Start/Bench/Cut: Elite Shooters Edition

Oh hell yes. Remember when life was terrible because there was no basketball on so the only thing you could really do was have subjective NBA Twitter debates? Well now that the season is over we're back baby. This time we're talking about some of the best shooters to ever walk the earth. After going over everything I am happy to report I haven't lost my touch with these things, I nailed this order. Like with most of these questions, if we're going to talk about someone's "peak" we have to establish what season that actually was. You should know the drill by now, first we look at every player's individual case and then we wrap up with the order. Let's hit it.

Klay Thompson

2015-16 Season: 22.1 points / 3.8 rebounds / 2.1 assists / 47% FG% / 42% 3P% with 3.5 3PM / 112 Ortg / 107 Drtg

For me, Klay's best season has come in 2015-16. You know, the year they won 73 games and the same year we had Game 6 Klay. Here's the thing when you talk about Klay compared to the other guys in this exercise though. He's not the #1 option. His averages and usage rates are not going to compare, but if there's one thing we know it's that Klay was money in this season. Did you know he's never had a season in which he shot under 40% from three? The best current catch and shoot player in the league in my opinion, this was also true during that 2015-16 season. You also weren't getting a guy that was a complete negative on the defensive end. 

Ray Allen

2005-06 Season: 25.1 points / 4.3 rebounds / 3.7 assists / 45% FG% / 41% 3P% with 3.4 3PM / 118 Ortg / 116 Drtg

Ray Allen is a tough one, because the guy almost had two separate peaks. There's MIL Ray and then SEA Ray. It really depends on what you consider his peak. Is it the version that was dunking on everyone in sight while also knocking down threes? Or was it his best statistical season. I went with the SEA version. It was the highest offensive rating season of his career, the second highest point average, the second highest 3PM average, and he did it while still being efficient. The only downside is it came in his age 30 season. He was a different player to some degree than he was while he played in MIL. The one knock here is the defense was pretty non existent. In fact, it was the highest Drtg he had of any season in his career. 

Reggie Miller

1989-90 Season: 24.6 points / 3.6 rebounds / 3.8 assists / 51% FG% / 41% 3P% with 1.8 3PM / 124 Ortg / 113 Drtg

There is no doubt Reggie Miller put the fear of god into your hearts if things were close. He's one of the more clutch players and clutch shooters the league has ever seen. People hate on him now because of his TV shit, but the man was a problem in his day. I went with his 3rd season, the first in which he made the All Star team, as his "peak" at age 24. This was what I felt was the best version of Reggie Miller. He had his highest scoring average while shooting over 50% from the floor and 40% from three, it was one of his highest Ortg seasons, and the defense was somewhat respectable. I wouldn't call it "good", but it was passable. Remember, this dude went toe to toe with Michel goddamn Jordan. Reggie was a dude who was not afraid of the moment and proved he could put a team on his back when needed. He also had that awesome poster when I was a kid of him taking a jump shot while floating in the clouds. You know what I'm talking about? I loved that poster as a kid.

So, what's my final order? 

Start: Ray Allen

Bench: Klay Thompson

Cut: Reggie Miller

Here's my rationale. I'm starting peak Ray Allen because he might be the best shooter I've ever witnessed with my own eyes. I get the same if not better playmaking than Reggie while also putting up the same shooting production as Klay. I can live with Ray running things for me offensively. I bench Klay because he's the best defender of the group, but is sort of limited. We just haven't seen him do much besides catch and shoot. He's not the playmaker that the other two are, but there is no denying his shooting ability. I want my bench guy to be solid as a catch and shoot option and Klay does that. Which means I have to cut Reggie. It's not easy, but there's nothing he provides that I already don't have covered. I can't cut Klay and roll with Allen/Miller, you'd get killed defensively. So peak Klay has to make it. Even if you think he's fallen off a little on that end recently, remember we are talking about these guys at the peak of their powers. 

That's my order. Noe you can call me mean names on the internet if you want, but you then also have to give your own order and explain why.