If you are going outside the Rocks, then it has to be Pistol Pete or Larry Bird. Otherwise, Murph all the way.
A pure shooter is a guy that doesn't miss if left open. He is automatic. Rice is a great shooter but he is not automatic. Murph could probably win the three point competition now if he was eligible. The guy made people go "uh oh" when he was left open and got the ball.
Calvin Murphy. As short as he was, he seldom got blocked because he had the quickest release I've seen. For a guard who took 15 shots a game (Mobley, in comparison, averages 14 shots a game), a 48% career average was stunning. For those who say he couldn't shoot long shot. It was true but it was because they didn't have the 3-pt shot during Murphy's prime. There was no incentive to shoot long shots, if you could consistently get off your midrange J in those days.
Calvin Murphy 3pt FG stats vs Rockets' leader in attempts. 79-80: 1-25 (.040) vs 73-221 (.330) Rick Barry 80-81: 4-17 (.235) vs 12-51 (.235) Rudy T. 81-82: 1-16 (.063) vs 33-86 (.384) M. Dunleavy 82-83: 4-14 (.286) vs 42-175 (.240) A. Leavell Murph. did not have the range! BTW, in 79-80, Murph scored 20 pt/ gm, 80-81 (16.7), 81-82 (10 pt), 82-83 (12.8 pt). Second leading scorer in 2 of those yrs.
Check the stat I gave on previous post about Murphy's 3 pt shooting. You must not have seen Rice in Charlotte either. One year he shot some 47% 3pt FG.
What the frick?!?!?! The definition of a pure shooter? What the hell are you talking about?! "Good range...At least 20ft, or better..." What the....!?!?! Let me explain something to you. From 1970 to 1979 there was no such thing as a 3 point line. In technical terms, that means that you took shots from anywhere on the court. Where does it say that Murphy didn't take shots at 14, 20, 23, 16, 10, 21? There is no stat. HE shot. The ball when in. Plain and simple. But course you just say, "I don't recall Murphy taking shots beyond 18ft..." Oh, boy! How convenient for you to lose your memory just to suport your point! You penalize Murphy because there wasn't a reason to shoot from 23ft out? They were all worth 2 points (before the 3 point line). Remember, from 1970 to 79, there wasn't someone keeping track that Murphy wasn't close enough to your imaginary 20ft line. Show me a shooting guard today that can hit shots INSIDE 20ft that also averages 50% FG percentage? NONE!!! Remember, there was no LINE to get a references point. You just had all this free space out there to take your shot. And 49% of the time, Murphy's shots just WENT IN! Plain and simple. "At least 20ft..." Give me a freaking break! Murphys took shots from everywere on the court, with GIANTS in his face! Some say that Murphy is really 5'8", not 5'10". The fact of the matter is, even if you let guards shoot within 20ft today, they'd still not averge 50% FG percenage. That's unheard of today! And good luck finding a guard, period, that shoots 50% AND 20PPG! You are penlizing Murphy because he never had a reason to use the 3 point line in 1980+. Why shoot ONE 3 pointer, when he could score THREE 2 pointers in a row? That was just his style. The 3 point line was a new feature of the game. It wasn't that important to him to use it. Today it's overused by guys that have no busines shooting the three, those of which can't hit 45% from inside the line in the first place. So, if you are going to penalize Murphy for not shooting from your IMAGINARY LINE, then I'm going to penalize guards today for not shooting 50% from INSIDE 20ft. In 73-74, Murphy averaged 20ppg, at 52% FG percenage. In 77-78, Murphy averaged 25ppg, at 49% FG percenage. In 80-81, Murphy averaged 95.81% FT percenage (single season record). Oh, and I don't *recall* Murphy DUNKING the ball to pad his FG% stats! And I guarantee that Murphy took more shots from beyond 18ft compared to the amount of times he dunked (never). Point blank. They guy was a "pure shooter." You have the convenience to redefine what a "pure shooter" is, 20 years later. As far as Rice. He wasn't a Rocket in his prime. So he doesn't count. He'd be at the top of my list, next to Murphy, Steve Kerr, Chris Jackson, Dale Ellis, and Reggie Miller (non-Rockets).
Free played a total of 58 games for the rockets and shot less than 41% that season. I don't think that qualifies. j
Exactly, where is the talk about Eddie Johnson...do you people forget the old flash intro to this site already.
Cool it David, U sounded like Calvin in disguise! But since you don't remember his stats well, you must be just a nut of a fan like me. Check the stats I showed on the 4 yrs Murph played with the 3 pt line. It is really not convenient for me to lose my memory. I watched Murphy played countless games but that was 20+ yrs ago, I just do not remember him taking long range shot. I was proven right with the stats on his 3 pt shooting, wasn't I? I didn't redefine pure shooter. There is no way anyone can claim to be a pure shooter without the range. Beyond the point of the thread ... Murphy is on the top of my list of Rockets. That little guy was an incredible shooter at medium range. He would curl around picks all day long. Catch and shoot in a fraction of a second. Or he would take 2 quick dribbles and let it fly. He was not afraid to take the ball closer in either. Within 5 ft of the basket, he had this little running, floating, half jump shot, half hook shot released quickly from the top of his head that would swish thru the net. Hey, I don't disagree with u. Murphy was a tremendous player. He just did not have the range!
Whoever chose Robert Reid as the best pure shooter in ROX's history is out of their mind. Reid was a borderline bricklayer. Not to mention that he has an all time ugly release. If you are going to comment on ROX's history, you need to know something about it. Daaaaaaa!!!!!
Thank you, I was still pretty young when he was playing but I remember that guy had the ugliest shot. I was actually surprised to see he shot a fairly good percentage during his career. Purvis Short was a nice shooter but and Mike Woodson another nice shooter were in decline with the Rockets.
Otis Thorpe! Seriously though...best shooter that never played for the rox: Tracy Murray! Go ahead...try and prove he ever played for the rockets, I dare ya! Never saw Murph play as I started watching in the Dream era when I was in Junior High so I have to go with Purvis. Don't know if he was the best shooter...just the prettiest! World B. Free had the best name! One question before I submit, maybe someone could answer. When did Kenny become "the Jet"? Never heard him referred to as the Jet until I saw him as a broadcaster. I'm surprised that a guy who was such a quiet passive player became such an outspoken broadcaster. I thought it was funny when 'Nique was on and he was saying how there wasn't enough room for the both of them in Atlanta...
DavidS, bro, you just earned some bball respect from me (as if that means anything... ) chris jackson (mahmoud abdul-rauf) was one of the alltime great pure shooters in the nba &/or ncaa. he, to this day, is my alltime favorite college bball player. he was absolutely unstoppable. that, and he has the #1 quickest release i've ever seen. it's just a shame the nba blacklisted him. but that's another topic altogether. i'm just glad someone else remembers how good of a shooter cj was.
I saw your stats. And I knew someone was going to point them out before you even posted... What you are saying is that because he came into the league without a 3 point line, never had a chance to develop the long range shot, had no range because of it, thus he can't be concidered a pure shooter? You have to put yourself in his shoes, as a rookie. Tell me. What is the incentive to shoot 23 ft shots in 1970? Please. I want to know? From your list, only M. Dunleavy "had range" at 38%. Great shooter? As far as today... You are confusing a pure shooter, with a 3 point specialist. A specialist, that doesn't do anything except stand at the 3 point-line and shoot 3s all day. It's a learned skill. You practice it, 1000 shots a day. Over and over and over and over. From all around the 3 point line. It's learned. Murphy never had an incentive to learn it until he career was almost over. I think you need to talk to Calvin one day before/or after a game. He'll give you his point of view and maybe you can understand the concept of shooting skill. It is, what it is. It's a developed skill, with practice. Remember. It's all about the perspective of the time (70's). Calvin Murphy 3pt FG stats vs Rockets' leader in attempts. 79-80: 1-25 (.040) vs 73-221 (.330) Rick Barry 80-81: 4-17 (.235) vs 12-51 (.235) Rudy T. 81-82: 1-16 (.063) vs 33-86 (.384) M. Dunleavy 82-83: 4-14 (.286) vs 42-175 (.240) A. Leavell
Kenny "was" the Jet before his Rocket Years. Kenny competed in a slam dunk contest I forget which year. I wrote this in another thread, Kenny had a Nike Air Force commerical with Super Dave Osborne while playing in Sacramento. He would do his dunks and then Super Dave gets on a catapult and it slams him into the backboard. No one seems to remember that.
