Got to hand it to Rolan Beech of 82games.com.  I completely agree with most intelligent fans - stats cannot tell you who the best player is, who the best defender is, or even who the best team is.  Some things just come down to watching the game and getting that feeling in your gut.  Even then, the chances of everybody agreeing on these topics is is about as good as Perkins nailing a game winning 3 pointer.

But some things can be proven with stats.  One of those, is shooting ability on game winners.  Here, Roland Beech studies game winning shots from the past 5 full regular seasons and playoffs, plus this year so far.  His most noticeable findings?  Ray Allen is clutch.  Like, really clutch.  And Kobe Bryant.... well.... isn't.

http://82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

Some excerpts:

Game Winning Shot Opportunity = 24 seconds or less left in the game, team with the ball is either tied or down by 1 to 2 points.

Way to go Ray...

Ray Allen is in third overall but also leads in most 3's made under our game winning defined situation specifics, with eight three pointers. Long live the NBA's arguably best pure shooter (Ray also currently leads the NBA in Midrange 2pt FG%).

Keep shooting Kobe...

...and then we get to Kobe Bryant. Kobe fans don't like to hear it, but while their man is #4 in the league in total game winners hit, he holds the top spot in a less glamorous category: most game winning opportunity missed shots!

42 - Kobe
35 - Vince Carter
33 - Joe Johnson, LeBron
32 - Crawford
31 - Billups

Now we're not Kobe haters by any means and I will readily give him his due as one of the best NBA players (note however, I didn't say the best) but he certainly has an overblown reputation when it comes to the clutch shot: people remember the ones he hits, but not the ones he misses, and heck you think a 56 FGA to 1 assist ratio might be part of the problem?

Bumped to the front page.  Great job Big Ticket!  -Green17

Tonight KG makes his return to the Target Center.  To a building that had millions of fans go through the turnstyles during 12 memorable years, almost invariably to see one man above all else.  To a state whose basketball interest and livelihood mostly lied in the palm of his hands.  KG returns dawning a new jersey, new teammates, and with a new type of passion and outward expression of emotion that Wolves fans painfully watched slowly drain from his face starting in early 2005.   Yet as far as most Minnesotans and transplanted Timberwolves fans are concerned.... Kevin Garnett is still ours.

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