Evin Demirel: Joe Johnson Vs Best NBA Arkansan Sharpshooters of All Time

You might have heard former Razorback Joe Johnson did an abnormally good job shooting the ball while leading his Brooklyn Nets to a win on Monday night. That would be the night where he scored 29 points in one quarter – just four points away from tying the NBA record – while hitting eight three-pointers (which did tie an NBA record). By the end of the third quarter, Johnson had 10 three pointers (on 14 attempts) and was in striking distance of the all-time NBA record of 12 threes in a single game. But by then the game was out of hand, and Joe Cool declined to play anymore.

Nonetheless, his achievement ranks as one of the great moments in NBA Arkansan history. Before this season, no NBA Arkansan had even hit as many as eight three-pointers in a game (last month, the 32-year-old Johnson became the first to do so ).  Still, there have been some prolific marksmen who have either grown up in our state or played at the University of Arkansas.

Below are the best of the best, ranked by their career highs of three-pointers made in a single game:

Derek Fisher

Career High: 7 (twice, both with Los Angeles)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In the span of 14 days in 2008, the 33-year-old had nights in which he went 5-for-5* and 6-for-7* during two wins.

*On three-point attempts

Jannero Pargo

Career High: 7 (with Chicago)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In January 2007, the 27-year-old hit four of five to help New Orleans knock off Atlanta.

Scottie Pippen

Career High: 6 (four times; three with Chicago, one with Houston)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In December 1995, the 30-year-old hit five of seven as the Bulls beat Atlanta on their way to an NBA-record 72 wins.

Todd Day

Career High: 6 (three times, all with Boston)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In April 1996, the 26-year-old went six of seven to lead the Celtics over Washington.

James Anderson

Career High: 6 (with Philadelphia)

Best Outside Shooting Night: Last month, the 24-year-old hit six of eight attempts to help the 76ers beat Houston.

Lee Mayberry

Career High: 5 (three times; once with Milwaukee, twice with Vancouver)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In April 1997, made all five three-point attempts to help the Grizzlies beat the Suns in their last game of a miserable, 14-win season.

Fred Jones*

Career High: 5 (twice, both with New York)

Best Outside Shooting Night: In April 2008, the 29-year-old hit all five of his three-point attempts to help the Knicks beat Charlotte. Jones missed all three of his two-point attempts.

*Jones grew up in Malvern but moved to Oregon in middle school

Patrick Beverley

Career High: 5 (with Houston)

Best Outside Shooting Night: Last month, hit five of eight attempts to help the Rockets beat Minnesota.

Fat Lever

Career High: 5 (with Denver)

In April 1989, the 28-year-old Lever hit five of seven but his Nuggets still fell to Portland.

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Demirel Tweets and blogs about where Joe Johnson and Scottie Pippen rank all-time among NBA Arkansans in terms of points scored in a single game.