Who do you think is the best crunch time shooter of all time?

Question

Great history score1952! Didn't know the man, but certainly you're information was useful. But I am looking for a precise answer right now not a list of players who could shoot it down. Only one man answer please.

Answer 1

The best pro crunch time shooter of all time, in my opinion, who played in the NBA was "Captain Late" James Silas particularly in his last years of the ABA where Silas was unstoppable usually with a last second baseline turnaround jumper.

Silas did not miss at the buzzer as an All Star member of the San Antonio Spurs.

Unfortunately, Silas had his knee blown out in the preseason in the Spurs first year in the NBA in a game against the Kansas City Kings (now the Sacramento Kings).

Other good shooters include:
-Reggie Miller
-Louie Dampier (hit about 4 or 5 twenty-five footers in the last 1 1/2 minutes in the playoffs against Dr. J's 76ers who had a 7 point lead with 1 1/2 minutes to go in that Game 7 playoff game to defeat the 76ers in a Game 7 (possibly the best Game 7 playoffs long distance shooting (pre 3 point rule) back in 1978 as the 3 point shot did not come into the NBA until 1979 as during those few short months, from possibly the best concluding Game 7 long distant shooting, Dampier was cut from the NBA as he was in his mid 30s as far as age.
-Steve Kerr (in spite of his attempts to get Duncan and Bowen suspended in the 2007 playoffs) with past great playoff shooting for Coach Popovich and the Spurs and also shooting the game winning shot in a NBA Finals closeout game for Chicago with an assist from MJ.
-Magic (and I was never a fan of Magic) who was not a great shooter but always seemingly knocked down a 2 pointer or 3 pointer at the buzzer whenever a game winning shot was needed during the Showtime Lakers.
-Moses Malone was best inside and free throw crunch shooter I have seen play.
-ABA Dr. J (1976 and before) only started to play in the fourth quarter in the ABA when Dr. J could dominate a basketball game like no other; however, this skill was never featured in the NBA. Unfortunately, NBA fans never got to see the real Dr. J who was unstoppable in the fourth quarter.
-Brian Winters (honorable mention)


MJ a number of years back had a TV ad discussing his, MJ's, failed last second game winning shots numbering around a little over 40 game winning shots. I remember last second game winning shots during the Bulls championship years where a NBA Finals was closed out with a shot at the buzzer by both Steve Kerr and Jim Paxson with both receiving assists from MJ where MJ used himself as a magnet to attract defenders to allow Kerr and Paxson to close out the NBA Finals. No doubt MJ is a great player, but MJ, and maybe he was, I do not recall as a last second Game 7 closer.

Someone mentioned George Gervin who was a great shooter; however, it seemed to be standard NBA referee-ing procedures to allow Gervin to be mugged and manhandled in closing seconds of any key game without the benefit of a foul call in a crucial game as I do not recall Gervin making game winning shots; although I am sure that he did at times but rarely.

Robert Horry is also often mentioned; however, his clutch shooting abandoned him in 2002 or earlier. In fact Spurs Coach Popovich picked up Robert Horry as a free agent after the Shaq-Kobe-Horry Lakers lost in the 2003 playoffs primarily because Horry shot many three pointers in the Spurs-Lakers playoffs hitting only 0.050 from the three point line which was probably the primarily reason the Spurs defeated the Lakers in the 2003 playoffs. Coach Popovich obviously picked up Horry in the fall of 2003 just months after the Spurs defeated the Lakers because of Horry's poor shooting as Coach Popovich picked up Horry for his athleticism, his defense, his rebounding, his steals ability, and his blocked shots ability where Horry has paid off from 2003 to 2007 for Coach Popovich; however, Horry's shot abandoned him many years ago. Horry may have been a clutch shooter in the 1990s and the very early 2000s but that skill long ago abandoned Horry. Just look at his stats. It is unbelievable that Horry once a great shooter has even sunk down to the depths of Shaq from the free throw line seemingly. But, Horry was a good clutch shooter when he still had a shot. Coach Pop still keeps horry around for his rebounding and defense with Horry not a real option for Coach Pop in the last seconds of a game.

Answer 2

Michael Jordan

Answer 3

M Jordan, O Robertson, J Havlicek, G Gervin, P Maravich

I saw Magic Johnson fill in for Jabbar in Game 6 of the finals. He had an outstanding game and the Lakers won the Championship in 6 games

Answer 4

Down by 2 - Kobe or MJ

Down by 3 - Reggie Miller, Kobe (he's good from 3 in desperation shots), or Bird

Down and need a crazy/impossible shot (like a half/full court shot, running hook, etc.) to win or send to OT - Magic Johnson

Overall - Magic Johnson. There's just this aura about him if you get him the ball in the last second, there's always a chance...

ATTN: gypsy
Check out this video of a buzzer beater duel between Bird and Magic Johnson. Like I was saying, if you need an impossible shot, get it to Magic!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pKsqSRKihOI

Answer 5

Reggie Miller. You're down by 2 or 3 and you're going to tie or win the game, Reggie is your man! I loved it when the Pacers took on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. One of his greatest performances.

Answer 6

It's a tie between Michael Jordan & Jerry West

Answer 7

Reggie Miller,hands down.Don't you remember when he drilled down the Knicks,six points in 8 seconds?What about the game 4 OT winner against the Bulls,the list goes on and on.

Answer 8

Reggie Miller. The guy just have so much gutts. Nobody else comes close. I remember his and Bird's showdown. His clutch baskets against the Knicks and the Bulls. Man, those were the days, Basketball at it's finest.

Answer 9

Jerry West - no question.
Larry Bird - if West wasn't available.

I can't believe some people actually said Magic Johnson! Have these people ever watched basketball? Johnson couldn't make a jumper if his mother's life depended on it. They used to leave him wide open from 15 ft. and beyond, and dare him to shoot!

Answer 10

Ray allen is the terrific ft shooter. he's like ninety p.c. for his occupation. And none of them will attempt to tutor eachother issues different than howards loose throws. and you are able to't tutor the take carry of ingredient so kobe is on his very own with that one.