Ray's crazy slump from three since game 2

[Drucci]

Remember the eight 3 pointers Ray hit in game 2, setting a Finals record? And when he went 0/13 from the field and 0/8 from three in game 3?

Well, Ray is in an incredible slump from three because he has missed his last 18 attempts from three!! Which means he hasn't hit a three since his last one in the 3rd quarter of game 2.

Ray is shooting 37% from the field and 27% from three in the Finals.

I thought he did a good job attacking the rim in game 4 and playing the midrange game in game 5. But it's really surprising to see how much Ray struggles from three, especially after that breakout performance.

Kudos to the Lakers' D for keeping him in check from three, but even with that good D, Ray got a lot of open looks in the last 3 games and he couldn't hit any (even when he was wide open on fastbreaks).

So, what do you think? Do you have an explanation for that slump? I thought Ray would bounce back after 3 days of rest in game 5 but it didn't happen, he went 0/4 from three. But how can the greatest shooter of all time lose his stroke just like that and miss so many 3 pointers in a row?

Anyway, I think the good sign in that slump is that despite Ray's abysmal performance from three point land, we're up 3-2 and have a chance to close out the series Tuesday in L.A. Los Angeles, where Ray hit his last 3 pointer of the Finals... my guts tell me Ray is due for a breakout game and that he will probably find his stroke back where he left it. Go Ray!

[j804]

To be fair with Walker hospitalized I dont think he slept much for last nights game.... heres to a break out of his slump in this closing Game 6

[celticinorlando]

i gotta think the fates will be on his side in game 6...hard to believe boston is up 3-2 with no 3's from ray allen since game 2...but his defense on kobe has been pretty good

[guava_wrench]

I'm not worried about the missing. He was efficient overall in game 5, and the Lakers are still afraid to let him get any good looks so we still get our spacing.

[CelticsWhat35]

Ray's gone through slumps before from 3-pt range.  He had a stretch in the 2008 playoffs when he went 6-38 from downtown, including a 3-24 strech.

While there have been some horrible misses during this 0-18 stretch, there have also been a large amount that have rattled around the rim and popped out.  That's the luck of it sometimes.  I think a change of venue will do him good.  And it couldn't hurt to go back to the place where you hit 8-11.

[fanofgreen]

The guy has been guarding Kobe Bryant, he's got to have tired legs.....I like how his focus has been on D, despite his struggles on O.

But I believe its a direct correlation between, expending energy guarding Kobe, and not being able to knock down the long--ball on offense

[Meadowlark_Scal]

What Ray did by setting a record is great....he is a great shooter.....But, no team should depend on the 3......Ray can score from all over, and should use the three as a fake....Washing Wizaeds were a great 3 point shooting team...!

[celticsclay]

I think he will hit at least one in game six. Tired legs is a reasonable explanation, unfortunately with a cross country flight and a game tomorrow he will not get any relief.

[Mr October]

Ray's gone through slumps before from 3-pt range.  He had a stretch in the 2008 playoffs when he went 6-38 from downtown, including a 3-24 strech.

While there have been some horrible misses during this 0-18 stretch, there have also been a large amount that have rattled around the rim and popped out.  That's the luck of it sometimes.  I think a change of venue will do him good.  And it couldn't hurt to go back to the place where you hit 8-11.

Yeah, bad streaks happen to good shooters sometime. I'm looking forward to seeing Ray break out of it in game 6! Go Celtics!!

[Spoon]

Every Laker fan I know is scared to death of Ray going off in Game 6 like in Game 2. In fact I say he is the huge x factor tha could destroy the Lakers. It's like when a homerun hitter goes quiet for a while. You just don't want to be the team he goes crazy against.

The law of averages say he is going to go nuts and everything will be net.

[RJ87]

To be fair with Walker hospitalized I dont think he slept much for last nights game.... heres to a break out of his slump in this closing Game 6

I agree - we all saw in 2008 the effect Walker being sick had on him. When the little guy was diagnosed and the could rest easier, Ray went off in game 6 to tie the then record of 7 3pters in a finals game... I def think being the family man he is, his home situation has affected him on the court. He'll be fine though.

[Hoops]

Law of averages says he's bound to start hitting again - more likely in game 6 than not.

If Ray starts hitting (even at just an average clip), KG plays like he has the last three games, Rondo cleans up the TOs, and Pierce plays like he always plays in LA, I don't think the Lakers stand a chance in game 6.

[PosImpos]

Ray's notoriously streaky, especially this year.  This series is just a great example of that.

I fully expect him to drain some 3's before the series is over; I wouldn't be surprised if he actually led us in scoring in one of the next two games.

[JSD]

It has to be mental at this point.

[Spicoli]

If anyone here plays organized, or pickup basketball, you have to know how hard it is to go all out on BOTH ends of the court. Personally, i'm usually able to give 100 percent effort on one end or the other, but never both at the same time. It's just too draining. Especially if you have a tough cover on the defensive end....a guy who you have to basically chase all over the court. Ray is a professional, and i'm sure these guys have much greater conditioning than the average joe, but still, there's only so much the human body can do. Defending Kobe is without question, having an effect on his offensive game. It's obvious that Ray is devoting 100 percent of his effort to that end, instead of to the offensive end where he would normally, and i applaud him for that. We need that kind of effort on Kobe in order to win the series, so for this reason, i will give Ray a pass on his shooting numbers.