Who’s Better: Ray Allen Or Reggie Miller?

You might’ve heard, but earlier this year Ray Allen passed over Reggie Miller to become the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history. It was an odd moment. We’ve all grown up on NBA Films, NBA Entertainment and the truth or myth (depending on who you ask) that Miller was the greatest shooter in NBA history.

Then something else happened, something else even more awkward. Earlier this year, Miller wasn’t voted as a finalist for this year’s Hall of Fame class. Very odd.

Was the myth of Reggie Miller greater than the player? Some might say yes. We don’t necessarily agree. But we think one thing we can all agree on is that Ray Allen is on that elite level. To determine which shooter was the better player, well that is an entirely different argument all to itself.
We argue. You decide.

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Ray Allen
What separates a Ray Allen from a Reggie Miller in the realm of “who is better?” Both have their place in history and have done very similar things throughout their respective careers. Of course they have similarities (shooting) that make this argument appealing, but the reality is their differences are what make Allen a vastly superior player at the end of the day.

In his prime, Allen was an elite athlete that could break down the defense with regularity; most people today forget when he was Jesus Shuttlesworth. He was crafty with the ball, elusive and always had the threat of shooting over the defender, so in his younger years, Allen was a great all-around scorer. As an athlete, Allen was much stronger and faster than Miller ever was. You could never put Allen in a box and label him a one-dimensional player.

Speaking of offense, Allen was (and still is) a better passer and team player; he played within the offense with regularity. Allen did not need to shine. He was at his best as a second or third option for his career, experiencing limited success as “the best player” while on the Sonics. With the Bucks and currently with the Celtics, Allen was able to exploit matchups and take over a game as needed. Playing with the likes of Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell or with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce really showed the value he brings to a team.

That factor hurt Miller through his playing years; he and the Pacers both saw him as the best player on a championship team. In reality he was a lot like Allen: if he was moved down to a lesser role, he could have maximized his effectiveness on the court. Allen was able to sacrifice ego to help team success. He went to three conference finals and two NBA Finals, winning that elusive title that escaped Miller throughout his career.

Defensively, neither have much to brag about, Allen and Miller were both never respected as defenders and for the most part rightfully so. But in Allen’s case, he seemed to raise his game and play defense at a very high level when the situation called for it. He will never be known for this, but he has defended Kobe Bryant tighter than anyone else during his career. Bryant has been the best offensive player in the NBA for over 10 years and Allen is one guy that seems to know how to make him work harder for buckets than anyone.

So who is better you ask?

In his 14 years in the NBA, Ray Allen has eclipsed or matched everything Reggie Miller was able to do in 17 years. He is the better athlete, more complete offensive player and has the ability to step up in the clutch to defend. Sure Miller had more theatrics and rivalries with Hollywood celebrities; Allen just wins and continues to cement his place in NBA history.
-KRISTOFER HABBAS

Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller represents everything that is out of line, unorthodox and not meant to be in the world of basketball. He’ll throw a choke sign at Spike Lee, in New York nonetheless. He’ll jack up a quirky jump shot that seems to go in every time that it really, really counts. And he’ll be the second-best basketball player in his family — to his sister Cheryl.

And in his prime, I’d still take Miller over current Boston Celtic Ray Allen.

Their career postseason numbers fall in the same lines — about 20 points per game and around 40 percent from three-point range. Here’s the kicker though: Miller holds 15 postseason appearances to Allen’s soon-to-be-eight. Allen, at 35, doesn’t have many more gracious years left. So when it’s all said and done, there’s a reason Miller will end with more postseason games on his resume.

After his first two years in the league, Miller had one season — that comes to three out of his 18 seasons — of missing the playoffs. Surely having guys like Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose and Rik Smits helped his cause, but it was Miller who defined a successful Indiana Pacers franchise for nearly two decades.

On the other side of the argument is the completely opposite character of Ray Allen, who always does it the traditional, picture-perfect way. There’s his mechanically-beautiful jumper, his Jesus Shuttlesworth movie looks and his stone-faced coolness that has, by the end of the year, only made the postseason in what will be eight times in a 16-year career. That’s making the playoffs only half of his career, for anyone counting.

And even when he makes the playoffs, Allen’s usually not the main man like Miller. He’s been part of two trios dubbed the “Big Three” with Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson in his early Milwaukee Bucks years and now the Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett trifecta (not to mention Rajon Rondo of course).

Though Allen has a ring to show for it, would that have been the case had he needed to deal with Michael Jordan‘s dominance in the Eastern Conference, as did Miller in his era? Doubt it.

The greatest part about Miller’s success comes in how he did everything against convention, never afraid of running his mouth in the big moments and never afraid of taking over the final minutes of a playoff game. I’d take that over the guy whose jumper couldn’t be questioned and who was never good enough to be the unquestioned rock of an NBA team.

Sure, Allen is a great teammate, broke Miller’s three-point shooting mark this season and could possibly be on his way to another championship. But for every success in Miller’s career, it wasn’t only what he accomplished, but how he accomplished it. That’s more than Allen can say.
-KEVIN ZIMMERMAN