The Peak of NBA Three-Point Shooting: A Comparison of Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Curry_Three-Pointers_Seasons_1

Three-point shooting ability has a crucial impact on a player's tactical role in the NBA and the level of "respect" they receive from opposing defenses. Excellent three-point shooting not only gives players more tactical options, but also attracts more defensive attention. Elite shooters face tremendous defensive pressure on the court, and only a few are able to consistently make three-pointers while surrounded by defenders. In NBA history, a total of 19 players have made at least 2,000 three-pointers in their careers, including legendary shooters Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Stephen Curry. So how many games did each of them need to reach this achievement? Let us take a detailed look back.

Reggie Miller: 1,077 games

Career three-point shooting percentage: 39.5%

Reggie Miller spent his entire 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers. Entering the NBA in 1987, he played during one of the league's most competitive eras. Although size and physicality were not his strengths, his outstanding off-ball movement, ball-handling ability and elite shooting touch helped him develop from a reserve player into an All-Star. Reggie averaged more than 20 points per game in multiple seasons, and his best single-season three-point percentage reached 42.9%. However, because the NBA relied less on three-point strategies at the time, Miller reaching more than 100 made three-pointers in 15 consecutive seasons was extremely rare. In particular, he set his career high with 229 made threes in the 1996-97 season and reached the milestone of 2,000 career three-pointers in the 14th season of his career.

Ray Allen: 824 games

Career three-point shooting percentage: 40%

Ray Allen's three-point shooting motion was regarded as "textbook standard," like a precision machine that always released the ball with the same form. His exceptional three-point ability came from years of daily training, especially after entering the NBA, when he combined various off-ball movement techniques and pull-up jump shots to display the qualities of an elite shooter. In his rookie season, his three-point percentage was already 39.3%, and it reached a career-high 45.3% in one season. During his career, Ray Allen broke the single-season record for 200-plus made threes five times. In the 2007-08 season, his 12th NBA year, he reached the milestone of 2,000 made three-pointers, and in 2011 became the all-time leader in made three-pointers at that time, until Curry surpassed him.

Curry: 597 games

Career three-point shooting percentage: 42.2%

Curry has taken three-point shooting to an extreme level, leading multiple NBA legends to believe that he changed the concept of the game. His career average of 9.4 three-point attempts per game and 4 made three-pointers per game are both the highest in history. He also led the league in made three-pointers for five consecutive seasons and became the first player in history to make 402 three-pointers in a single regular season. Although some questioned his physical strength, Curry created an NBA legend in his own way. He perfectly combined elite ball-handling skills with outstanding shooting ability, remaining a major threat to opponents whether with or without the ball. Under intense defensive pressure, Curry has still been able to create remarkable three-point shots. In the 2017-18 season, Curry reached the milestone of 2,000 career three-pointers in his ninth NBA season. In 2021, he surpassed Ray Allen to become the NBA's all-time three-point leader, achieving the historic milestone with his two predecessors watching. To date, Curry's total made three-pointers have reached 4,248, far ahead of Harden behind him. The record is expected to stand for more than a decade before future stars challenge it.