Instagram: Find out more. 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. Durant ended with 29 points (12-19 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal in 36 minutes during Saturday's 125-107 loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. His output is nothing to scoff about either as he made 2.9 pull-up two-pointers per game this past season, which trailed teammate Kyrie Irving (3.0) for the most in the Eastern Conference. Along with the rest of his versatile game, his immaculate free throw shooting ranks near the top of his talents. But yet since 2013-14, Durant is still the most efficient player in the league from this zone. KDTrey5 While those arguments are tired at this point, the data suggests that the league is increasingly moving away from the mid-range 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). His highest percentage was in his rookie season with the Seattle Supersonics, when 30 percent of his points came from the mid-range. Watching more NBA records. Hes already shown off his signature shot which was the reason for this article, and was said to look ready. Advanced Game Log Breaking down the Golden State-Los Angeles matchup with 3 things to watch, 1 X-factor and a series prediction. Like most active players on this list, Dirk's free throw percentage has progressively climbed over the course of his career. Thats what makes him the MVP. And as more offenses started to stretch the floor and avoid the mid-range, defenses have had to adjust. Do you have a sports website? His defenders are assuredly still having nightmares about the hot streak and as the Suns look to defend their roles as conference champions, look for Paul to continue giving Phoenix an advantage every time he steps on the floor. Like many players, Jeff had a unique routine before shooting free throws. To make this number even more impressive, Durant has over 100 more attempts than any other player hitting over 50 percent. 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. 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. He has shot just 34 percent from beyond the arc this season, highlighting the importance of a step inside the three-point line. His numbers helped him earn entry into the All NBA second team . Originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 1982 draft, Pierce would go on to play 16 seasons in the NBA. Follow @BryanKalbrosky He also dropped an insane stat about KD. 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. 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. Take a closer look at the top 12 catch-and-shoot scorers in the league. So, what has Durant been doing when he's not using offensive possessions? His success rate on those looks? Can you guess the player?, This is an ABSOLUTELY INSANE stat about Kevin Durant. 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. Kevin Durant 18-19 . Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Thanks for signing up. Curry is the only player in the league that is shooting at least 40% from 3-point range and 50% from mid-range. Durant is putting up 29.1 points, 5.0 assists and 6.7 rebounds per contest. 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. Chris Mullin was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1985. 2022-2023 Game Log Durants 55.3 field goal percentage is also a career high. 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. It's not ideal, but Williams has figured out a way to lessen the strain on Durant a bit. While there is plenty of hand-wringing going on, there are a few reasons why his minutes might not be a huge issue. The mid-range game has steadily declined since all-time greats like Michael Jordan left the league. Or as he explained: if my middy workin then thats where Im goin for dinner.. However, Nash tops that club having reached it a record five straight seasons. Last season, he made the 19th most field goals from midrangedespite playing in only 35 games, doing so at a50.6 percent clip. Initially drafted by the Clippers in the 1988 NBA draft, Hersey would then go on to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Among the 168 players that have attempted at least 20 mid-range shots so far this season, Curry has the top mid-range field goal percentage at 61.8% (68-110) so far this season. With seconds left in Game Three of the Finals, he missed one of two free throw shots that would have tied the game. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. 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. Now that hes in Phoenix, the game plan wont change. This player by the name ofKevin Duranthas made a case for being the best mid-range shooter of all time. Just barely reaching the criteria for this list is Terrell Brandon. Aging like fine wine, Steve still has the opportunity to move up this list to top the one player ahead of him. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. ", "Kirk doesn't need to show anything to me.". Their seventh man, Bismack Biyombo, was almost out of the league a year ago. The 13-time NBA All-Star left the Brooklyn Nets as one of the best midrange shooters in the league arguably ever. 500 non-paint 2s, 57 qualifiers pic.twitter.com/BENKPI2XgU, Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) December 1, 2020. The whole conversation was simply a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the worlds great shooters. The league average shot from between zero and three feet of the basket was 67.5 percent this past season, according to Basketball-Reference. 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. You can look at a shot chart fromKevin Durantfor half a second and see that he is absolutely brilliant from everywhere on the floor. Kevin Wayne Durant the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Career FT%: 87.7% (2,973 FTM / 3,390 FTA). Stephen Noh is an NBA writer for The Sporting News. 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. Reggie Miller* .6139: 15. His 1,672 minutes for the year was the third-lowest mark of his career and much less than his average of 2,412. Last year, he led all players at 44.0 minutes per game. 13 of those 16 seasons were played with the Warriors. In a perfect world, Durant probably would play less, but the Suns don't have that luxury. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area. Bryan Kalbrosky is a national NBA staff writer at USA TODAY's For The Win. Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. 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 Ricky Barry will always be remembered for his free throws. 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. He also holds a playoff record of 56 consecutive free throws made. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. 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. From the 15-19 foot range, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, and Lamarcus Aldridge have all taken 240 or more mid range jumpers. To determine value added from downtown, you perform two. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. The only time his defense came through was when he was motivated playing against Jordan. DeMar DeRozan has the most attempts per game from the mid-range with 9.8. All rights reserved. While he doesnt qualify for the official leaders, Durants scoring average of 27.6 points per game would rank sixth. This future Hall of Fame talent is the greatest German National to play in the NBAwhich technically isn't saying much because of the competition, but an impressive accolade nevertheless. That same season Ricky got into the record books by recording the second longest consecutive free throw shooting streak at 75 made. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Data Provided By He then went berserk in the playoffs, connecting on 55.3 percent of his middies despite the pesky P.J. to shoot a preposterous 21-of-29 from mid-range. Oft-injured, Pierce's free throw shooting percentage would fluctuate from season to season. 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. 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. Career FT%: 89.2% (3,972 FTM / 4,455 FTA). Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Kiki took over for Lawrence Frank as coach of the New Jersey Nets during the 2009-10 season. They would be the converse of the inept free throw shooting duo of Ben Wallace and Dale Davis. 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. Growing up in Los Angeles, DeRozan didnt have access to cable television. More exciting, though, is that Jokic and Murray also offered a fairly unusual bag of tricks, including some mesmerizing 5-1 PnR sets and crafty dribble-handoff actions. While with the Portland Trailblazers, he would earn the honor of having the highest career free throw percentage for the franchise at 88.1%. National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland, Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 2007 NBA Draft, More Kevin Durant pages at Sports Reference. His best season from the line came last yeara career high of 93.8%. Even so, one individual has single-handedly kept the mid-range alive. He has been averaging 29.8 PPG thus far, seven of which have come from the charity stripe. Playing alongside Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, Sharman won four NBA Championships on the Celtics. There's no arguing against success. Drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1971 draft, Mike played 11 seasons in the NBA. Do you have a sports website? 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. However, he was mostly limited to mid-range jumpers and daggers from the line. inWashington,District of Columbia While he has had one of the best mid-range games of all time, it has gotten even better over recent years. 50.35. All rights reserved. DEN Data Provided By With at least 30 assists in 24 games, the Nets have set a new single-season franchise record. Eventually he would go on to replace another player on this list as the starting point guard for the Cavs. Besides his long range, Reggie made a living off shooting from and getting to the line; he was easily one of the best at drawing fouls. Mahmo Abdul-Rauf - Career FT%: 90.5% (1051 FTM / 1161 FTA), Scott Skiles - Career FT%: 88.9% (1548 FTM / 1741 FTA), Darrell Armstrong - Career FT%: 87.1% (1463 FTM / 1679 FTA), Michael Williams - Career FT%: 86.8% (1545 FTM / 1780 FTA), John Long - Career FT%: 86.2% (1814 FTM / 2104 FTA). Malone peaked at the line about midway through his career shooting 91.7%. Durant is averaging just .9 fewer makes per game on 2.7 fewer attempts per game. DeMar DeRozan (29) is the closest to him, followed by Paul George (28),Trae Young (26) and Dejounte Murray (26). Kevin Durant has made at least $307,385,868 playing professional basketball. 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. 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. 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 But in their absence, the following players are working the hardest to keep the in-between alive in the NBA. Brooklyn is fifth in fast break points (14.4) and 10th in points in the paint (49.8). . 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. He would mark a career high while with the Indiana Pacers playing under Larry Bird; he hit 93.9% from the line that season. 52.6 FG%2. He was one of the most well rounded and complete players during his time. Aside from the ice running through his veins at the line, he is considered one of the all time great shooters. 80.238: 2,768: 1,624: 348: 192: 78: 75: 232: 587: Dirk Nowitzki 13-14 50.43. That is absurd, considering he has a career average of 27.2 PPG. Bird only trails one other player on this list with three seasons in that exclusive club. However, his bread and butter would always come down to his free throws. This guard was drafted to Washington in1983 when they still were named the now ironic Washington Bullets. NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for True Shooting Pct. When the Phoenix Suns traded for Kevin Durant, they took a gamble. His career will always be tied to the franchise; he was at one point general manager for the team following his retirement from playing. James Donaldson.6177: 12. Durant's 62.2 % field goal percentage on two-pointers this season is his career-best, and with the way his body is, he's able to make those types of shots look like layups. Kevin Durant essentially carried his team, in the style of LeBron James, to a Game 3 win in Cleveland. Career FT%: 87.6% (5,284 FTM / 6,033 FTA). '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 league-average percentage from beyond the arc is 35.8 percent, according to Basketball-Reference.com, and that helps out Durant. For example, Denver could go to an unconventional inverted ball screen where Jokic is the ball handler. When fans think of reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic, many immediately gravitate towards his playmaking. 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. Kevin Durant 17-18 . Durants midrange jumper game got a shoutout from former NBA player JJ Redick. They're minus-17.2 points per 100 possessions in those Durant-free minutes. Shooting ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. NBALeaguePass: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial). Shot charts are via Positive Residual. 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. Adrian Dantley* .6166: 13. As a counter to that article, I've compiled a list of the 20 best free throw shooters in NBA history. It was a vintage performance of Durant-on-Twitter and he uttered an unforgettable one-liner about the role of graphs in sports. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He ranks No. Kevin Durant has a true shooting percentage of 61.9 in his career. 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). Like several others ranked here, they could be considered one of the great free throw shooting duos. 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. 1. There's no reason to think he won't continue his supremacy at the charity stripe and eventually surpass the current No. Do you have a blog? More: . 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. Kevin Durant's Recent Stats In his past 10 games, Durant is averaging 25.2 points, which is lower than his mark for the year (29.1). He previously led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage during the 2018-19 season (47.4). During a playoff duel in 1994, Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman shared their admiration towards the toughness and dirty tricks of John Stockton. With his comfort pulling up, playing drop coverage against Durant is usually a losing game. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Even though it was not the final nail in the coffin, that game was the turning point for the Miami Heat. Golden State's star sharpshooter enjoys another historic moment, which also set his playoff career high. His sudden willingness to take catch-and-shoot 3s is more a reflection of him embracing a new role.. Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Harden has the third-highest career scoring average among active players (25.2). Usage percentage is an estimate of the percentage of plays that a player used while on the floor. His midrange jumper is the ultimate safety blanket. Can Seth join his older brother this season? When these comparisons are drawn, its not unfair. Hes also doing it with tight coverage in most scenarios which will add a thorn in the side of defenses. 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. shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from 3-point range. Dont be surprised if his teammates start making more mid-range looks as well. This rule came about as a result of the massive max contract he signed that he never managed to fulfill due to injury. 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. Nash's form is impeccable and his demeanor unwavering. (Error Code: 102006) Of his many skills, his stroke from the line is one of the best in NBA history. 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). Kevin Durant is capable of playing big minutes and still producing . While Reggie fights Jeff Van Gundy for top honors as the most annoying broadcaster to join a NBA booth, he has had a storied career in the NBA. He joins former teammate Dirk Nowitzki on this elite list along with several members of the 50-40-90 club. The Nets are fourth in the league in clutch games played (36), first in clutch wins (26), and second in winning percentage in clutch games (.722). His free throw shooting remained steady throughout his career never fluctuating too high or low from his career average. Considering just how pretty it looks, its hard to blame him for wanting to take it as often as he does. Efficiency-wise, he has been outstanding, shooting 57 percent from the mid-range. DeAndre Jordan leads the NBA in effective field goal percentage (77.2) and true shooting percentage (75.6). It has yet to be seen when his skills will begin to diminish, but until then Nowitzki is still going strong. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The entire playing career for Kevin Durant is displayed below. 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. . He has published with HoopsHype, FOX Sports, Bleacher Report, and various other publications. Spin: Durant capitalized on Denver's smaller wings, canning his signature midrange jumpers while finishing a perfect 4 for 4 at the rim. When Stephen Curry broke Ray Allens 3-point record last week, the discussion was not just centered around Currys individual greatness as a shooter, but how he changed the game and ushered in the 3-point revolution in the NBA. This was the same season he had the lowest usage percentage. Irving is also fifth in free throw percentage (92.4). us, High Schools: 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%. It certainly worked in the postseason as he hit eight consecutive mid-range jumpers in less than ten minutes against the Denver Nuggets. rebound, Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets, point | 87K views, 1.4K likes, 386 loves, 45 comments, 119 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from NBA: Jamal Murray. NBA Twitter reacts to Jayson Tatum's 55-point All-Star Game: 'Steph doesn't show up one time and Tatum breaks the record', Jimmy Butler's injured ankle looking visibly swollen following Game 1. Chris Paul adds in: "Talk to 'em." An absolute nightmare to guard, Allen made his living running defenders ragged off of screens and nailing catch and shoot jumpers. Injuries hindered his career and forced him to miss significant time during his final years as a player. Clips. Or he could fake the dribble handoff and instead keep the ball to create opportunities for himself from the mid-range. He joined Terrell Brandonanother sharpshooter from the lineon the Timberwolves from 2000 to 2002. Durants 62.2 % field goal percentage on two-pointers this season is his career-best, and with the way his body is, hes able to make those types of shots look like layups. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Him shooting the lights out from midrange is a testament to that. Taking away his seven PPG from free throws, mid-range jumpers account for 35 percent of Durant's scoring. With his game still going strong, he may continue to add notches to his belt. He also accounted for 36.8 percent of the Suns' total rebounds. The Suns are playing a short rotation because they traded away what depth they had in order to get Durant. Once the playoffs arrived, however, the tune changed and Durant averaged a league-best 5.3 pull-up two-pointers nearly one more per game than any other player in the postseason. Durantula, KD, Slim Reaper, Easy Money Sniper, The Servant, Green Room are nicknames for Kevin Durant. As someone known as a mid-range god, this kind of ascension in efficiency is unprecedented. 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. Nicknamed "Hawk", he was a true iron man throughout most of his career. 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. This was the same season he had the lowest usage percentage in his career. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. In his primeand still to some extentPeja was lethal from both the charity stripe and long range. Statistically, he has been far more reliant on these looks than any other player in the NBA. Aside from his 5 all-star appearances, he will best be known for his adept touch from the line and two Olympic gold medals; one with the 1984 amateur team and the other on the "Dream Team". His stint as coach for the beleaguered Nets will probably be the aspect of his career in the NBA that defines him; they had a historically bad season and came close to having the worst record in NBA history. 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. With his second 3 on Tuesday, the Warriors' star guard eclipses the all-time record after tying it in the opening minutes. 3-Point Field Goal Percentage; 3PT:3-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted . Kevin Durant is third in the NBA in shooting a career-high 47.2 percent from 3-point 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. Kevin Durant 15-16 . . 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. Brooklyn is seventh in assists per game (26.9) and 10th in blocks per game (5.2). Durant capitalized on Denver's smaller wings, canning his signature midrange jumpers while finishing a perfect 4 for 4 at the rim. For the last three seasons, its been KD. Harris ranks sixth in effective field goal percentage (66.5). Overall, Jokic is among the leagues most lethal threats to drop step after a post-up or take a hook shot from the elbow. 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. And if you ask him, the minutes are a non-issue. He continues to get to the line on a consistent basis and makes opposing teams pay dearly for sending him there. The midrange isn't even an efficient shot for mostbut it's basically a layup for Durant, and it feels like he can get to it whenever he wants. Players like DeRozan, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Paul have found value in the mid-range shot over the past decade while the rest of the league moved away from the mid-range. Durant's 37 field goals from midrange are the most in the league by a pretty large margin. DeMar DeRozan WENT OFF for 19 PTS in the 4th vs. the Lakers pic.twitter.com/C11TO9RNFE. That's about the same number as Tobias Harris. NBA/ABA. It certainly did not affect his free throw shooting as he continued to have success from the line over the years. The Los Angeles Lakers were the only televised team, he recently explained, which meant that he watched a lot of Kobe Bryant. James Harden is second in the NBA averaging 37.1 minutes per game. 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. News: 3 hours ago Durant ended with 29 points (12-19 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal in 36 minutes during Saturday's 125-107 loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 . 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.