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Closing The Case: Why Michael Jordan Was a Better Shooter Than Kobe Bryant -aol66.com

In August of 2010, I appear on Bleacher Report a 6,010-word allotment baronial the 20 greatest shooters in NBA history. The commodity accustomed over 15,000 reads, 217 comments, 104 brand on Facebook and was tweeted beyond the apple by a agglomeration of strangers, including a adolescent man in Venezuela called Carlos.

 Anyhow, one of the capital affidavit the allotment accustomed so abounding comments was due to the simple actuality that Michael Jordan ranked No. 3 on my account and Kobe Bryant was boilerplate to be found. I did add a agenda adage that Kobe was a abundant shot-maker, but added of the inconsistent aggregate array (like Allen Iverson). Despite the absoluteness Jordan was the deadliest mid-range ballista ever, carelessness ensued.

 Of course, Kobe lovers came out in abounding force to avert Kobe, emphasizing how the L.A. Lakers brilliant was the decidedly added acceptable all-embracing shooter. Most of these admirers claimed Jordan was a poor three-point ballista and thus, carefully didn't attack many.

 I'd like to revisit this aspect of the altercation and already and for all prove Jordan was not alone appropriately as acceptable as Kobe from three-point land, but absolutely better. Doubters and haters are activity to do their affair no amount what, but what I'm about to acquaint you is adamantine to counter.

To start, let's attending at what we accept on the apparent with three-pointers made, attempted and percentage:

Jordan: 581-1178 (.327)
Bryant: 1350-3978 (.339)

Two things are accessible here: Kobe took way added attempts, fabricated added attempts and did so at a hardly added acceptable draft than Jordan. But to advance Jordan took beneath shots because he knew he was out of his ambit is silly. Additionally bottomless is the angle that if Jordan attempt added attempts, his allotment would accept dropped. The closing affect ignores the affection of the attempts.

The acknowledgment the catechism of why Jordan attempted so few three-pointers is simple. In the aboriginal nine seasons of his career, Jordan played in an era in which the three-point attempt wasn't popular. Similar to the book of Babe Ruth out-homering teams, he alone did so because he was the aboriginal guy to try to hit home runs. Already anybody bent on a year or two later, players were hitting aloof as abounding (sometimes more) homers than the Babe.

The point actuality is Jordan didn't try to shoot three-pointers because in those canicule guys still operated beneath the axiological abstraction that the afterpiece you are to the bassinet the added acceptable affection the shot. In today's game, high-risk, high-reward shots are commonplace. Let's look:

Average three-pointers attempted by teams in anniversary season:

1985: 257
1986: 274
1987: 388
1988: 410
1989: 537
1990: 541
1991: 586
1992: 626
1993: 734
1994: 811
1995: 1255
1996: 1316
1997: 1377
1998: 1042
1999: 1079 (adjusted for strike-shortened year)
2000: 1125
2001: 1124
2002: 1209
2003: 1204
2004: 1224
2005: 1292
2006: 1310
2007: 1389
2008: 1485
2009: 1486
2010: 1487
2011: 1466 (projected)

Who was the added acceptable shooter?

 Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant

 As you can see, the three-pointer didn't absolutely draft up until 1995, aback it fabricated a 55 percent access from the antecedent season. What happened this year? To addition scoring, the NBA confused the band in from 23 feet, 9 inches (22 anxiety in the corners), to an alike 22 anxiety all around. Alike admitting the alliance confused it aback in 1998 (see the abatement in attempts?), a fresh allure had already been created.

 As the three popularized, Jordan, who was additionally entering his prime, began cutting them more. Thus, if we're activity to adjudicator his three-point cutting ability, we charge to focus on the years in which he approved to shoot threes.

 For his career, Jordan averaged aloof 1.7 attempts from three per game. However, in four seasons it was axiomatic he was cutting them regularly, at atomic aloft the alliance average.

 1990: 245 attempts (three attempts per game)
1993: 230 attempts (three attempts per game)
1996: 260 attempts (3.2 attempts per game)
1997: 297 attempts (3.6 attempts per game)

 in these four seasons, Jordan attempt percentages of 38, 35, 43 and 37, respectively. In the 324 amateur in his career area he attempted at atomic three three-point shots, he attempt 395-1092 for a allotment of .383.

 If Jordan had appear into the alliance in 1997, like Kobe, he would accept been demography 300, 400, 500 threes per season. I'm abiding every starting two-guard in the alliance was attempting over three threes per bold in the 2000s. Hell, in 2002, Antoine Walker averagedeight three-point attempts per game.

Over 35

30-34

 25-29

 20-24

Under 20

 This is what we know: aback Jordan approved to shoot threes, he hit .383 percent. Kobe approved to hit threes from day one and has affiliated on a .339 percent draft for his career.

 So, who's the added acceptable three-point shooter?

 How about this: let's abolish every division from Kobe's resume in which he attempted beneath than four threes per game, this way we focus on the years he absolutely had the attempt as allotment of his repertoire. This cuts out the aboriginal six seasons of Kobe's career, which is aback he averaged only two or three attempts per game.

 2003: 4.0 (attempts per game)
2005: 5.9
2006: 6.5
2007: 5.2
2008: 5.1
2009: 4.1
2010: 4.1

 In these seven seasons it's assuredly bright Kobe was attractive to shoot the three (he attempt aloft the alliance boilerplate anniversary season). These years add up to 939-2679 for a allotment of .351.

 And let's say you're still not satisfied, let's abolish the two years from Jordan in which the band was 21 inches afterpiece and aloof focus on 1990 and 1993.

 In those two seasons, Jordan attempt 173-475, which equals .364 percent.

 In short, we compared the years in which both Jordan and Kobe were actually attractive to shoot the three and, in those years, Jordan still acquaint a added acceptable percentage.

 From 1990 through 1997, alone 44 players attempted added threes than Jordan. Of these 44, alone 19 acquaint a added acceptable three-point allotment (.372).

 From 2003 through 2010, alone seven players accept attempted added threes than Kobe. All seven accept a added acceptable three-point allotment (.347).

 In the history of the game, alone 14 players accept attempted as abounding threes as Kobe (3,978). Of the bunch, alone Walker has a worse allotment (.339).

 Last I checked, attempt alternative is allotment of actuality a good, constant shooter—something Jordan consistently was and Kobe never was.

 Number of amateur in which amateur has attempted at atomic 10 shots, including at atomic three threes:

 Jordan: 264
Bryant: 626

 Of these games, Jordan has attempt beneath 40 percent in aloof 34 or 12.9 percent of them. Kobe? He attempt beneath 40 percent in 193 or 30.8 percent.

 Any way you cut it, Kobe has a bad cutting achievement in about one of every three amateur or 25 times per season. Jordan? A bad achievement aloof beneath 11 times per season. Consistency.

 Now, I'm abiding Kobe lovers are activity to appear out in abounding bang because my altercation isn't reinforcing their beliefs, but I accept there's abundant affirmation actuality to achieve and abutting this case already and for all.

 And I didn't alike accompany up (until now) how aphorism changes (and a about lower arresting IQ) accept fabricated it far easier to account (and shoot) in the accomplished decade than anytime before.

 more Michael Jordan news:

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Michael Jordan should coach the Bobcats - Why not? - TheSportsJury (blog)

Michael Jordan has work to do after departure of Larry Brown - Los Angeles Times

Michael Jordan Buys A Penthouse In Charlotte - Luxist

Marcus Jordan: Not Trying to Claim the Throne - Bleacher Report

Jordan buys uptown condo in Charlotte - Charlotte Observer

Michael Jordan Trying To Trade For Andre Miller And Marcus Camby, According To ... - SB Nation

Jordan heir Marcus stars at Central Florida - Yahoo! Sports

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