His best season from the line came last yeara career high of 93.8%. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Kevin Durant (2016-17): 32/54 59.3% Kevin Garnett (2002-03): 33/59 55.9% Kevin Durant (2017-18): 65/117 55.6% This postseason, Durant is back at it. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Their eighth man, Landry Shamet, has been targeted defensively and is shooting 21.4 percent from the field. There's no arguing against success. They would be the converse of the inept free throw shooting duo of Ben Wallace and Dale Davis. At age 34, Durant is averaging 30.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on a per 75 possession basis (the best way to adjust for minutes and pace across the board). Brooklyn is first in field goal percentage (49.3) and effective field goal percentage (57.3), fourth in 3-point percentage (38.8), seventh in 3-pointers made per game (14.1) and 10th in 3-pointers attempted per game (36.3). Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. Harris also holds the fourth (183, 2018-19) and fifth (172, 2019-20) places on that list. His inclusion in the 50-40-90 club frequently mentioned on this list is proof of that. Career FT%: 90.3% (2,577 FTM / 2,853 FTA). Influences such as Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving have displayed the skills that new-age players aspire to have. If you were amazed by Stephen Curry's record-setting performance on Sunday, you weren't the only one. Hes the greatest midrange shooter ever, Redick added. With his game still going strong, he may continue to add notches to his belt. To determine value added from downtown, you perform two. Him shooting the lights out from midrange is a testament to that. Kyrie Irving is seventh in the NBA in scoring, averaging 26.9 points per game, and fourth in offensive rating (119.6). us, High Schools: A hated figure in Dallas, he would eventually be granted his wish and traded to the Nuggets; that was the first of several stops during his career. Kevin Wayne Durant Durant capitalized on Denver's smaller wings, canning his signature midrange jumpers while finishing a perfect 4 for 4 at the rim. If youre going to move away outside the paint and from the basket which generally leads to lower shooting percentages its better to shoot a 3-point shot for the reward of the extra point for each make rather than a long 2-point shot. Great gem @jj_redick pic.twitter.com/RR2oO8DbmR, andrew leezus (@AndrewLeezus) February 13, 2023. Bryan Kalbrosky is a national NBA staff writer at USA TODAY's For The Win. Rate statistic requirements. Even if everyone else in the league decided that they would only shoot at the rim or from beyond the arc, DeRozan would keep the in-between game alive. The mid-range jumper is a primary example of taking what the defense gives you. In Durant's 14-year career, the lowest percentage of points from the mid-range was 15.8 percent in the 2016-17 NBA season. Kevin Durant is playing big minutes in NBA Playoffs, but Suns fans shouldn't be concerned about his workload, How KD is helping Devin Booker reach a new level of superstardom. Aging like fine wine, Steve still has the opportunity to move up this list to top the one player ahead of him. He is also fourth all time in career 3-point percentage (43.89) a shade ahead of Nets legend Drazen Petrovic (43.74). During that span he led the league in free throw shooting percentage on seven different occasions. His numbers helped him earn entry into the All NBA second team . Butler said that he thinks Mournings comments were spur of the moment and that he didnt really mean them, claiming he isnt anyones hero, Smith declared that the Warriors outing in Game 6 was one of the worst he has ever seen from them, and he doesnt know if they will be able to bounce back in Game 7. But yet since. DEN The entire playing career for Kevin Durant is displayed below. He came into the NBA as a slasher who depended primarily on his athleticism but has long since become a polished scorer with the touch and footwork to drain mid-range jumpers. With his comfort pulling up, playing drop coverage against Durant is usually a losing game. You can look at a shot chart fromKevin Durantfor half a second and see that he is absolutely brilliant from everywhere on the floor. Dominique Wilkins said the Clippers helped David Robinson score 71 points to win the 1994 NBA scoring title. NAME SEASON TM GP W% MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% PF +/-MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG; Kevin Durant: 2007-08: SEA. His efficiency profile is. LaMarcus Aldridge,Tony Parkerand Shaun Livingston) would have likely made this list if they were active and had not yet retired. Durantula, KD, Slim Reaper, Easy Money Sniper, The Servant, Green Room are nicknames for Kevin Durant. His ability to create off the dribble alleviated some of the pressure that both Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton both faced before his arrival in Phoenix, which is one of the reasons the two young stars took such giant leaps forward in 2020-21. August 26, 2021 Career FT%: 88.8% (6,237 FTM / 7,026 FTA). The league-average percentage from beyond the arc is 35.8 percent, according to Basketball-Reference.com, and that helps out Durant. He continues to get to the line on a consistent basis and makes opposing teams pay dearly for sending him there. This was the same season he had the lowest usage percentage in his career. He was one of the most well rounded and complete players during his time. MORE:How KD is helping Devin Booker reach a new level of superstardom. He has shot just 34 percent from beyond the arc this season, highlighting the importance of a step inside the three-point line. Heres what happens when hes doing the Sombor Shuffle: After facing up his opponent on the block, the big man fakes a drive with his left foot then swiftly takes a one-dribble fadeaway jumper off his right foot. It has yet to be seen when his skills will begin to diminish, but until then Nowitzki is still going strong. Career FT%: 87.6% (5,284 FTM / 6,033 FTA). The two were a remarkable combo in a traditional pick and roll offense with Jokic setting a screen then popping out usually to somewhere around the free-throw line for a jumper off the catch. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Larry Brown never got confused about whos who on the 2004 Detroit Pistons roster. Along with Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway, the three would go on to form "Run TMC" while with the Warriors. His career will always be tied to the franchise; he was at one point general manager for the team following his retirement from playing. He gets the honor of being considered the greatest free throw shooter in the history in the NBA. With the conference semifinals set, let's take a look at the best player in each of the 8 first-round series. They're minus-17.2 points per 100 possessions in those Durant-free minutes. Watching more NBA records. This video cannot be played because of a technical error. However, he has Nash nipping at his heels with only a 0.1% point behind him. Per NBA Stats, he's isolating on 17.1 percent of his possessions. Career FT%: 87.7% (2,973 FTM / 3,390 FTA). Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. The following players are also still actively shooting from mid-range: Chris Paul, DeMar Derozan, Featured, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Top, Basketball, DunkWire, NBA, Basketball, DunkWire, NBA, Chris Paul, DeMar Derozan, Featured, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Top. And if you ask him, the minutes are a non-issue. Thats what makes him the MVP. Pauls pull-up jumper from the right elbow has been the most fundamental staple in his shot selection over the entirety of his career, which has included eleven appearances in the All-Star game. But just as impressive as his passing is his shooting. Brooklyn is fifth in fast break points (14.4) and 10th in points in the paint (49.8). Nash's form is impeccable and his demeanor unwavering. It's not ideal, but Williams has figured out a way to lessen the strain on Durant a bit. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Monty Williams has not trusted his bench, and so all of the big four starters Durant, Booker, Ayton and Chris Paul have had to play a lot. Rather unfair since he was a solid player throughout most of his career in the NBA. Booker is second in the playoffs at 43.2 minutes per game. Kevin Durant's midrange game is the ultimate cheat code. It was a vintage performance of Durant-on-Twitter and he uttered an unforgettable one-liner about the role of graphs in sports. One of Allen's legacies will always be the infamous "Allan Houston Rule". He has been averaging 29.8 PPG thus far, seven of which have come from the charity stripe. Twitter: Last week I published an article outlining the worst free throw shooters in NBA history. That is absurd, considering he has a career average of 27.2 PPG. Best Midrange Shooting Seasons Since 2013-14*, 1. Luckily it wasn't a name that was too widely used around the league. You already knew that a list about modern mid-range shooters is going to start with DeMar DeRozan. Joe Harris leads the NBA in 3-point percentage, shooting 48.3 percent for the season. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Trae, Luka headline 12 dominant pull-up shooters, 12 players thriving as catch-and-shoot scorers, Curry officially claims NBA's 3-point crown, Will LeBron pass Kareem? to shoot a preposterous 21-of-29 from mid-range. Kiki took over for Lawrence Frank as coach of the New Jersey Nets during the 2009-10 season. Durant's 55.3 field goal percentage is also a career high. Kevin Durant was sensational for OKC that season, as he averaged 28.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 5.0 APG, while shooting 50.5% from the field. After spending the first chunk of his career on the Toronto Raptors, DeRozan was the centerpiece of a deal that sent him to the Western Conference to play for the San Antonio Spurs. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Kevin Durant has solidified his name as one of the greatest mid-range shooters of all-time showcasing, even now in the 3-point era, how the mid-range shot can be extremely useful Follow @BryanKalbrosky Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. For the last three seasons, its been KD. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1971 draft, Mike played 11 seasons in the NBA. While Durant has long been a midrange assassin, he's kicked his efficiency from that distance to a terrifying level to start the 2021-22 season. That same pick was used by the Pistons to acquire Ricky Piercethe player preceding him on this list. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? Durant's usage percentage is at 23.8 percent . Kevin Durant was drafted by Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 2007 NBA Draft. On the rare occasions when Durant has rested, they've gotten completely destroyed. A closer look at the top 10 mid-range. Aside from the ice running through his veins at the line, he is considered one of the all time great shooters. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Aside from his smooth jumper, he was always known to be a great free throw shooter. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. Kevin Durant has made at least $307,385,868 playing professional basketball. Durant is one of two Nets to rank in the top 10 in mid-range scoring as LaMarcus Aldridge ranks sixth with 2.7 mid-range field goals made per game. Retired champion John Salley gave predicted that the Phoenix Suns will reign over the Boston Celtics in June. Want to guess how many of those players have converted their midrange jumpersat a higher rate than Durant? According to Durant, there is no reason to ever forgo something that isnt guarded to force something that is less guaranteed at the rim or at the three-point line. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Durant has a natural size and length advantage over most defenders. However, Nash tops that club having reached it a record five straight seasons. Kevin Wayne Durant Twitter : KDTrey5 Instagram: easymoneysniper (Durantula, KD, Slim Reaper, Easy Money Sniper, The Servant, Green Room) Position: Small Forward, Power Forward, and Shooting Guard Shoots: Right 6-10 , 240lb (208cm, 108kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 13x All Star 4x Scoring Champ 2x NBA Champ 10x All-NBA Kevin Durant's minutes have garnered increased scrutiny and for good reason. Calvin Murphy spent 13 successful seasons in the NBA with the Rockets; good enough to get him into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In Durant's 14-year career, the lowest percentage of points from the mid-range was 15.8 percent in the 2016-17 NBA season. Not even centers like Myles Turnerstand much of a chance of disrupting his shot. Durant is playing with a lot of talent in Phoenix, and the offensive burden that he has to carry is lower than at some of the other stops in his career. During a playoff duel in 1994, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman shared their admiration towards the toughness and dirty tricks of John Stockton. During his tenure in the NBA he made a name for himself at the charity stripe. DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant lead top 10 mid-range scorers | NBA.com A closer look at the top 10 mid-range scorers in the league this season. Per 48 Min. He has the 11th-highest career scoring average among active players (22.8). As the chart above indicates, the percentage of all field goal attempts from the mid-range has dropped from 30.3% to just 13.1% over the past decade as more and more players try to extend. Thanks for signing up. Statistically, he has been far more reliant on these looks than any other player in the NBA. Do you have a sports website? Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant 1 of 21 Elsa/Getty Images Career FT%: 88.2% (1599 FTM / 1812 FTA) Besides being one of the most promising young talents the NBA has seen in years, Durant is. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1982 draft, Pierce would go on to play 16 seasons in the NBA. Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 2007 NBA Draft, More Kevin Durant pages at Sports Reference. He's averaged 40.5 minutes per game in the playoffs in his career, and he's been increasing his workload even more over the past few seasons. The curve has flattened over the past three seasons as some players and teams still see value in the mid-range shot. His mid-range jumper was one of the main tools he used to accomplish as much. In fact, Bryant was Leonards mechanical model when he built out his game during his early days with the Spurs. In his first season in Chicago, mid-range shots have accounted for 29.8% of his points his highest mark since he last led the league in mid-range buckets during the 2016-17 season (4.2 per game). Free throws are infinitely easier to miss than to make; just ask Ben Wallace. However, his bread and butter would always come down to his free throws. The Nets are fifth in free throws made per game (18.3), sixth in free throw percentage (80.9), and eighth in free throws attempted per game (22.6). An 11-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion, two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and one-time MVP, Durant has, of course, been lighting up opponents from midrange for over a decade at this point. Its one of his go-to moves for late-game heroics and game-winners. Despite his advanced age, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Do you have a blog? Even so, one individual has single-handedly kept the mid-range alive. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. While teams know what to take away with DeRozan, there is no spot on the floor to try to force Durant to score he can simply do it from everywhere. In a perfect world, Durant probably would play less, but the Suns don't have that luxury. Coming in at 5'9", Calvin took advantage of his speed and size to cut into the paint and score while getting to the line. To make this number even more impressive, Durant has over 100 more attempts than any other player hitting over 50 percent. Thats one of the reasons why Clippers coach Ty Lue allows Leonard to fire away from mid-range as often as he sees fit (via ESPN): I think its a lost art. Im a firm believer in, why not work on what teams are giving up? Every team wants to give up the mid-range shot, the mid-range 2s, and why not continue to work on the shots that teams are giving up When you see, even in late-game situations in the fourth quarter, the mid-range shots are what wins the games. While the player in the league who is most often compared to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant most often is LeBron James, the Los Angeles Laker superstar doesnt exactly resemble either player. Kevin Durant was born in Washington, District of Columbia. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Kevin Durant 6'9" big 34.5 years old Profile Positions On/Off Stats Game Logs Lineups Trends Filter Stats Offensive Overview The rest of this page is for subscribers only. Kevin Durant is capable of playing big minutes and still producing . That's the best chance that the Suns have to win it all. But its also been successful as his mid-range jumper has been between ten to thirty percentage points better than his shots from long distance in each of the past five seasons, per Cleaning the Glass. Oft-injured, Pierce's free throw shooting percentage would fluctuate from season to season. Durant has had 20 percent or higher in the percentage of points from the mid-range in 10 of his 14 seasons. However, we'll only be counting his 10 years in the NBA. Mid% = Percentage of Shots from Midrange Pnt% = Percentage of Shots from Paint Def Rtg = Defensive Rating PG Eff% = Point Guard Effectiveness SG Eff% = Shooting Guard Effectiveness SF Eff% = Small Forward Effectiveness PF Eff% = Power Forward Effectiveness C Eff% = Center Effectiveness Bryant was a mid-range maestro in his own right so thats exactly what DeRozan has become during his time in the league. The NBA has evolved over the last decade to rely heavily on the three-point line. Jonas Valaninas.6155: 14. He was joined on the Rockets by a player much higher on this list. There are good midrange shooters, there are elite midrange shooters and then there's Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant 15-16 . Durant's usage percentage is at 23.8 percent, way down from his career playoff average of 30.8 percent. As a counter to that article, I've compiled a list of the 20 best free throw shooters in NBA history. Usage percentage is an estimate of the percentage of plays that a player used while on the floor. . But one area that shines is the mid-range. To tie a bow on it, Durant has the handle to do stuff likethis on the regular: The combination gives Durant the tools to torch teams inisolation, off of screens, out of pick-and-rolls and in the post. However, he has played the game long enough to know when it feels like his shot is sinking particularly well on any given night. His last two seasons have been his best in the mid-range since his first two seasons in the NBA. 80.238: 2,768: 1,624: 348: 192: 78: 75: 232: 587: As the chart above indicates, the percentage of all field goal attempts from the mid-range has dropped from 30.3% to just 13.1% over the past decade as more and more players try to extend their shooting range beyond the 3-point line and spread the floor. Playing a ton of minutes in the playoffs is nothing new for Durant. Kevin Durant has averaged a win percentage of .628 in his career. But at the same time, the mid-range game is not going to go away any time soon thanks to the style of play from several stars around the league. Growing up in Los Angeles, DeRozan didnt have access to cable television. Like most active players on this list, Dirk's free throw percentage has progressively climbed over the course of his career. Do you have a blog? Career Projections . Over the last 25 seasons, 1700 different times that a player has taken at least 250 mid-range jumpers in a season theres been three times that a player has shot over 55 percent, Redick said on The Old Man and the Three podcast. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Over his last eight games since returning after missing 23 games, Durant is shooting 65.4 percent overall and 61.3 percent from 3-point range while averaging 24.4 points in 25.2 minutes per game. And as more offenses started to stretch the floor and avoid the mid-range, defenses have had to adjust. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Whether or not you consider his method for drawing fouls cheapwhich it wasit was effective nonetheless; it helped Reggie rack up over 7,000 career free throw attempts. Clicking on an indivdiual season will display the team's roster for that season. While he doesnt qualify for the official leaders, Durants scoring average of 27.6 points per game would rank sixth. His success rate on those looks? Kevin Durant Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Phoenix Suns Forward Kevin Durant Harris is second in franchise history in 3-pointers made (790) behind Jason Kidd (813). Kevin Durant 17-18 . She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. Already a member? A closer look at the top 10 mid-range scorers in the league this season. Price will also go down as the one Cavalier to leave Cleveland and make his way down to Florida without being hated. This is the second longest streak for the Cavaliers and one feat Lebron James must have envied during his time there. During the 1980-81 season, Murphy managed to set recordsat the timefor both longest streak of consecutive free throws made and highest free throw percentage in a single season; records that have since been broken. The three-time All-Star followed that up with 45 points on a cool 62.1 . Its easy to quantify success when a 7-footer is constantly recording triple-doubles, which is exactly what he does. * Indicates member of the Hall of Fame. Explore Which team has the most wins as road dogs since 2014-15? Besides being one of the most promising young talents the NBA has seen in years, Durant is primed to challenge every single player on this list for dominance. This past season, he actually averaged more pull-up two-pointers than any other player in the league. Outside of perhaps Robin Lopez, nobody in the NBA has been more effective or productive from the short mid-range over the past few seasons. He also holds a playoff record of 56 consecutive free throws made. Lue is exactly right considering when postseason play came around, Leonard was unstoppable from mid-range. What that means is if the opponent decides to double-team Jokic, however, he also has the playmaking chops to find an open teammate for an easy dime. Sometimes, Durant argued in this conversation, the mid-range look is just the open shot. The analytics behind this evolution make sense; if youre going to shoot a 2-point shot, you want the highest percentage shot possible (dunks, layups and shots near the basket). 3-Point Field Goal Percentage; 3PT:3-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted . Some of the best players will tell you that repetition is the key to having success at the line. A ridiculous 57.3 percent. He averaged 28.4 points per game in the first round, shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from 3-point range. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. 52.6 FG%2. Shot charts are via Positive Residual. At his current pace of 3.1 3-pointers per game, Harris would make 25 more 3-pointers this season, which would give him 815 as a Net and put him atop the franchise list. 1 is none other than Celtic great Larry Bird. On Friday night against Portland, Harris became the third player in franchise history to make 200 3-pointers in a season. Find out more. I look at it like, if a team will live with that, why not try to figure out how to master that? This is why you'll see players perform, at times, bizarre routines before attempting free throws. Ray Allencurrent member of the Boston Celticswill always be remembered for his silky smooth jumper, deadly accuracy from the line, and role as Jesus Shuttlesworth. Durant has grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game in his past 10, which is 0.2 less than his average for the season. But his assist percentage (27.5%) is a career best, as is his assist-to-usage rate, according to Cleaning the Glass. Please check your email for a confirmation. It's crazy DeMar DeRozan just keeps getting better in the midrange. Or write about sports? During his 2008-09 campaign, Ray broke Larry Bird's franchise streak of consecutive free throws made coming in at 72; that same season he peaked at a career high 95.2%. This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. With his second 3 on Tuesday, the Warriors' star guard eclipses the all-time record after tying it in the opening minutes. At one point during the 1996 NBA season, Terrell hit 67 straight free throws in a single month. Or he could fake the dribble handoff and instead keep the ball to create opportunities for himself from the mid-range. He would go on to peak at a 95% rate for free throws made that year; the only time he exceeded 90% for his career. With at least 30 assists in 24 games, the Nets have set a new single-season franchise record. Their seventh man, Bismack Biyombo, was almost out of the league a year ago. Kevin Durant rookie season stats Which team had the best regular season record in a season? This isn't an offensive stat, but Durant is even grabbing a career-high 8.5 rebounds per game. Data Provided By The most memorable moment of his career thus far was leading the Detroit Pistons in a huge upset victory over the L.A. Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals; he would go on to win NBA Finals MVP that year. Hes already shown off his signature shot which was the reason for this article, and was said to look ready. Through 26 games this season, Durant has been lethal from the mid-range. When these comparisons are drawn, its not unfair. The mid-range game has steadily declined since all-time greats like Michael Jordan left the league. While those arguments are tired at this point, the data suggests that the league is increasingly moving away from the mid-range game. This Canadian phenom is a two time NBA MVP. From Stephen Curry's 50-point wizardry to Kevon Looney's elite rebounding, these 5 things mattered most in Game 7.
