As the clocks in NBA cities struck midnight on July 1 signifying the beginning of the free-agent signing period, the much anticipated flurry of exodus was tempered a bit with reports that more than half of the free-agent class of 2010 appear to be sticking with their old teams.

Doc Rivers’ decision to return to the Boston bench and coach the Celtics for the 2010-11 season could cause a chain reaction – in a very good way. With Rivers back as coach free agents Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are likely to stay in Boston, keeping the core group that has reached the NBA Finals twice in the last three seasons.

So, who else is staying?

Dwyane Wade has publicly stated that he prefers to stay in Miami as long as the Heat upgrades their roster, and it appears that Pat Riley has lined up an impressive list of All-Stars to pair up with Wade in South Beach, beginning with Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.

Dirk Nowitzki opted out of his original deal, but this doesn’t mean he’s leaving Dallas. Sources say that Mavs GM Donnie Nelson is expected to meet with Nowitzki soon to begin negotiations on a new deal that would keep Nowitzki a Maverick for the rest of his career.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Rudy Gay has verbally agreed to a contract extension Thursday that would keep him in Memphis for the next five years.

Cavalier fans have been campaigning hard to keep Ohio’s favorite son, LeBron James, in Cleveland while other suitors such as the Bulls, Knicks and Nets keep tugging at The King’s robe in an attempt to lure him to their big cities.

Tracking the status of the top NBA free agents this summer (updates through July 1):

LeBron James
The biggest catch of the free-agent market met with New Jersey Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov and his buddy Jay-Z Thursday morning. The Knicks followed with their pitch to convince LeBron to move his empire to Manhattan. The Clippers and Heat are on deck for Friday, and the Bulls the Cavaliers have their appointments on Saturday. LeBron appears to be following through with his original plan of keeping his options open and hear what other teams have to offer. James says he’ll make his decision by July 5.

Chris Bosh
It appears the South Beach Summit was more for show than anything else. Bosh has told reporters that he doesn’t see himself and LeBron joining Dwyane Wade in Miami. Bosh says he wants to be “the guy” on his next team, and he seems a little insulted that he was being portrayed as the bottom end of a James-Wade-Bosh superstar triangle. However, it doesn’t mean Bosh can’t play with Wade in Miami. Other teams in the running are Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New Jersey and New York.

Paul Pierce
Pierce went through with his opt-out clause last night, but this could be just a formality for the Celtics captain and the ballclub. Pierce and the Celtics, the only team Pierce has played for in his entire NBA career, seem headed to the negotiating table and begin reworking a new deal that would keep Pierce in a Celtic uniform for a while, according to the Boston Herald. Pierce, who will be 33 next season, is looking for a long-term deal.

Ray Allen
Allen could get offers from other clubs and there’s still a slight possibility that he could play elsewhere next season. But the return of Rivers and Pierce, and a little more money love from the Celtics, should persuade Allen to come back to Boston.

Joe Johnson
The Hawks made their final pitch on Thursday to their All-Star guard to the tune of a six-year, $120-million contract. There are several reports that Miami Heat President Pat Riley will meet with Johnson, who is also expected to visit New York and possibly reunite with Mike D’Antoni, Johnson’s former coach with the Phoenix Suns. A week ago, Johnson was likely headed out of Atlanta, but this latest offer by the Hawks is too good to pass up. Money talks around the league, and the Hawks made it loud and clear that they are willing to overpay to keep Johnson in the ATL. It’s an offer Johnson can’t refuse.

Amare Stoudemire
According to ESPN’s Ric Bucher, the Suns tried to strike a last-minute deal with Amare prior to the beginning of the free agency period but both sides couldn’t agree on a contract. So now, Stoudemire is officially on the market and appears to be headed elsewhere. Mike D’Antoni would love to bring Stoudemire to New York and pair him with Joe Johnson to create Phoenix Suns East on Broadway. Stoudemire wants a maximum contract, but the only way he gets his max deal is if the Suns do a sign-and-trade. The Houston Rockets reportedly offered Shane Battier and Luis Scola to the Suns for Stoudemire.

Dirk Nowitzki
All signs point to Nowitzki re-signing with the Mavericks, the team that Dirk has played for his entire NBA career. Mavs GM Donnie Nelson is reported to meet with Nowitzki sometime Thursday to not only begin negotiations on a new deal but to also talk about how to lure other free agents to Dallas. Nelson says there is no backup plan if the Mavs don’t re-sign the 2006-07 MVP.

Rudy Gay
Yahoo! Sports has confirmed what the Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported that Gay is staying with the Grizzlies. Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that Gay has agreed to a five-year, $81.6-million contract, with the fifth and final year of the contract will be Gay’s option.

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Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen knocked down eight of 11 3-pointers against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

Ray Allen set an NBA Finals record for most 3-point shots made in a game. He made eight of them, and all of them barely hit the rim. It was the kind of night shooters dream about. Catch the ball, get your feet set, release, and … SPLASH! Those who can shoot know that feeling. Those who can’t? Well, you can at least dream about it.

Allen’s jump shot was so pure and wet on Sunday night that it looked like Staples Center was the backlot of a Hollywood movie set and Allen was reliving his role as Jesus Shuttlesworth in Spike Lee’s joint “He Got Game.” Though Allen made it look easy, it certainly wasn’t. Try making seven 3-pointers in a row from 23 feet in an empty gym without a hand in your face. It might take you all day. Allen drained seven in a row in the first half against the best team in the league at defending threes.

“There’s so much going on out there from great screens being set to misdirection plays, making sharp cuts, and offensive rebounds – that’s best time to get a 3-point up. I thought they did everything they could to keep me from shooting threes working tirelessly, but we were setting great screens and getting to my spots,” said Allen, who finished with 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting and was a blistering 8-for-11 from behind the arc.

“Starting the game off, you don’t want that first shot to be a 3-pointer. You want to work your way into the game. But if it has to be, it has to be. I try not to turn a shot down when I’m open for sure.”

And the Celtics are glad Allen didn’t turn down any of the 3-point looks he was given because Allen’s shooting exhibition was a big reason why the 2010 NBA Finals is now at 1-1.

Allen felt he never got a chance to make an imprint in Game 1 because he barely played, and he made sure things were going to be different in Game 2.

“The other night was frustrating. It was tough trying to adjust to the referees and I was watching from the sidelines. I just tried to root them on,” Allen said of his disappointing Game 1, a game in which he played only 27 minutes because of fouls. In Game 2, Allen played 43 minutes and was never in serious foul difficulty.

“Physically I felt great. I was getting to the spots that I need to, just never really got into a great rhythm,” Allen explained. “Tonight I was focused on adjustments to Kobe [Bryant] attacking, being in position before I could get back and help my teammates out. The bigs set great screens for me, [Rajon] Rondo pushed the ball in transition and we got a lot more fastbreak opportunities. We got stops so we were able to run.”

Allen and Rajon Rondo were instrumental in helping the Celtics build a 14-point lead in the first half, and even though the Lakers caught them in the second half it established a fast tempo the Celtics felt comfortable playing and didn’t allow the Lakers to set up their defense and pack the paint.

“Can’t say enough for what Ray did for us tonight, especially in the first half. He carried us the whole way,” said Rondo, who recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. “We played on our edge but Ray held us through it and took over the game. Me, personally, it was fun to watch. I was just trying to get him the ball.”

Allen added: “The ball bounced more in our favor. I think we had more activity in this game, we had more energy. We fought harder. There were a couple of threes where the ball bounced kinda funky and we ended up getting it. We fought and got those extra possessions this time, and early in the game we got into transition. I got a couple of threes early and nothing was rushed, basically.”

Boston tried to get Allen more looks in the second half, but the Lakers made the adjustment and held him to only three 3-point attempts in the last two quarters.

“They did a better job of guarding him,” Rivers said. “The start of the third quarter they were scoring. By them scoring that meant we were not running anymore, and we couldn’t get [Allen] in transition. We wanted to establish Ray and Paul coming out of halftime, and we got into the same pace the first six minutes of that third quarter that we were in Game 1. We were walking the ball up the floor and we lost our tempo.”

Boston’s starting backcourt certainly made up for the lack of productivity from their their frontcourt, particularly Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

Pierce suffered through a rough shooting night, going 2-for-11 and finishing with just 10 points. He did get to the foul line six times but most of them came in the first half. Garnett vowed to bounce back from a bad Game 1, but it got even worse for him in Game 2: six points, four rebounds and five fouls in 23 minutes.

“It was a team effort. A lot of guys stepped up,” said Pierce. “Obviously Ray had the shooting going for us all night long, so we had to play through him. Rondo had it going. If we had two guys who had it going then other guys can fill in and play their roles, and we feel like we give ourselves a chance.”

Thanks to Ray Allen, Boston now has a chance in this series.

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Pau Gasol (left) and Andrew Bynum (right) helped limit Paul Pierce (middle) and the Celtics to 1-for-10 shooting from behind the 3-point arc in Game 1. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

They stopped dribble penetration. They protected the paint. They rebounded the heck out of the ball. They took charges. They put a hand in the face of every shooter. They got to loose balls. And they took away the other team’s air space and made it a very uncomfortable night.

If you think I’m referring to the Boston Celtics you are dead wrong. As it turned out, the L.A. Lakers were more physical, more disruptive, more determined and more active than the Celtics in Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Finals. These were definitely not your 2008 L.A. Lakers. In fact, these are not even your 2009 L.A. Lakers. They’re better.

The Lakers simply looked far superior than the Celtics in their 102-89 victory on Thursday night to take a commanding 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Commanding? Yes. Commanding. Why? Phil Jackson is 47-0 when he wins Game 1 of a series. That’s why.

If the Lakers can sustain their defensive pressure for the rest of this series, it is going to be extremely hard on the Celtics to score points.

Paul Pierce scored 24 points but it wasn’t an easy 24 as he struggled against Ron Artest’s vice grip D. Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins looked overmatched against Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, as the Lakers’ big men dominated the Celtics on the boards. And Rajon Rondo couldn’t push the tempo fast enough to get easy layups and was stuffed a few times when he did try to get to the rim. Defense, defense, defense. That was the theme of Game 1, but it was the Lakers who displayed more intensity and tenacity – two things the Celtics are known for and two reasons why they beat the Lakers in the ‘08 Finals.

“The Lakers were clearly the more physical team today,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “I thought they were more aggressive. They attacked us the entire night and we didn’t handle it very well. I’ve always thought that the team that is the most aggressive get better calls. That’s just human nature.”

The Lakers claimed they learned their lesson from ‘08, and they certainly showed it by playing hardball with the Celtics.

L.A. outrebounded Boston, 42-31, and completely took the Celtics apart on the offensive boards with a 16-0 edge in second-chance points. The Lakers were a plus-18 in points in the paint, a domination rarely seen done against a Celtic team that pride themselves in keeping teams away from the paint.

“I’m mean, they were,” Pierce said of the Lakers’ newfound toughness. “Look at the rebounding advantage, the blocks, and you look at the stuff that don’t even show in the box score if you watched the game. All the hustle plays. That’s all part of physicality.”

There must be an echo in the room because Ray Allen pretty much said the same thing. “We have to do a better job of keeping our paint tight,” Allen noted. “When they moved the ball, we didn’t suck in and close the gaps when they penetrated. We made them miss, but they got second chance opportunities.”

Artest set the table for the game when he scored a two-point takedown on Pierce 27 seconds into the game. It not only established a physical tone but it sent a message to the Pierce and the Celtics that the Lakers were ready to rumble.

“I expected it to be physical. He’s going to work as hard and he’s their defensive leader. I don’t know what else you want me to say. What are you looking for? I mean, he’s a good defender,” Pierce said of Artest, who was not part of the Lakers team that fell to Boston two years ago, along with Andrew Bynum.

“Obviously they’ve added some pieces,” Pierce said. “They brought Bynum back from a couple of years ago, added Ron Artest. They’re a seasoned team from a couple of years ago.”

The Lakers also held the Celtics to 43% shooting from the field and limited them to 1-for-10 from behind the arc. The Lakers took a nine-point lead at halftime and increased it to as many as 20 in the fourth quarter.

“We’ll go watch some film and learn from this. We’ll watch the tape and see what we can do a lot better,” Pierce said. “Obviously we can do things a lot better. We gave up 102 points and 48 percent shooting. We gotta do a better job of stopping the guards from penetrating, gotta do a better job rebounding the ball, and we gotta do a better job on Kobe Bryant. Everybody knows he’s going to shoot the ball, everybody knows he’s going to be aggressive so we gotta do a better job of getting the ball out of his hands.”

Though Bryant led all scorers with 30 points, it was Gasol who really did the most damage on the Celtics. The 7-foot Spaniard with the wingspan of a jumbo jet made eight of 14 shots, all from close range, scored 23 points and ripped down 14 rebounds. He was officially credited with three blocked shots, but it seemed like he altered 10 shots near the basket with his length.

Former TNT analyst and new Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins calls Gasol the most skilled big man in the NBA. I’m going to take it one step further and start calling Gasol the BEST big man in the NBA.

“I knew it was gonna be physical,” said Gasol. “This being our third consecutive final, we understand the nature of the game, we understand who our rival is, and you gotta compete and match that aspect of the game in order to be successful.”

Because the Celtics had no answer for Gasol and Bryant, the game became so one-sided that Lakers fans began chanting for “We want tacos!” midway through the fourth. If you haven’t been to Staples Center in L.A., whenever the Lakers hold the opposition to under 100 points, everyone in the building gets free tacos courtesy of Jack In The Box.

By the way, I find it really hilarious that Laker fans who paid somewhere in excess of $500-$1,000 for playoff tickets are craving for $3 tacos. I’m pretty sure everyone in the arena can afford to buy all the tacos they want.

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Boston’s three-headed monster, the one that has dominated the sporting landscape for the better part of this decade, is close to becoming extinct.

Last summer, the Red Sox stumbled out of the American League pennant chase and was forced to watch the hated New York Yankees win the World Series.

Then last month, the Patriots were eliminated by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild-Card round of the NFL playoffs and will have to watch the Indianapolis Colts, their AFC nemesis, play in the Super Bowl.

Now, the Celtics are waving the white towel faster than you could say “M.L. Carr!” losing 11 of their last 18 games since Christmas Day and recently got stung on national TV by The Black Mamba and the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Loyal fans in Beantown still claim that the window of opportunity to win championships is still open for their beloved teams. However, the one opponent you can’t overcome is Father Time and the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics have all fallen victim to his wrath.

The Celtics were one of the heavy favorites to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the season started, opening as a 2-1 pick to advance through the Eastern Conference playoffs and 4-1 to win the NBA championship according to BetUS.com.

But lately, the 2008 champs have begun to show some wear and tear, losing six of its last 10 games and, in a four-day span last week, the Celtics suffered a regular-season sweep by the Hawks, blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter against the Magic and lost at home by a point to the Lakers.

And to complete the cycle of bad luck, All-Star forward Paul Pierce, strained his left ankle against the Wizards Monday and is now day-to-day.

“Boston remains one of the most overvalued teams in the league,” said Covers.com experts Sean Murphy, who dropped Boston two slots from No. 6 to No. 8 in his latest NBA power rankings.

“They have done a fairly good job taking care of business against weaker opponents, but when stepping up in class, they’ve been awful,” says Murphy. “Those are the spots you really want to focus on if you plan on fading the Celtics.”

Head coach Doc Rivers said that his aging team needs to play with a sense of urgency. But if Rivers is pressing on the gas pedal now and building a ton of mileage in February, the Celtics could be running on empty come May and June.

“I can’t say that I see them as a championship contender this season,” Murphy said. “In my opinion there are at least three teams better than them in the East: the Cavs, Magic, and Hawks. Even the Raptors are making a push, and although they’ve struggled against the Celtics this season put them in a seven-game series and I think they would give them a run.”

Before the Celtics can begin to look ahead to playoff matchups they have some serious health issues that need to be addressed, mainly the status of Kevin Garnett. The 33-year-old All-Star forward has been in and out of the lineup the past two seasons and his troublesome right knee is about as stable as the U.S. economy.

Garnett is without question the linchpin that holds the Celtics title hopes. When he’s healthy, the Celtics have a championship swagger. But when he’s hobbling like Willis Reed, Boston becomes very vulnerable.

“I think this team really lost its momentum at the end of last season when KG went down and missed the playoffs,” Murphy explained. “Everything came together for them two years ago, and now they’re having a really tough time getting back their mojo, so to speak.”

Garnett has amassed more than 40,000 minutes during his 15-year NBA career. That’s more minutes than what Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and David Robinson each logged during their entire careers.

“KG has been around for a long time, and while he is still an elite player, I don’t think we’re ever going to see him play at the level he did earlier in his career,” Murphy said.

Ray Allen, the third cog of Boston’s Big Three, is struggling to match last season’s numbers. Through 46 games, the 34-year-old shooting guard is averaging 15.7 points per game (the lowest since his rookie year) and is making just 34 percent of his 3-point shots, the worst of his 14-year career.

Allen is a free agent after this season and, according to Murphy, there’s a good chance the Celtics are not going to bring him back next season.

Could this be the last time we see Boston’s Big Three wearing the Celtics uniform?

“They’ve already gotten their rings and I think you can clearly see that this is the beginning of the end for the star trio in Boston,” Murphy said.

This article also appears on Covers.com.

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Even though there are still 79 games on the schedule, the Boston Celtics have posted three impressive victories thus far.

The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers on opening night 95-89, and their last two victories have been blowouts. They limited the Bobcats to 59 points and took apart the Bulls 118-90 on Friday night. That’s 101.6 points per game while limiting the opposition to a paltry 79.3.

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce continued their torrid shooting against the Bulls, a carry-over from the epic seven-game series between the two teams last season. Pierce was 5-of-7 from threes (22 points) and Allen was 2-of-3 (20 points).

But that highly competitive series is a thing of the past and the Celtics made sure to send a statement to the Bulls that this Celtics team is far different from the one that struggled against them in the postseason.

For one, Kevin Garnett is back and, so far, the bum knee that sideline him in last season’s playoffs is not an issue. New Celtics Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels have also bolstered the Boston bench.

Coach Doc Rivers says he wants to monitor Garnett’s minutes this season to ease him back to health. Well, Rivers hasn’t had to extend KG too much with these one-sided games as the Big Ticket has played less 30 minutes per game.

I know the NBA title can’t be won in the first week, but the Celtics are off to a great start and it’s hard to ignore that.

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Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are shouldering too much of the burden on offense and defense for the defending world champions. (THE BOSTON GLOBE)

Something is definitely wrong with the Boston Celtics.

Though the defending NBA champs are still a major driving force in the East, the Celtics’ high-powered engine is beginning to leak and their once tireless energy on defense is showing some wear-and-tear. Coach Doc Rivers also hinted the team is severely missing two key cogs from last season’s championship run: James Posey and P.J. Brown.

Both were outstanding bench players during the 2008 NBA playoffs, and their absence has exposed the Boston bench and forced Rivers to rely more on Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, who is beginning to show signs of fatigue.

Garnett may not admit it, but he’s not the same player. The effort and the intensity is still there but KG’s offense has fallen dramatically and his rebounding has become just average. KG still wants to push forward, but his gas tank is running close to empty.

To compound matters, The Big Ticket recently got punched out of the lineup when he injured his knee against the Denver Nuggets. He will be sidelined two to three weeks.

The loss of KG, coupled with the way the bench has disappointed this season, GM Danny Ainge rolled the dice by acquiring point guard Stephon Marbury and forward Mikki Moore. Instead of adding younger legs to an aging roster, Ainge took on two old individuals who know nothing about winning.

Marbury’s selfish acts are well documented. He’s all about himself. When he arrived in New Jersey, the Nets got bad. When he was traded to Phoenix, the Suns became average. When he landed in New York, the Knicks went into the tank.

Moore is a journeyman who has never played for a contender. His best years were spent in Sacramento when the Kings were far removed from playoff picture.

The loss of Posey – who signed with New Orleans during the offseason after Ainge refused to sign him to a longer deal – has had a more dramatic impact on the Cs. Boston was hoping 6-1 guard Tony Allen would stem the loss of the 6-10 forward, acting as the Celtics’ sixth man. But Tony A. has been a huge disappointment. He has struggled from the field all season and, for someone who is known for his defense, Allen has not been able to impose his will on that end of the court. Last season, Posey gave the Celtics solid defense and timely shooting off the bench.

Brown is retired and seems perfectly satisfied with one championship ring on his finger. Boston’s small front line could definitely use Brown’s size and experience (6-11, 255) in the interior, something 6-6 Glen “Big Baby” Davis and 6-6 Leon Powe will never be able to provide. Big Baby and Powe are both overmatched inside and neither is capable of stopping the other team’s post player.

Though he has vastly improved his offense this season, starting point guard Rajon Rondo is far from a finished product. Rondo is still limited offensively, relying too much on that one-handed runner. It will also be interesting to see how he responds to having Starbury in his ear (as if the kid from Kentucky does not get enough lip service from KG, Doc and Pierce).

After starting the season 27-2, Boston is only 17-11 since and 1-3 against its two main competition for the Larry O’Brien trophy: Cleveland and the L.A. Lakers.

If the Celtics wish to return to the NBA Finals, their bench will need to play better and take pressure off The Big Three. The question is, “Are they capable?” We’ll soon find out.

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Michael Jordan's greatness was on display against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

Larry Bird, Hall-of-Famer and three-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, once said that a true basketball “assassin” is someone who is not afraid to shoot when the game is on the line. Bird explained that it is easy to shoot a potential game-winning shot when the game is tied, and the worst thing that could happen is overtime. But, it takes a truly special individual to be able to knock down shots when your team is behind and the final shot will determine the outcome of a game.

Very few players in the world have that sniper’s mentality. Jerry West had it and so did Reggie Miller. Magic Johnson was not a sniper like Bird, Miller or West but the Magic Man always found a way to make that all important basket.

Steve Kerr and John Paxson are not Hall-of-Famers, but their shooting prowess are legendary. Both have had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of ending an NBA Finals series with one shot. Chuck Person called himself “The Riffleman,” not for carrying a concealed weapon but for being able to shoot down the enemy from long range. Isiah Thomas looked like a choir boy, but everybody sang the same sad tune when the leader of the Motor City Bad Boys delivered one of his clutch moments.

But the top gun in the history of the Association is and always will be Michael Jordan. If you poll the entire league on who should take the last shot to win a game, Jordan would be on top of that list. Jordan did in college. He did it numerous times during the NBA’s regular season. And he has delivered the fatal blow in the NBA’s biggest stage – the playoffs. His legend grew with each game-winner. The shot over Craig Ehlo in 1989 runs on a loop in the NBA video archives. The Jazz were on the receiving end of two devastating Jordan moments. He secured a Game 1 Bulls victory over the Jazz with a pull-up jumper over Bryon Russell in 1997. Then, in probably the greatest series-clinching shot in NBA Finals history, he drove right, gave Russell a love tap, rose up and buried a cold-blooded shot down the throat of 18,000 screaming Jazz fans in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Now that’s a true NBA assassin.

Joel Huerto, editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net, examines the best current crop of NBA assassins who are not afraid to pull the trigger when the game is on the line – especially in the playoffs. Here are the 10 best clutch shooters in the NBA:

10) HEDO TURKOGLU (aka “The Michael Jordan of Turkey”) – You think the Orlando Magic missed Turkoglu? The man who essentially replaced him in the starting lineup, Vince Carter, shot 36% in the 2010 Western Conference finals against the Boston Celtics and averaged just 13 points a game. Last season, Turkoglu was the catalyst of an Orlando team that upset the Celtics at TD Garden in Game 7. Turkoglu is 6-foot-10 point-forward who can create his own shot and make big shots in the fourth quarter.

9) JAMES POSEY (aka “The X Factor”) – TNT’s Kenny Smith calls him the “New Robert Horry,” which is probably the highest compliment you can give an NBA role player who has two championship rings. It takes a special player to come off the bench and deliver in the clutch. Posey is the ultimate “hired gun,” someone who knocks down the competition from anywhere on the court and for anyone who is willing to pay for his services. As a member of the 2006 Heat bench, the former Xavier Muskateer buried several critical 3-pointers during the Heat’s championship run, including the dagger into the hearts of the Dallas Mavericks during the waning moments of Game 6. Posey did it again in 2008, this time for the Celtics. He was the catalyst in the Celtics’ come-from-behind victory in Game 4 at Staples Center and his championship experience rubbed off on Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

James Posey, right, shot down Lamar Odom and the L.A. Lakers during the 2008 NBA Finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

8) STEVE NASH (aka “The Canadian Hero”) – Nash may have lost a step in the open court but his shooting eye has not deserted him yet. In fact, Nash is shooting better than ever, even better than his MVP days. Nash is at his best in transition when he can pull up for a 3-point shot or find open teammates on the wings. The only thing missing on Nash’s resume is a trip to the NBA Finals.

7) MANU GINOBILI (aka “Euro”) – He proudly wears and carries the flag of Argentina but … he looks like a Euro, plays like a Euro and smells like a Euro. Therefore, he’s all Euro! They even invented a name for his favorite basketball move: The Euro Step. It’s the one where he runs straight at his defender and then changes direction with one cross-over step to avoid a charging call. The Euro Step is the hottest move in the Euroleague. All the kids a doing it. Manu is the only Euro who is not afraid to be a hero. Most international players (i.e. Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol) tend to soften up in the playoffs, but not Ginobili. Tim Duncan may be the heart and soul of the San Antonio Spurs, but Ginobili is the oxygen that pumps air into the Spurs’ championship hopes.

6) CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (aka “Mr. Big Shot) – He earned the moniker “Mr. Big Shot” with his big-game heroics when he was a Detroit Piston. The Pistons went to the Eastern Conference finals six consecutive times because of Mr. Big Shot. Since Detroit shipped him over to Denver, the Pistons have become a lottery team while the Nuggets have become a power in the West.

5) DWYANE WADE (aka “The Flash”) – Former Miami Heat teammate Shaquille O’Neal gave him the nickname because of his uncanny ability to get to point A to point B in a flash. He nearly became a flash in the pan with an injury plagued 2007. But after going back to the lab with renowned trainer Tim Grover, D-Wade got back to elite status in a hurry. His coming out party came during the 2004 playoffs when Wade (then a rookie) dropped a floater in the paint over Baron Davis at the buzzer.

4) RAY ALLEN (aka “Jesus Shuttlesworth”) – Whether it is on the hardwood or Hollywood, Ray-Ray is a prime-time player. He set an NBA Finals record with eight 3-pointers in Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Lakers. His performance in “He Got Game” may not have earned him an Oscar, but how many NBA superstars can hang with Denzel Washington? In Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers, Allen sized up Sasha Vujacic, got to the rim and scored on a left-handed layup over Pau Gasol to ice the game and the series for the Celtics. ABC commentator Mark Jackson said this on the air: “Ray Allen says I want to play one-one-one with Vujacic…and it’s time to dance! This is for all the marbles.”

3) DEREK FISHER (aka “D-Fish”) – Fisher is one of the physically and mentally toughest players in the league. Lakers coach Phil Jackson says he never worries about Fisher because he trusts that he will always make the correct play. Fisher’s career is defined by three moments: 1) his game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2004 playoffs; 2) his inspirational return to a playoff game in Utah the same day his daughter had emergency eye surgery in New York; 3) and his two clutch 3-point shots in Game 4 against the Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals.

2) PAUL PIERCE (aka “The Truth) – When the game is on the line and the Celtics need a big shot, they turn to The Truth for answers. Time and time again, Pierce has delivered for Boston and has earned the reputation for being a big-game player. He is a fearless competitor who has the entire repertoire of shots. He can stick the 3-pointer, create his own shot, get to the free throw line and has one of the best mid-range games. The 2008 NBA Finals MVP also saves his best for last, as in the fourth quarter. His performance in Game 7 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the ‘08 Eastern Conference semifinals and his game-winning shot in Game 5 against the Chicago Bulls in the ‘09 Eastern Conference semifinals are prime examples of his ability to rise to the occasion.

1) KOBE BRYANT (aka “The Black Mamba”) – A black mamba can strike in rapid succession. That’s Kobe Bryant. He can kill you off the dribble with either hand, he can post you up, he can posterize you, he can drop a floater in the paint, he can cross you over, he can pull up for a mid-range jumper (something 90% of the league can’t do) and he can step back and stick a 3-point dagger into your heart. Basically, if you are a defender, all you can do is pray he misses, which does not happen very often. Suns coach Alvin Gentry calls Kobe “the best player in basketball,” and it’s not even close.

Kobe Bryant is the most feared player in the NBA when it comes to late-game heroics.

A Sports Illustrated poll was taken in 2008 to rank the most feared players in the league. Kobe was rated No. 1. Michael Jordan always told his Bulls teammates that if they can keep the game close for three quarters he can win it in the fourth. Kobe operates the same way. If the Lakers can negotiate a game for three quarters, Kobe will most likely close the deal in the fourth. He did it six times during the 2009-10 regular season, and three of them were at the buzzer. LeBron may be the two-time reigning MVP, but Kobe has four championship rings and working on No. 5.

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