Ray Allen expects to make every shot. That’s the mentality of one of the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history.

When Allen got the ball with seven seconds left and Miami down by three to San Antonio in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the basketball gods must have been smiling on the Heat because they couldn’t have picked a better player to take the most important shot of the season.

”If there’s one guy that you want the ball to be swung to on a situation like that it’s Walter Ray Allen,” Heat forward Shane Battier said. ”After years of doing that to us, it was great to be on the right side of that for once.”

After LeBron James missed his 3-point shot, Chris Bosh grabbed the rebound and quickly kicked the ball out to Allen. He calmly backed up behind the line and confidently swished the game-tying, season-saving trey with 5.2 seconds left, sending the game into overtime.

“When I saw [Chris Bosh] get the ball, I just backpedaled right to the 3-point line and I was hoping I was where I needed to be,” Allen said. “But I wasn’t quite sure where I need to be, but just from years of shooting I got to my spot.”

Allen’s shot didn’t win the game but it will go down in Finals history as one of the greatest. It certainly gave the Heat a second life and, at the same time, sucked the life out of the Spurs — who held a five-point lead with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Miami went on to win in overtime 103-100 to set up a monumental Game 7.

“It’s gonna be a shot that I’ll remember for a long time,” said Allen, who holds the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a career. “There’s a lot of shots that I’ve made in my career,” Allen said. ”But this will go, you know, high up in the ranks, because of the situation. Just from the way that last minute and a half unfolded it wasn’t looking good for us.”

The Spurs have to be kicking themselves after Tuesday night. They had the championship in the bag if they just made one more free throw and grabbed one more rebound. But, as Allen said, luck was shining on the Heat’s side.

“Bad. Very bad,” said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who had a rough shooting game and had eight turnovers. ”It’s a tough moment. We were a few seconds away from winning the championship and we let it go.”

Allen said the shot itself wasn’t all that difficult because he had done it a thousand times during games and in practice.

“It’s tough but believe it or not I work on it quite often,” he said. “I try to put my body in peculiar situations coming from different parts on the floor, different angles. It wasn’t unfamiliar to me. When it went in I was ecstatic, but at the same time I was expecting to make it.”

Ray Allen is a mild-mannered guy so it takes a serious hit to get him riled up. But Allen was furious Monday night when J.J. Barea knocked him down to the floor, and the Miami Heat guard told NBA TV that he didn’t like the way Barea came at him.

“I thought it was a bush-league move by Barea,” said Allen, who immediately got up from the tackle to confront the Minnesota Timberwolves guard. “I don’t care who you are in the league you have to defend yourself. You play the game the right way, and that’s why I try to do throughout my career. He got ejected for due purpose.”

”It just came out of nowhere,” Allen said. ”I was dribbling down the floor, it was a play where he kind of chucked me a little bit and knocked the ball away. I got it back and drove and he just leveled me. I thought it was uncalled for. There’s no place for that in this game.”

Officials initially ruled it a Flagrant 1, but changed the call upon reviewing it, eliciting strong protests from Barea and Wolves coach Rick Adelman, who also picked up a technical foul. Adelman was furious after the game, alluding to an incident two weeks ago against Golden State in which Wolves center Greg Stiemsma was hit in the chest by a forearm shiver from Jarrett Jack, but was given a Flagrant-1 and allowed to keep playing.

”I just have one question I want to ask the league,” Adelman said. ”Why is that a Flagrant-2 foul tonight and the other night Jarrett Jack hit Stiemsma in the stomach with a forearm that that was a Flagrant 1? I would just like to know the difference. That changed the whole game.”

The Allen-Barea confrontation did change the momentum of the ballgame. Unfortunately for Minnesota, it was all Miami Heat after all the pushing and shoving.

Barea was jawing at Allen as he left the court and said he expected the league to change the call.

”I’ve been playing in the NBA for seven years,” Barea said. ”I get hit harder than that every night. I don’t get up crying and want to fight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

So, I turned 41 on Wednesday and decided to give my two cents on the NBA season thus far. Here are some of my observations:

— The Lakers surprising 1-4 start. Not the kind of beginning fans and basketball gurus expected, but there a lot of new players in Los Angeles and assistant head coach Eddie Jordan is installing a brand new offense. The Princeton offense is similar to the triangle offense as it relies on a lot of motion and passing. The only players really familiar with the Princeton offense are Kobe Bryant and Steve Blake. Bryant has looked good so far, especially shooting the ball (he’s shooting just under 60%). He’s cut down on the crazy 3-pointers he attempted last year.

Blake played in Washington (2003-2005 when Jordan was the head coach). Blake’s more familiar with the offense than Steve Nash and it showed when Nash was playing. He seemed lost out there. Maybe, this will give Nash time to watch and learn the system so he’ll be ready when he returns. But, it’s also clear the offense needs to be tweaked a little so Nash can get out and run, doing what he does best.

— The Houston Rockets. James Harden may have cooled off a little from his great start the first 2 games, but he’s still averaging 30.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists per game through four games. He’s making an argument that Oklahoma City was crazy to trade him. There’s a very good chance he’s a contender to lead the league in scoring since he’s going to get the chance to be the face of the Rockets franchise. Jeremy Lin has also showed some reason for Houston to be optimistic after signing Lin and Omer Asik in the offseason. Lin is averaging 13 points and seven assists in running the offense. Asik has shown that he has a voracious appetite for cleaning up the boards with 14 rebounds per game. They might have struck out on getting Dwight Howard, but maybe Daryl Morey knew what he was doing.

—Ray Allen signing with Miami. Allen was accused of being a Benedict Arnold after leaving Boston, but many said he was washed up and the Celtics were better off. Well, well. What a difference a few regular season games make. Allen has played very well off the bench for the Heat and is a serious candidate for sixth man of the year if he can continue this all season. He’s averaging 14.2 points and getting a lot of open looks at the basket.

Rashard Lewis has also been another shrewd signing by the Heat that got better after winning an NBA title, something not many champions can do. Lewis is averaging 9.6 points and can give them an interesting lineup with him either at power forward or center in some lineups with the starting unit. He can stretch the defense with his outside shooting.

— The Dallas Mavericks playing well without Dirk. The Mavs missed out on Deron Williams and Dwight Howard over the summer, but their backup plan was to sign second-tier players to short-term deals. The signings of Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo have given them a younger and more athletic backcourt. Mayo is averaging 21.6 points and Collison has given them 16.2 points and 7.2 assists. Jason Kidd was a mere afterthought on offense last season for Dallas. And it has paid some early dividends as they are off to a 4-1 start without their best player.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at: djroxalot@hotmail.com

The Boston Celtics had the Miami Heat on the ropes last postseason when they nearly pulled off the upset. The Celtics held a 3-2 series edge, but lost the final two games and the Heat advanced to the NBA Finals.

The loss to Miami forced Boston to make some changes in the offseason, cutting ties with Ray Allen and upgrading the bench. On Wednesday, the Celtics reportedly signed guard Leandro Barbosa to a one-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum salary.

Barbosa has played for three teams in his career, most recently with the Indiana Pacers. He is still just 29 years old and can be a fine addition to the Boston bench. He has averaged 12.5 points per game, and played in 588 games during his nine-year NBA career.

Boston seems to have cornered the market on combo guards — they also added Jason Terry, one of the best sixth men in the league. The Celtics also have Avery Bradley, who will start the season rehabbing from surgery on both shoulders. They also brought in veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee.

To be honest, signing him surprised me a little bit. They have Rajon Rondo, a top-five point guard, and once Bradley heals they will have five guards deserving playing time. I guess they feel like having too many is better than too few. Barbosa gives the Celtics a guard who, even though undersized at 6 feet 3, is capable of playing both backcourt positions. He has made his reputation as a penetrating guard who likes to take it to the rim and score in the paint. Think of a poor man’s (or a homeless man’s) Allen Iverson.

Adding Barbosa doesn’t make them the favorites in the Eastern Conference, but it definitely gives them a lot of depth and helps increase their chances of being able to possibly beat the Heat in what should be a great rivalry.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at: djroxalot@hotmail.com

Deron Williams returned to the Nets, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard are headed to Hollywood, and Jason Terry is moving from Dallas to Boston. The 2012 NBA offseason had plenty of franchise-altering moves — most of which benefited the major markets. So much for competitive balance. Some teams did better than others (ahem! Lakers), while most stayed above the fray and maintained status quo. OneManFastBreak.net highlights the winners and losers:

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Mitch Kupchak locked up executive of the year with his two monumental moves this summer. He pried Nash from the Phoenix Suns (a division rival) to give Kobe Bryant the best point guard he’s ever had. Then, he shocked the basketball world by acquiring the best center in the world without giving up all-star Pau Gasol. With Nash, Kobe, Ron Artest, Gasol, and Howard, the Lakers have easily the best starting five in the NBA and arguably the greatest starting five in basketball history. The Lakers’ Fab Five are armed with two league MVPs, two defensive players of the year, and the most skilled big man in the game. Even at age 38, Nash is still a terrific playmaker and he’ll make sure Gasol and Howard will get their touches on the offensive end. The Lakers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs mainly because their offense faltered and did not execute. Nash will step into the role of offensive coordinator and he’ll instantly make the Lakers a lethal offensive team. Howard adds to the Lakers’ great history of dominant centers, joining Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, and Shaq.

[VIDEO: DWIGHT HOWARD TRADED TO THE L.A. LAKERS]

BOSTON CELTICS

Boston reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2012 despite a gimpy Paul Pierce and a hobbling Ray Allen. Priority No. 1 in the offseason was to bring back Kevin Garnett. The Big Ticket re-signed with the Celtics, assuring he’ll retire a Celtic, and then general manager Danny Ainge added more firepower on offense by signing shooting guard Jason Terry, a member of the Mavericks’ 2011 championship squad. Terry addresses a major issue for Boston: scoring. He’ll help the Celtics avoid long scoring droughts with his ability to create his own shot and not have to depend on point guard Rajon Rondo to feed him the ball off screens. Terry can also serve as a backup point guard, giving head coach Doc Rivers more flexibility on offense.

BROOKLYN NETS

Deron Williams was arguably the biggest catch of the summer, and he was the first to decide where he wanted to play. Williams re-signing with the Nets gives the Brooklyn franchise a centerpiece and a name on the billboard of the team’s brand new arena. But Williams won’t be alone on that billboard. All-Star guard Joe Johnson was acquired from Atlanta, giving the Nets a studly backcourt combo and plenty of firepower. The team also re-signed power forward Kris Humphries to bolster its frontline. Now, if the Mikhail Prokorov can convince Dwight Howard to join the Brooklyn party then the Nets will be the biggest winner of the summer.

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Daryl Morey caught a lot of flak for letting Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry, and Luis Scola leave town without compensation and then signed Jeremy Lin to a $25-million contract. On the outside, it looks like the Rockets are throwing in the towel. But if you look closely, Morey is fielding a team that is cap-friendly. Lin is going to be The Man in Houston, picking up the Asian fan votes vacated by Yao Ming. Lin should fit in nicely in Kevin McHale’s free-flowing, pick-and-roll heavy offense, and that’s likely the biggest reason why he chose Houston over New York (oh, the $14.8 million on the third year of the deal ain’t bad either).

The Rockets are cleaning house for the right reasons. First-round draft picks Jeremy Lamb and Terrence Jones are very good young players, and they should figure into McHale’s rotation from the start. The Rockets’ offseason is a perfect case of addition by subtraction.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Ever since Allen Iverson left town, Philly fans have been craving for star. Enter Andrew Bynum. Bynum gives the Sixers their first significant low-post threat since Moses Malone and he immediately turns the Sixers into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. He’s arguably the second-best center in the NBA and, at 24, his ceiling is so high he has only begun to scratch the surface of the roof. Bynum, who won two championships with the Lakers, will be The Man in Philadelphia and his big body (7 feet, 290 pounds) in the paint will alter the way the Sixers play on both ends. Joining Bynum in Philly are free agents Jason Richardson, Nick Young, and Dorell Wright.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

When Deron Williams announced his decision to stay with the Nets instead of joining the Mavericks, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweeted this gem: “Russian 1, Cuban 0.” That, of course, is in reference to the Nets owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, getting over Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who was hoping to lure Williams to play in his home state of Texas. The Williams decision had a domino effect in the Mavs’ plan. Dallas’ all-out-effort to land Williams made Kidd a little leftout. Nobody likes to be second choice, so Kidd chose his own path by signing with the Knicks. But Kidd wasn’t the only Mavs guard to defect. Longtime Maverick Jason Terry, a member of the team’s 2011 championship team along with Kidd, is taking his talents to Beantown and join the Celtics. So, if you’re still keeping score, it’s now Free Agency 3, Cuban 0.

CHICAGO BULLS

The only good news this summer for Chicago are the improving health of Derrick Rose coming off knee surgery and the return of Kirk Hinrich, a big piece of the Bulls’ resurgence in 2008. But take away the Hinrich signing and the Bulls have had a nightmarish offseason. Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, John Lucas, C.J. Watson, and Omer Asik are all gone. All five were important cogs off the Bulls bench. Korver was arguably the Bulls’ best player in the fourth quarter, while Brewer and Asik are very good defenders. Lucas and Watson are not all-star players, but they both did an admirable job in Rose’s absence. Continuity is a big part of a championship team, and the Bulls are basically starting over with an entirely new bench unit (Marco Belinelli, Vladimir Radmanovic, and rookie point guard Marquis Teague) for the 2012-13 season. Belinelli is nowhere near the shooting Korver is, and Radmanovic is not someone you want guarding LeBron James — or any small forward for that matter — in the fourth quarter.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Phil Jackson calls the New York Knicks a “clumsy” team, and the Knicks tripped over themselves this offseason by not getting Nash. Then the Knicks made a bold move by signing veteran point guard Jason Kidd. The former Mavericks playmaker could turn out to be a better option because Kidd won’t mind running Mike Woodson’s isolation offense. Then the Knicks signed Raymond Felton, which was a little bit of a head-scratcher considering Felton was grossly out of shape last season and now he’s being rewarded for his unprofessionalism. The Felton signing basically forced fan favorite Jeremy Lin out of the rotation, and now New York enters the season the same way they left it — too many players playing the same positions. Lin was a cash cow for the MSG network and time will tell if Lin fans will keep following the Knicks.

ORLANDO MAGIC

In his letter to Magic season ticket holders, CEO Alex Martins wrote: “We look forward to this next chapter of Magic basketball and remain committed to our mission: To be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way.” Hmm. In order to win a championship, you must first qualify for the playoffs and, without Howard, Orlando will be far from being a playoff contender for the next few years. Martins and general manager Rob Hennigan were put in a tough spot. Howard made it clear that he wanted out of Orlando, but Martins and Hennigan failed to get the right deal. Sure they got some draft picks, but those won’t matter unless they’re lottery picks. It took Orlando nearly a decade to recover from the breakup with Shaquille O’Neal. When Howard came along, he made Orlando love basketball again. After eight years of basketball bliss, L.A. swoops in and breaks Orlando’s heart yet again. It’s like losing another girlfriend to the same guy 16 years later.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

There are some quality players available this summer for those teams that have money under the NBA’s salary cap and here is one jabroni’s opinion on the top talent available:

1-Kevin Garnett

KG played well in the postseason and showed that he can still bring his A game when needed. For the first couple rounds of the playoffs, he was the NBA’s possible postseason MVP.

2-Gerald Wallace

He has decided to opt out and test the free agent market. Wallace is an excellent defender that can also provide 15 points per game to a team that needs a third or even a fourth option on offense. And he will get paid.

3-Chris Kaman

He might be often injured, but he will be in demand. That’s for sure. When DeAndre Jordan signed a four-year contract worth $12.8 million per season before last season, this assured Kaman will get a very similar deal since he is a better offensive option at center. Kaman would be a very nice fit on a team like the Boston Celtics that need a legit center in the low post.

4-Kris Humphries

Humphries isn’t a top 5 PF, but he averaged just under 14 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. He is a solid option that would be a seamless fit for a lot of teams. If the Indiana Pacers hadn’t signed David West last year he would have been a perfect fit on their team. Some team will be very happy with a very good young player.

5-Goran Dragic

Talk about a player that took advantage of an opportunity. Dragic averaged 18 points and eight assists per game in 28 starts when Kyle Lowry got injured. He is a good ball-handler, passer and a solid outside shooter.

6-Spencer Hawes

A lot like Humphries, he isn’t a top-five center, but he is a top-10 center in the NBA. He reminds me a lot of a younger Brad Miller. He’s a good rebounder and passer, a solid scorer and an improving defender.

7-Ray Allen

He can still shoot and would be a solid fit on the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls.

8-Nate Robinson

He probably isn’t a starter for most teams, but he provides a lot of energy and scoring off the bench.

9-Brandon Bass

Bass decided to opt out to test the free agent market after a solid season in Boston where he averaged 12 points and six rebounds.

10-Antawn Jamison

His starting days might be numbered, but he’d be an excellent sixth man on a contending team that needs instant offense on their second unit. You wouldn’t want to bring him in to start because he tends to be a chucker, but a very viable option as a backup.

Others that are available are:

Andre Miller

He is a steady influence as a PG and could play late into his career like Jason Kidd has. His game isn’t built on speed and quickness, but rather intelligence and smart basketball play.

Leandro Barbosa

A solid scoring presence off the bench, but he is slowing down a bit.

Carl Landry

Undersized tweener forward, but he gets the most out of his talent and plays hard. He hustles and provides a lot of energy off the bench.

Darren Jacks is contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Email him at djroxalot@gmail.com.

With 28 seconds left in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Miami Heat had a double-digit lead and the Boston Celtics were running on fumes. Celtics coach Doc Rivers knew it was time to wave the white flag and pull his starters off the court.

‘We had nothing left,” Rivers said. ”That’s how it felt, as a coach . . . But overall, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a group like this.”

There was a lot of emotion on the Celtics’ sideline as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo headed for the bench. Garnett and Rivers shared a poignant moment as the two men hugged it out while time ticked away on what could be the final time Boston’s Big Three — plus Rondo — will ever wear Celtic green.

In the five-year era of the “Big Four” — or the Fantastic Four, whichever you prefer — the Celtics posted a 69% winning percentage during the regular season, won five Atlantic Division titles, made three trips to the Eastern Conference finals, reached the the NBA Finals twice, and raised one championship banner.

That one NBA title will be the signature moment for the Fantastic Four, but the group also left a lot of titles on the table because of injuries, trades, and one freak elbow injury to Rondo in the 2011 playoffs.

“I wish we had a healthy run. This team won a title, got to another one lost in Game 7 [against the Lakers in 2010] where they had a shot to win. Got to the Eastern Conference final one game away on the road banged up,” Rivers said. “Because of really Kevin’s injury I don’t know if we could have gotten any more out of the group. I would have loved to have seen this team in this whole stretch where Kevin was injury free.”

The injury Rivers was referring to was the knee injury Garnett sustained during the 2008-09 season, which knocked him out of the playoffs and it took KG a full season to completely recover from it.

It is not a certainty that general manager Danny Ainge will break up Boston’s Fantastic Four but, because of age and expiring contracts, it will be very difficult to keep the nucleus of the Celtics with Garnett and Allen becoming unrestricted free agents this summer.

The group knew all season long, especially during the playoffs, Who knows what next season could bring.

Boston battled injuries all season, all the way to the end. Allen said he’ll need surgery soon to repair bone chips in his right ankle. Pierce has been playing through a sprained knee ligament.

It all hurt. Nothing hurt more than the final buzzer Saturday night.

”It’s probably the worst feeling that we feel, in our lives, in our careers,” Allen said. ”There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s one team that wins that last game. We want to be that team every year. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve won a lot of games. At the end of every season, it always feels like it’s it.

”This one hit me hard,” Allen continued. ”We wanted it so bad.”

Allen fought through a painful ankle injury for much of the playoffs while Pierce played through a banged up knee. Garnett, 36, had a resurgence in the playoffs and looks like he’s got a couple of good years left. Rondo and Pierce remain under contract so they’ll be back. There is a strong possibly that Garnett will return to Boston, but Allen seems to be headed into free agency.

The loss of Allen won’t hurt as much because the Celtics have Avery Bradley and Mikael Pietrus to plug in his spot. Losing Garnett, however, would be devastating.

“Well, [Kevin’s] been everything for my career,” Pierce told ESPN Boston. “Just his locker room presence, his desire, his determination, his leadership. I’ve said it before, when Kevin first got here, he really changed the culture of everything we did around here — from the practice habits to on the court, just the discipline. He made everybody accountable, from the ball boys to the chefs to the guy who flew the plane. Everybody was accountable.”

Pierce continued: “It was tremendous to just have him around. The culture he brought — it would be great for me to end my career with Kevin. I have a couple years left, and who knows what his future’s going to bring. Hopefully management can do something to bring him back, maybe add some pieces to this team, that we need, to get over the top. If not, it’s been a tremendous run.”

There’s a commercial running on ESPN and NBA TV during the playoffs showing Ray Allen launching countless jumpers. He takes shot, after shot, after shot but the elbow stays the same. The message: unbroken habits lead to broken records.

That motto is the very reason why Allen is considered the best 3-point shooter in NBA history. His form is immaculate and his confidence never wavered. And now you can add resilient and tough-minded to his resume.

After a pitiful performance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in which he scored just six points and was 1-for-4 from behind the arc and missed four of his seven free throw attempts, the Ray Allen of old has resurfaced and the Celtics have erased an 0-2 deficit in this series and are now two games away from reaching the NBA Finals.

“With him it’s just balance. When you have a bad foot, ankle or anything your balance is off and you could see that in Ray. The ball is going left a lot. He’s one of the greatest shooters of all time. Ray is gonna try to figure it out, we’re gonna try to figure it out,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of his shooting guard, who is nursing a sore right ankle. It’s an injury that forced him to miss 17 of 22 games in one stretch this season.

Prior to Game 2 of the conference finals, Allen made just 13 of his 43 field goals and 6-for-28 from 3-point range. Both are far below his standards. He’s a career 45% shooter from 3-point range and nearly 90% from the free throw line.

“It’s real simple — health,” said former Orlando Magic sharp-shooter Dennis Scott, who now works as an analyst for NBA TV. “We know Ray is not 100 percent. You look at his career you know he’ll knock down wide open shots, contested shots. But you don’t see the spring, you don’t see the bounce, you don’t see that rhythm we’re used to seeing Ray Allen has.”

Brent Barry says Allen’s injury is not only affecting his shot but it is impacting parts of his game. “He went 3-for-7 from the free throw line [against Miami in Game 1]. He hasn’t missed four three throws in a game since 2006. He’s gotta get it going, otherwise Doc is gonna have to go elsewhere and do other things.

“But Ray is going to fight through it. He’ll be there early and often, hopefully he gets going.”

Allen has gotten it going again, scoring 13 points (including a huge 3-pointer) in Game 2, 10 in Game 3 and 16 in Game 4. The Celtics were able to win two of the last three games in the series because Allen’s shot has significantly improved and it has opened up the floor for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo. Allen was 4-for-11 from behind the arc in 46 minutes Sunday in Boston, a game the Celtics badly needed to win to put a little heat on Miami and guarantee at least a Game 6 in Boston.

President Barack Obama has recently announced that he is launching the Obama Classic Basketball Game. The game is set to feature more than two dozen NBA players, including superstars such as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, and Orlando Magic Center Dwight Howard.

The game, set to take place on Dec. 12 in Washington D.C., will also feature Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics, and many others. There is no word whether the game will be televised on ESPNor elsewhere yet. According to the CS Monitor, tickets for the Obama Classic will price from $100 to $5,000, all of which will go towards the Obama Victory Fund, a combined fundraising effort between the Democratic Party and Obama’s re-election campaign.

The news of The Obama Classic comes in the middle of one of the most heated labor disputes in National Basketball Association history. But the lockout may be ending soon as the league and the players have tentatively reached a new collective bargaining agreement. There is much paperwork needed to be done, but Commissioner David Stern expects both sides to agree to the deal and open training camp on Dec. 9.

Two weeks ago, the NBPA and the hardline NBA owners couldn’t seem to agree on a new labor deal, which forced the players to unanimously dissolve their union and restructure it into a Trade Association.

Doing so set the stage for the two antitrust lawsuits that have been filed against the owners of the NBA in the name of the players. The two lawsuits, which had been filed in the Northern District of California and in Minnesota. However, attorney David Boies, who had been hired to represent the players, recently decided to consolidate the two lawsuits into one, which will be heard in Minnesota.

The listed plaintiffs for the newly consolidated case includes Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, Steve, Nash, Baron Davis, and others. The owners have yet to officially respond to the lawsuit, though David Stern did hold a conference call with each of the owners, and also described the lawsuit as a waste of time. However, Boies stated at the time that after giving concession after concession, the players had no other choice.

— Home page photo courtesy of US Presswire

Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller’s NBA record for most 3-pointers in a career. Allen now has more than 2,800 3-pointers in his illustrious and soon-to-be Hall-of-Fame career. However, despite having the distinction of being the NBA’s all-time 3-point king, is Ray Allen the best pure shooter in the game today? Moreover, where does Allen rank among the all-time great pure shooters in NBA history? There’s sniper from the Bay Area who may have an argument. Let the debate begin.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the 10 best pure shooters in NBA history. Editor’s note: As much as we’d like to include Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Pete Maravich, Kobe Bryant or even Dirk Nowitzki on this list, they’re more great scorers than pure shooters. A pure shooter is someone who is more about quality than quantity. They don’t need to dominate the ball to have a major effect on the game. They often rely on screens and excels in an offense that highlights ball and player movement. Pure shooters can also stretch a defense with their ability to make jump shots from beyond 23 feet. And they can go for long stretches without touching the basketball, yet when given the opportunity they rarely miss. #snipers

10. Drazen Petrovic
It is unfortunate that Petrovic died at 28. The basketball world only saw a short trailer of the Croatian sensation’s made-for-TV career. Petrovic was a natural-born shooter and his impact in the NBA, even though it was shortlived, was undeniable. His game blossomed after he was traded from Portland to New Jersey, instantly becoming the Nets best scorer. His range was unlimited, and he oozed with remarkable confidence for someone who was totally out of his element. During the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Petrovic was the only player who stood up to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the U.S. Dream Team.

9. Glen Rice
You want “Minute Rice” or “Instant Rice?” That was the question posed by Glen Rice to teammate John Salley before the start of the 2000 NBA Finals. It’s not boasting when you own one of the sport’s deadliest jump shots. The man used to be known as G-Money was a pure gunner who never took a shot he didn’t like. Once Rice got off the team bus, he was open. He was an absolute sniper. His range was unlimited and his form was almost perfect. It was a stunner whenever he missed because it seemed like every shot he took looked good coming out of his fingertips. Rice averaged more than 20 points per game six times during his career, and drained 1,559 3-pointers.

8. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic was drafted in the first round in the 1996 draft by the Sacramento Kings, one of Geoff Petrie’s major draft gems. His 1,760 3-pointers ranks in the top five all-time and is a 40% shooter from behind the arc for his career. Peja’s incredible shooting was one of the reasons the Kings were one of the best scoring teams in the NBA from 2001-05. He’s made more than 100 threes 10 times in his career – 240 in 2003-04 with the Kings, 231 in 2007-08 with the Hornets. He’s currently a key contributor to the Dallas Mavericks as a sniper off the bench. At 6-foot-9, Stojakovic is a shooting guard in a forward’s body, which allowed him to shoot over any defender. He loved to drift to his left side to set up his jump shot, a step-back move that became his signature shot.

7. Kyle Korver
There are only three players in the NBA’s top-10 list who shot the 3-ball better than 40 percent: Steph Curry (43%), Ray Allen (40%), and Kyle Korver (43%). Korver has made more than 2,200 threes in his 15-plus NBA career. Korver’s best years came with the Atlanta Hawks. He set a then-NBA record by hitting a 3-ball in 127 consecutive games until Curry obliterated that mark. Korver doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot off, and he is nearly automatic on the free-throw line. Korver led the NBA in 3-point percentage four times and holds the record for highest 3-point percentage (53% in 2009-10).

6. Chris Mullin
The former collegiate star from St. John’s University wasn’t fast nor flashy and wasn’t blessed with great athleticism. But he made his living by perfecting a deadly baseline jump shot, a smooth left-handed stroke that would enable him to last 16 years in the NBA and amassed almost 18,00 points. A member of Golden State’s formidable trio “Run TMC,” Mullin averaged more than 20 points six times in his career and shot 86% from the free throw line. When the 1992 Dream Team was being constructed, Mullin was called to provide the greatest team in basketball history some much-needed outside shooting. He averaged 12.9 points, which was fourth on the Dream Team.

5. Klay Thompson
Anyone who doubts the son of former Los Angeles Lakers standout Mychal Thompson belongs on this list should watch Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference playoff series between Golden State and Oklahoma City. That was the night when Klay almost single-handedly kept the Warriors’ season alive with a shooting exhibition for the ages. Klay swished an NBA playoff record 11 treys and scored 41 points in an elimination game on the road. The out-of-this-world performance cemented Thompson’s place as one of the game’s best long-range shooters. Chris Webber said it best: “All heart and will.” In December 2016, Thompson did something that may never be duplicated. He scored 61 points on just 11 dribbles and held the ball for just 90 seconds. Talk about efficient.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09AqpNPiZ8g

4. Reggie Miller
Most Indiana Pacers fans were scratching their heads when Miller was chosen by the team in the 1987 NBA draft, especially when Indiana’s favorite son, Steve Alford, was still on the board. Well, more than 25,000 points and 2,560 3-point shots later, the Pacers were left satisfied with their pick. Miller basically invented the art of running off defenders on screens. To do so, you had to be in tremendous physical condition, which he was. Miller worked extremely hard at his craft. He was always one of the first players in the gym shooting jump shots. He also was one of the league’s best trash talkers, and he backed up his big talk more often than not (see Reggie Miller v. Spike Lee at Madison Square Garden, 1994 NBA playoffs).

3. Ray Allen
In terms off work ethic, very few in the game has worked harder than Ray Allen. Even during the twilight of his career, Allen remained one of the best-conditioned athletes and never seemed to run out of gas. Allen had incredible endurance and leg strength. Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton were extremely fit during their primes, but Ray Allen blows both of them away. Allen has taken the art of running off screens from Miller and enhanced it with his own style. Allen also has a unique shooting stroke because his release is uncanny and hard to teach. He may have one of the quickest shots in the sport, a shot so smooth and compact that it is almost perfect. The defining moment of Allen’s NBA career came in the closing moments of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals as a member of the Miami Heat. Allen sent the game into overtime by knocking down a corner 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. That 3-pointer changed the course of history. It propelled the Heat to their second straight championship, while denying Tim Duncan and the Spurs a title.

2. Larry Bird
In terms of technique or statistical achievement, Bird is not on par with his constituents. For his career, Bird was only a 37% shooter from 3-pointer range and never made more than 98 in one season. His career total of 649 doesn’t even crack the NBA’s top 100. Heck, J.R. Rider (667), Rodney Rogers (690) and George McCloud (920) made more threes than Bird. However, when the stakes are at its highest and the lights are at its brightest, very few can compare with Bird. Larry Legend saved some of his best shots during the postseason, helping the Celtics win three titles in 1980s. Adding to his legendary legacy, Bird was also legendary during All-Star Weekend. He won the 3-point contest three straight years. One time he didn’t bother to take off his warm-up jacket. That’s Larry Bird for you. He won’t wow you with stats or amazing highlight plays, but he is a pure assassin when it’s money time.

1. Stephen Curry
Wardell Stephen Curry is redefining shooting guard position. Yes, folks. He’s really a shooting guard masking as a point guard. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry could very well be the greatest basketball sniper we’ve ever seen. His resume speaks for itself. He holds the record for most 3-pointers made in a single season (402), and he has led the NBA in 3-pointers made five times. He also has remarkable range and accuracy. He can pull up from 25-feet or beyond with relative ease. He has never shot below 42% in a season from behind the arc and he shot 45% during his record-breaking season in 2015-16 when he shattered his own mark by hitting 116 more threes. NBA legend Jerry West said Curry is changing the way we look at the game. Throughout the history of basketball, the game was played inside-out. Winning the battle under the basket usually translates into championships. But Curry and the Golden State Warriors are shattering that mold. The 3-point shot has gone from a desperation move to a powerful weapon. Today’s basketball analytics say 3 beats 2 every time, and more and more teams are subscribing to that strategy. Steph has not only become the face of the NBA but he is setting the bar for a new generation of ballers.