The 170 Club

Harpring, Piatkowski take shot at elite honor

By David DuPree, USA TODAY

Matt Harpring of the Utah Jazz and Eric Piatkowski of the Los Angeles Clippers could be joining one of the NBA's most exclusive clubs, one reserved for only the league's top shooters.
Utah Jazz guard Matt Harpring (15) has a focus on the basket that compliments his physical style.
By Ron Turenne, Getty

Going into Monday's games, they were the only players in the league shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 80% from the free throw line, putting them in the exclusive 170 Club (50+40+80=170).

The 170 Club
Season Player, team FG% 3FG% FT% Tot% PPG
2002-03 Matt Harpring,
Utah		 50.9 48.4 81.5 180.8 17.1
Eric Piatkowski,
L.A. Clippers		 50.7 41.3 85.7 177.7 10.9
2001-02 Wally Szczerbiak, Minnesota 50.8 45.5 83.1 179.4 18.7
  Brent Barry,
Seattle		 50.8 42.4 84.6 177.8 14.4
2000-01 John Stockton,
Utah		 50.4 46.2 81.7 178.3 11.5
1999-00 None
1998-99 None
1997-98 None
1996-97 Chris Mullin,
Golden State		 55.3 41.1 86.4 182.8 14.5
Steve Kerr,
Chicago		 53.3 46.4 80.6 180.3 8.1
1995-96 Stockton, Utah 53.8 42.2 83.0 179.0 14.7
Jeff Hornacek,
Utah		 50.2 46.6 89.3 186.1 15.2
Tim Legler,
Washington		 50.7 52.2 86.3 189.2 9.4
Kerr, Chicago 50.6 51.5 92.9 195.0 8.4
1994-95 Hornacek, Utah 51.4 40.6 88.2 180.2 16.5
Stockton, Utah 54.2 44.9 86.4 185.5 14.7
Detlef Schrempf,
Seattle		 52.3 51.4 83.9 187.6 19.2
1993-94 Reggie Miller, Indiana 50.3 42.1 90.8 183.2 19.9
1992-93 Mullin,
Golden State		 51.0 45.1 81.0 177.1 25.9
Drazen Petrovic,
New Jersey		 51.8 44.9 87.0 183.7 22.3
1991-92 Petrovic,
New Jersey		 50.8 44.4 80.8 176.0 20.6
Hornacek,
Phoenix		 51.2 43.9 88.6 183.7 20.1
1990-91 Hornacek,
Phoenix		 51.8 41.8 89.7 183.3 16.9
1989-90 Stockton, Utah 51.4 41.6 81.9 174.9 17.2
Hornacek,
Phoenix		 53.6 40.8 85.6 180.0 17.6
Miller, Indiana 51.4 41.4 86.8 179.6 24.6
1988-89 Mark Price,
Cleveland		 52.6 44.1 90.1 186.8 18.9
1987-88 Price, Cleveland 50.6 48.6 87.7 186.9 16.0
1986-87 Kiki Vandeweghe,
Portland		 52.3 48.1 88.6 189.0 26.9
1985-86 None
1984-85 Byron Scott,
L.A. Lakers		 53.9 43.3 82.0 179.2 16.0
1983-84 None
1982-83 None
1981-82 None
1980-81 None
1979-80 None

The best shooters are not always the big scorers. No league scoring champion has finished the season as a member of the 170 Club. And that's why when you look for the best overall shooters in the NBA you might not start with Harpring or Piatkowski.

In the 23 seasons since the three-point shot was introduced, beginning with the 1979-80 season, only 12 players have made the 170 Club. Jeff Hornacek, who played with Phoenix, Philadelphia and Utah, made it a record five times, and John Stockton of Utah has done it four times.

Brent Barry of Seattle was the only player to make it last season.

Piatkowski has spent his nine-year career with the Clippers as a role player, but with a host of team injuries, he has been forced into heavier duty and has responded, averaging 10.9 points in a career-high 28.2 minutes a game.

Harpring, playing for his fourth team in five seasons, is having a career year. Signed by the Jazz as a free agent, he played his way into the starting lineup and is the team's second-leading scorer with a career-high 17.1 average. He is shooting 50.9% from the field, 48.4% from three-point range and 81.5% from the foul line, compared to career percentages of 45.7, 31.1 and 75.8, respectively.

Piatkowski, a 6-6 shooting guard, is a classic jump-shooter. Harpring, a rugged 6-7, 231-pound small forward, plays a more physical game, and in addition to his scoring, is averaging 6.6 rebounds a game.

"I've gotten into a rhythm, and my teammates are looking for me," says Harpring, who played with Orlando, Cleveland and Philadelphia before signing with the Jazz as a free agent during the offseason. "It's fun playing with these guys. You cut, and they find you."