Ray Allen, a two-time NBA champion and one of the best three-point shooters in the history of the league, does not like the way that the game is trending towards more and more of perimeter shooting. His sentiments are similar to what some NBA insiders reportedly think as well.
“I think the game is still extremely entertaining,” the ten-time NBA All-Star told Mike Greenberg on ESPN. “There is a lack of appeal to it right now watching it because there are so many different dynamics to the game that are being lost. I actually said this a couple of days ago on my Instagram feed is that the mid-range game is being lost.
“You look at Toronto a couple of years ago when they won the championship, they had some great three-point shooters but you saw them pump fake and get into the paint and shoot the mid-range shot,” Allen continued.
“You can’t always go to the basket because you have a big guy waiting on you. But you’ve seen them stop midway and take a pop shot. Nowadays you what you’re seeing guys pump fake and step sideways on the three-point line and you’re making a tougher shot than necessarily getting into the paint and getting something mid-range.
“I believe it’s bad for young kids that watch. Because what I tell my boys, I’m coaching an AAU team currently, and I tell them ‘I want you guys to pay attention to what goes on in college. Play hard, learn from the NBA the do’s and the dont’s but don’t settle for threes.’ I hated shooting threes to start a game because you want to kind of build your rhythm into it. Get to the free-throw line, make some easy layups and then the best time to shoot a three-pointer is off of an offensive rebound.”
