Topping the list in both mid-range field goals made (4.0 per game) and attempted (8.3 per game) is Chicagos DeMar DeRozan, who has been one of the most prolific mid-range shooters in the league for years. 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. It's possible that trend continues with Deandre Ayton logging a team-worst minus-21 during his time on the floor. All columns may be sorted by clicking the column name. All data is extracted since 2018-19 and pulled from PBP Stats unless noted otherwise. This Yugoslavian sharpshooter has made a career on his precise shooting touch. Durants midrange jumper game got a shoutout from former NBA player JJ Redick. That experiment did not end well as the 76ers attempted to take him out of his natural position and make him a point guard; the 76ers would eventually trade him to the Jazz. Bill is the first player in the NBA to hit 50 consecutive free throws. Clips. Malone peaked at the line about midway through his career shooting 91.7%. In fact, when his defenders are between two and four feet of him, only human-cannonball Zion Williamson made more two-pointers this past season. Possessing the most unique shot used in the NBA, Rick chose to sacrifice his personal dignity to shoot grandma styleunderhanded. Durant's 55.3 field goal percentage is also a career high. But his playmaking has improved, too, as no one has assisted on more long mid-range jumpers since 2018-19, per PBP Stats. During the offseason in 2019, while he was rehabbing from his torn Achilles, Durant took to Twitter to join the discourse about mid-range jumpers. Of his many skills, his stroke from the line is one of the best in NBA history. 80.238: 2,768: 1,624: 348: 192: 78: 75: 232: 587: Hes already shown off his signature shot which was the reason for this article, and was said to look ready. Durant finishes: "I missed a lot of time this season, so I want to be out there every minute. Newlin's free throw shooting would peak at 88.8% during the 1980-81 NBA season in which he spent with the New Jersey Nets. 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. While his numbers and rate thus far dictate a well deserved position in the top 20, it's only fair to see more of his career play out before that judgment befalls him. With Stephen Curry recently breaking the NBA's 3-point record, it's time to examine other key milestones. It was a fairly small sample size but he was shooting 67.7 percent on his looks fired off between the free-throw line and the three-point line, per Cleaning the Glass. Do you have a blog? Career FT%: 90.3% (2,577 FTM / 2,853 FTA). Kevin Durant's midrange game is the ultimate cheat code. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? While he is one of the best at the line, he may perhaps be best remembered for his misses at two crucial junctions during the 2006 NBA Finals. The fantastic two-man game Jokic has shared with Jamal Murray, who will miss most if not all of next season due to the guards injury, has predictably propelled the Nuggets to great heights over the past few seasons. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. . Thanks for signing up. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. We present them here for purely educational purposes. CEO and founder Marc Pollick is at the center of internal strife in the celebrity charity organization that partnered with Hamlin. National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland, Star athlete killed in brutal mass stabbing in England, Vikings send clear message to Kirk Cousins, Damar Hamlin charity hit with horrible accusations, Sports world reacts to massive playoff result, NFL world mourns sudden death of stars daughter, Star recruit ripped for racial slur during draft. 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); As the analytics community grows, one of the most common debates in basketball is the role of the mid-range jump shot in the modern NBA. While rather comical to watch, it was obviously a very effective approach. It certainly did not affect his free throw shooting as he continued to have success from the line over the years. Part of the 3-point revolution is that young players entering the league are more focused on the three than they are the mid-range shot. Considering the prowess that both Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic have in the pick and roll, defenders are going to have to lock in on their two-man game. The Brooklyn Nets are first in the NBA in offensive rating (117.3) and second in points per game (118.8), while playing the NBAs 11th-fastest pace (100.33). Or write about sports? While Peja is still in the NBA, his skills have clearly diminished over the years. 1 in three pointers made with 2,560 total makes. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? Jonas Valaninas.6155: 14. It has yet to be seen when his skills will begin to diminish, but until then Nowitzki is still going strong. Playing alongside Stockton and Malone, he had a key role on the team and contributed largely to their run to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. (Error Code: 102006) Data Provided By That's about the same number as Tobias Harris. But yet since. There's no reason to think he won't continue his supremacy at the charity stripe and eventually surpass the current No. He fought through back pains and continued to play despite the pain. While it helps that many defences are geared towards giving up the midrange nowadays, most players with the size to contest his jumper don't have the speed to keep up with him off the dribble and most players who have the speed to keep up with him off the dribble don't have the size to contest his shot. Or he could fake the dribble handoff and instead keep the ball to create opportunities for himself from the mid-range. And if you can do both like Durant then youre unstoppable. At one point during his career he joined fellow free throw shooting great, Hersey Hawkins, on the Philadelphia 76ers. While DeRozan has scored at least 22% of his points from mid-range every season of his career and only scored more than 10% on 3-point shots twice in 13 seasons, Durant has found an incredible balance to his scoring as he truly does score on from all three levels beyond the 3-point line (18.7% of his points), in the mid-range (26.2% of his points) and in the paint (33.9% of his points) and he gets to the free throw line (21.3% of his points). During his tenure in the NBA he made a name for himself at the charity stripe. KDTrey5 Kevin Durant is capable of playing big minutes and still producing . In addition, Denver is in the middle of the pack at eighth for opponent 3-point percentage allowed (34.2%). Similar to DeRozan, the mid-range game has been a staple for Aldridge for years and for years he resisted trying to become the latest big man to move his game beyond the arc. Harden is seventh in free throws made per game (6.5) and sixth in free throws attempted per game (7.5) while shooting 87.0 percent. MVP!I created a short animation of the famous Sombor Shuffle move by Nikola Jokic.The most beautiful sports story is written a mile high. Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 2007 NBA Draft, More Kevin Durant pages at Sports Reference. A clutch game is defined as being within five points in the final five minutes. The kicker is not a single one of them has made nearly as manyfrom that distance as Durant. Booker is second in the playoffs at 43.2 minutes per game. The Los Angeles Lakers were the only televised team, he recently explained, which meant that he watched a lot of Kobe Bryant. He also holds a playoff record of 56 consecutive free throws made. pic.twitter.com/7gtvVnVxJR, Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) April 4, 2021. DeMar DeRozan has the most attempts per game from the mid-range with 9.8. But whats crazy is that, per ESPNs Kirk Goldsberry, an astonishingly high 95 percent of his mid-range looks have been contested over the course of the past eight seasons. Hawkins would record a career high 90.2% during his final season with the Seattle Supersonics. That means that DeRozan may get a ton of open looks from the mid-range, and if we know him, hes going to take them. 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%. While he has had one of the best mid-range games of all time, it has gotten even better over recent years. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area. His last two seasons have been his best in the mid-range since his first two seasons in the NBA. This isn't an offensive stat, but Durant is even grabbing a career-high 8.5 rebounds per game. Sometimes, Durant argued in this conversation, the mid-range look is just the open shot. Ultimately, Durant believes that players are best at what they practice at the most and they would have no idea how good they could be at the mid-range if they dont train in that area. He would stroke the side of his face three times in acknowledgement of his children. However, Nash tops that club having reached it a record five straight seasons. There's no arguing against success. Playing a ton of minutes in the playoffs is nothing new for Durant. During a playoff duel in 1994, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman shared their admiration towards the toughness and dirty tricks of John Stockton. Curry is the only player in the league that is shooting at least 40% from 3-point range and 50% from mid-range. Tucker being draped all over him for seven straight games in the second round. But what's crazy is that, per ESPN's Kirk Goldsberry, an astonishingly high 95 percent of his mid-range looks have been contested over the course of the past eight seasons. of the Suns combined to shoot a preposterous 21-of-29 from mid-range. Aging like fine wine, Steve still has the opportunity to move up this list to top the one player ahead of him. Do you have a sports website? The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. His best season will most likely be as a member of the Seattle Supersonics where he managed to shoot 91.6% from the line. Despite his advanced age, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. It certainly worked in the postseason as he hit eight consecutive mid-range jumpers in less than ten minutes against the Denver Nuggets. In Chicagos win over Los Angeles on Sunday, DeRozan finished with 38 points, with half of them coming in the fourth quarter one layup, one driving runner in the lane, five free throws and five mid-range jumpers. Some of the best players will tell you that repetition is the key to having success at the line. Durantula, KD, Slim Reaper, Easy Money Sniper, The Servant, Green Room are nicknames for Kevin Durant. Jeff was always known for his strong shooting touch and head-to-head match-ups with Michael Jordan. August 26, 2021- Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Taking away his seven PPG from free throws, mid-range jumpers account for 35 percent of Durant's scoring. In his primeand still to some extentPeja was lethal from both the charity stripe and long range. Even though it was not the final nail in the coffin, that game was the turning point for the Miami Heat. inWashington,District of Columbia DeAndre Jordan leads the NBA in effective field goal percentage (77.2) and true shooting percentage (75.6). Durants 55.3 field goal percentage is also a career high. Dirk Nowitzki 13-14 50.43. 50.35. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Terrell would play backup point guard for the early part of his career. Ricky Barry will always be remembered for his free throws. Dont be surprised if his teammates start making more mid-range looks as well. Harris also holds the fourth (183, 2018-19) and fifth (172, 2019-20) places on that list. Durant said he reviewed the game's film and believed Denver's defensive pressure . Take a closer look at the top 12 catch-and-shoot scorers in the league. Kevin Durant is on Instagram at easymoneysniper. While that seems like a waste of his talent, it's been very effective in opening up the floor for Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. West Semifinals - Game 2, DEN LEADS SERIES 1-0. 52.6 FG%2. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Statistically, he has been far more reliant on these looks than any other player in the NBA. A closer look at the top 10 mid-range. DeMar DeRozan (29) is the closest to him, followed by Paul George (28),Trae Young (26) and Dejounte Murray (26). In fact, Bryant was Leonards mechanical model when he built out his game during his early days with the Spurs. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. On Friday night against Portland, Harris became the third player in franchise history to make 200 3-pointers in a season. Put it all together and his massive size and his insane footwork, as well as the supremely high release point on his jumper, makes his mid-range an absurdly tough shot to defend. Find out more. Allan was a solid if unspectacular shooter from the line during his early playing days. The three-time All-Star followed that up with 45 points on a cool 62.1 . Career FT%: 87.7% (2,973 FTM / 3,390 FTA). Kevin Durant averages 29.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. He was one of the most well rounded and complete players during his time. Miller had a trademark move that he always used to get the attention of the refereeshe would kick his legs out in order to force contact on the opposing defender. Kevin Durant was born in Washington, District of Columbia. * Indicates member of the Hall of Fame. Though he no longer qualifies among the league leaders after missing Brooklyns last 13 games, Hardens 10.9 assists per game would be second in the league. Rather unfair since he was a solid player throughout most of his career in the NBA. When fans think of reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic, many immediately gravitate towards his playmaking. Clicking on an indivdiual season will display the team's roster for that season. From Stephen Curry's 50-point wizardry to Kevon Looney's elite rebounding, these 5 things mattered most in Game 7. Career FT%: 88.6% (3,960 FTM / 4,471 FTA). shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from 3-point range. Last year, he led all players at 44.0 minutes per game. He would repeat his Game Three performance and go on to miss one of his two shots failing to push the game into Over Time. He's 34 years old, and no player has averaged as many minutes at that age since Reggie Miller did it as a 35-year-old in 2001. Perhaps some stability in his health would have allowed him to consistently improve and maintain stronger averages. More: 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 Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. Irving is also fifth in free throw percentage (92.4). While Jeff split most of his time between Phoenix and Utah during his playing days, he was best known for his time with the Jazz. He's the only player to have. As the years went on and he got better and his free throw percentage would steadily climb and eventually peak at 91.9% during his 2002-03 season. Join our linker program. He gets the honor of being considered the greatest free throw shooter in the history in the NBA. SOUND ON to hear Booker mention KD's gravity. The only thing keeping him from moving too far up or down this list is the lack of trips he'll be making to the line over the course of his remaining career. He then went berserk in the playoffs, connecting on 55.3 percent of his middies despite the pesky P.J. Career FT%: 89.2% (3,445 FTM / 3,864 FTA). 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). Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Lue is exactly right considering when postseason play came around, Leonard was unstoppable from mid-range. 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. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. While with the Portland Trailblazers, he would earn the honor of having the highest career free throw percentage for the franchise at 88.1%. He joins former teammate Dirk Nowitzki on this elite list along with several members of the 50-40-90 club. Career FT%: 87.5% (3,389 FTM / 3,871 FTA). Sometimes, it's as simple as shooting over them. Harris is second in franchise history in 3-pointers made (790) behind Jason Kidd (813). If Durant feels like he needs a little more space, his fadeaway usually does the trick, giving him an even higher release point. When these comparisons are drawn, its not unfair. Occasionally, just for good measure to show his versatility, he would even hit a jumper on the move after an off-ball screen. Kevin Durant was born on September 29, 1988. It's almost like if all else fails, Durant knows he can just rise up. Per 48 Min. Defenders wont be able to ignore second-year forward Patrick Williams, who fared well when he was handed the keys to Chicagos offense during summer league. Kevin Durant has made at least $307,385,868 playing professional basketball. 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); By Bryan Kalbrosky | 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. Luckily it wasn't a name that was too widely used around the league. Per NBA Stats, he's isolating on 17.1 percent of his possessions. Due to a down year in 2020-21, Durant has had a percentage of 25 percent or higher of PPG in the mid-range in three of his last four seasons. He's also doing it. So, what has Durant been doing when he's not using offensive possessions? Their eighth man, Landry Shamet, has been targeted defensively and is shooting 21.4 percent from the field.
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