Danny Ainge explains why Steph Curry — not Larry Bird — is the greatest shooter of all time
Danny Ainge apparently isn’t a homer, at least not when talking about the best of the best.
The Boston Celtics general manager has played with one of the best shooters of all time in Larry Bird, and managed one of the best in Ray Allen. And yet, he’s willing to concede that neither is the best. During the NBA Playoffs, Ainge tweeted he thought Steph Curry was the best shooter in NBA history. And he’s standing by those words.
“I think Larry was as good a shooter as I’ve ever seen before Steph. And Ray Allen is up there, too,’’ Ainge said in an interview with WEEI.com. “If anybody were to come in and tell me, ‘Larry Bird‘s the best shooter of all time,’ I wouldn’t have much argument. Same with Ray. I probably wouldn’t argue. It’s really close.
“The reason I think Steph is the best shooter of all time is simply the variety of shots he hits. Left-handed running hook shots, reverses, floaters, 3-point shots off the dribble, behind screens. It’s the variety and the degree of difficulty of the shots he hits.’’
During his 13-year career, Bird shot almost 50 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from the 3-point line, and 84.6 percent on free throws. Steph Curry is fresh off a 2015 NBA Title win, and so far in his carer, has shot 47 percent from the field, 44 percent from 3-pointers, and 90 percent from the foul line.
“That’s why I think Larry was always my first guy of being the best shooter of all time, up until Steph,’’ Ainge said. “To me, it was the difficulty of shots he made. I mean, Larry could shoot with two guys draped on him, and I used to play Larry one-on-one often before practice. I would be right on him and turn around, and the ball would be going in the basket. That’s what was always amazing to me, how he was able to create that shot and get that shot off with very little space. I see the same qualities in Steph.’’
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