The three-time All-Star followed that up with 45 points on a cool 62 . Explore Which team has the most wins as road dogs since 2014-15? 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. Why, he wondered, would you pass up on the easy look for something contested? His midrange jumper is the ultimate safety blanket. Hes also doing it with tight coverage in most scenarios which will add a thorn in the side of defenses. Do you have a blog? Spin: Durant capitalized on Denver's smaller wings, canning his signature midrange jumpers while finishing a perfect 4 for 4 at the rim. He joins former teammate Dirk Nowitzki on this elite list along with several members of the 50-40-90 club. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. Jeff was always known for his strong shooting touch and head-to-head match-ups with Michael Jordan. With his second 3 on Tuesday, the Warriors' star guard eclipses the all-time record after tying it in the opening minutes. He even hasDirk Nowitzki's famous one-legged fadeaway in his bag. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. This Canadian phenom is a two time NBA MVP. Now that hes in Phoenix, the game plan wont change. 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. Along with Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway, the three would go on to form "Run TMC" while with the Warriors. But in their absence, the following players are working the hardest to keep the in-between alive in the NBA. This gave NBA teams the option to release a player without his contract counting toward the luxury tax. This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Kevin Durant Game by Game Stats and Performance | ESPN 1. He previously led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage during the 2018-19 season (47.4). MORE:How KD is helping Devin Booker reach a new level of superstardom. That usage percentage illustrates how Durant hasn't had to do nearly as much carrying of the offense as in previous years. Larry Brown never got confused about whos who on the 2004 Detroit Pistons roster. He's the only player to have. Kevin Durant and the Top 20 Free Throw Shooters in NBA History 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. Aging like fine wine, Steve still has the opportunity to move up this list to top the one player ahead of him. Despite his size, Brandon was regarded as a top flight point guard in the mid-90's. 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. 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. Dominique Wilkins said the Clippers helped David Robinson score 71 points to win the 1994 NBA scoring title. Durant said he reviewed the game's film and believed Denver's defensive pressure . He continues to get to the line on a consistent basis and makes opposing teams pay dearly for sending him there. 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. 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. He would stroke the side of his face three times in acknowledgement of his children. And if you can master what opposing defenses will give away, then you can thrive. 1 is none other than Celtic great Larry Bird. 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. Small Forward, Power Forward, and Shooting Guard. He said he actually started using it while he was recovering from an injury because he didnt want to put pressure on his sore left foot. 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. Already a member? Do you have a blog? Clips. 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. The original pick used to draft Hornaceck was traded three times; originating from the Suns, it went to the Clippers then to the Pistons and finally back to the Suns. However, he was mostly limited to mid-range jumpers and daggers from the line. When these comparisons are drawn, its not unfair. He has shot just 34 percent from beyond the arc this season, highlighting the importance of a step inside the three-point line. That is absurd, considering he has a career average of 27.2 PPG. His sudden willingness to take catch-and-shoot 3s is more a reflection of him embracing a new role.. You can see just how much the shot frustrated even a former Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green. Clicking on a tab heading will display the specified set of statistics. Kevin Durant.6187: 11. That's about the same number as Tobias Harris. He also holds a playoff record of 56 consecutive free throws made. 50.1, *min. Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Harden is 11th in the league with 31 double-doubles and is third with 12 triple-doubles. Chris Mullin was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1985. 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. His highest percentage was in his rookie season with the Seattle Supersonics, when 30 percent of his points came from the mid-range. Kevin Durant & Chris Paul Have Strong Words About Russell Westbrook Kevin Durant attended National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland, Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Maryland and Texas. Great gem @jj_redick pic.twitter.com/RR2oO8DbmR, andrew leezus (@AndrewLeezus) February 13, 2023. Kevin Durant's insane midrange stat revealed by JJ Redick 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. With Jimmy Butler hobbled late by an ankle injury, Miami gets big performances from Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love to take the series opener in New York. Nicknamed "Hawk", he was a true iron man throughout most of his career. Irving has made 79 of his last 80 free throws over his last 19 games. Peaking at a 90% rate from the line last season on an absurd 10.2 attempts per game, Durant looks ready to continue his ascent up the ladder. DeRozan has ranked in the top five in mid-range field goals made per game eight times in the past 10 seasons and never finished lower than 11th. A ridiculous 57.3 percent. Charles Barkley* .6120: 16. It certainly worked in the postseason as he hit eight consecutive mid-range jumpers in less than ten minutes against the Denver Nuggets. Do you have a sports website? Harris also holds the fourth (183, 2018-19) and fifth (172, 2019-20) places on that list. Can you guess the player?, This is an ABSOLUTELY INSANE stat about Kevin Durant. Bird only trails one other player on this list with three seasons in that exclusive club. 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. Durant is averaging just .9 fewer makes per game on 2.7 fewer attempts per game. Durant's 55.3 field goal percentage is also a career high. Some of the best players will tell you that repetition is the key to having success at the line. Influences such as Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving have displayed the skills that new-age players aspire to have. 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. 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. One key stat that must be noted when looking at this top 10 list is age, as six of the top 10 players in mid-range field goals made per game are in their 30s (DeRozan, Durant, Aldridge, Paul George, Curry, Paul), with two over 35. After three seasons with the Pistons, he would then go on to join the New York Knicks where he is most often associated; he would spend 12 years as a Knick. His free throw shooting remained steady throughout his career never fluctuating too high or low from his career average. rebound, Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets, point | 87K views, 1.4K likes, 386 loves, 45 comments, 119 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from NBA: Jamal Murray. 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. Allen is closing in on the remaining players on this list with his steadily increasing free throw percentage. To determine which players are fighting the hardest to keep the mid-range game alive in the NBA, we looked at three factors and then compared how each individual performed relative to the league average in the same span (dating back to 2018-19): It is worth mentioning that longtime NBA fixtures who recently stepped away from the game (e.g. Kevin Durant (Additional Stats) - NBA player profile - WhatIfSports Hawkins would record a career high 90.2% during his final season with the Seattle Supersonics. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. When fans think of reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic, many immediately gravitate towards his playmaking. Watching more NBA records. 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 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 was born in Washington, District of Columbia. DeMar DeRozan (29) is the closest to him, followed by Paul George (28),Trae Young (26) and Dejounte Murray (26). In addition, Denver is in the middle of the pack at eighth for opponent 3-point percentage allowed (34.2%). Even though it was not the final nail in the coffin, that game was the turning point for the Miami Heat. Brooklyn is seventh in assists per game (26.9) and 10th in blocks per game (5.2). This was the same season he had the lowest usage percentage in his career. Career FT%: 88.6% (3,960 FTM / 4,471 FTA). Harris is second in franchise history in 3-pointers made (790) behind Jason Kidd (813). !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? From the 15-19 foot range, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, and Lamarcus Aldridge have all taken 240 or more mid range jumpers. Stat Survey: Joe Harris, Kevin Durant Both Top 3 in 3-Point Percentage Kevin Durant's minutes have garnered increased scrutiny and for good reason. 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. This is why you'll see players perform, at times, bizarre routines before attempting free throws. 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. It was a vintage performance of Durant-on-Twitter and he uttered an unforgettable one-liner about the role of graphs in sports. DeMar DeRozan has ranked in the top five in mid-range field goals made in eight of the past 10 seasons. 3-Point Field Goal Percentage; 3PT:3-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He has been averaging 29.8 PPG thus far, seven of which have come from the charity stripe. Durant has had 20 percent or higher in the percentage of points from the mid-range in 10 of his 14 seasons. '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. Chris Paul 14-15 .. 50.44. (Error Code: 102006) As someone known as a mid-range god, this kind of ascension in efficiency is unprecedented. Durant has had 20 percent or higher in the percentage of points from the mid-range in 10 of his 14 seasons. 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). Shot location data has been collected since the 1996-97 season; since that time there has been only one player to shoot over 60% from mid-range while attempting at least 50 mid-range shots over the course of a full season: Stephen Curry in 2017-18. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. Initially drafted by the Clippers in the 1988 NBA draft, Hersey would then go on to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.