because of his surge and Dirk’s fall this year. When comparing their numbers this past year Durant has the edge. Kevin Durant shot 38 % from deep, 86 % from the stripe, and 49 % from the field. Not to mention he led the league in scoring coming mostly off his pure mid-range shot. Durant may seem low on this list but it is about shooting and not scoring.

4. Stephen Curry  

 

Curry has had a short career so far, partially because of his injury this year. His stats last year where he played a full year he average 93 % from the free throw line, 44 % from the 3pt line, and he shot 48 % from the field. Steph Curry has a pure jump shot and gets to show it off a lot in Golden State’s high octane offense. This is what landed him the number 4 spot.

3. Steve Nash 

Nash is going to deliver as much as Kobe lets him in LA. One thing Kobe can’t even impair is Nash’s pure shooting ability. Steve Nash has been a 40, 50, 90 shooter 4 times since 2006. That is the most of all players. Being a 40, 50, 90 shooter means a player shoots 40% from beyond the arc, 50% from the field, and 90% from the charity stripe. Nash has a good chance of pulling off this feat again this upcoming year because he will have a load off his back and not be the main target on the team.

 

2. Steve Novak

Steve Novak was astounding this past year for the New York Knicks. He seemed to make just about everything they gave to him. He shot the lights out with a 47 % 3pt percentage and an 86 % free throw percentage. He has to be the best spot up shooter this past year, but he didn’t make number one because he is not a versatile shooter. He cannot create his own shot at all, and is not capable of running off screens as well as Ray Allen does.

1. Ray Allen 

Allen has the purest jumpshot in the NBA. He has the most 3-pointers made in a career with 2,718. He also shot 91.5 % from the free throw line over the past year to go along with his 45 % shooting behind the 3pt line. He is no longer the young Jesus Shuttlesworth people fell in love with in Milwaukee and Seattle, but he is still the most feared jumpshooter in the league and people will remember that in Miami this upcoming year.