May 5, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) takes a shot over Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem (40) in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
High-volume, mid-range shooting stars have returned to fashion with the help of a few NBA MVP candidates
Steph Curry and the Warriors didn’t usher in a new era of the NBA as much as they perfected the evolution that started in the early 2010’s. Their brand of basketball that stresses shooting 3’s, position-less basketball, and shooting more 3’s became the model. Mid-range shooting stars were forgotten as a number of teams tried to copy their remarkable run to a championship run.
And it all started with their selection of Curry in the 2009 draft.
Nobody epitomizes the league’s shift to taking 3’s more than Curry. It was really the analytics crowd (led by Houston GM Daryl Morey) that made the three-pointer the beginning and end for many NBA offenses. Most front offices quickly came around to the idea that shooting from beyond the arc was the way to go, and the stats backed them up.
While most of the league’s superstars rely on drives to the hoop or deadly three-point range, capable mid-range scorers remain important to team success. When a play breaks up or the shot-clock ticks down, it’s vital to have someone who can catch and shoot from the elbow. This need only increases in the playoffs, when defense gets tighter and more honest, and a quick look at the top teams from the past few seasons reveals that all had players capable of hitting the step-back 18-footer when needed.
Look for a return to emphasis on the importance of mid-range, even as analytics continue to revolutionize the game.
A quick look at the scoring leaders from the past few seasons reveal players who’ve made careers out of slick three-point shooting and/or points in the paint. Curry. Lebron. Westbrook. Harden. Durant. Cousins.
But one name stands out from this group, a low percentage 3-point shooter who yet again finds himself as a top 5 scorer this season – DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan is the captain of a new group of players who have pushed analytics aside and flourished from the mid-range no-man’s land. Who are the best mid-range* scorers in today’s game? To determine this, only players with fewer than 125 3-point attempts have been considered, which means shooters like Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, and Jimmy Butler have been excluded here, since they equally get buckets from inside and beyond the arc. Here are the mid-range All Stars:
*Mid-range stats shown for shots between 10 ft. and 3-point range.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
Stats: 28.2 ppg; .448 midrange field goal percentage (MRFG%); .553 of shot selection from midrange (MRS%)
The leader of the pack. DeMar DeRozan is a career .280 shooter from beyond the arc. Yes, somehow he has upped his scoring average to an absurd 28.2 ppg, good for 3rd in the league (tied with Isaiah Thomas).
Using a crafty game, DeRozan surely has his fill of highlight dunks, but the bulk of his points come from mid-range. He possesses a throwback skill set that wouldn’t seem out of place in the 80’s and 90’s, when mid-jumpers ruled the game.
It’s a testament to his ability to hit the shots that he’s been mentioned as a legitimate NBA MVP candidate without a three-point shot worth talking about.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Lamarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
Stats: 17.8 ppg; .446 MRFG%; .449 MRS%
LaMarcus Aldridge was the mid-range torchbearer before DeMar DeRozan’s ascension. While he might never be the offensive focal point he was in Portland, his mid-game is perfect on a Spurs team that seems permanently designed for mid-game success (remember a guy named Tim Duncan?).
Without much natural athleticism and shot creation on this team, it’s Aldridge’s ability to consistently hit from the elbow that is one of the biggest reasons the Spurs still find themselves in the middle of championship contention.
He can catch-and-shoot from most places inside the arc, and his height makes the shot virtually unguardable.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
Stats: 29.1 ppg; .432 MRFG%; .411 MRS%
Consistency in fully utilizing the mid-range and a freakish attraction to the rim are all that keep Anthony Davis from taking the top spot on this list for good. The numbers Davis is putting up this season have not only put him in the conversation for NBA MVP front-runner, they have also revealed a more refined part of his game.
His ability to stretch the floor has always been evident, and he has shown the ability to drain the occasional three, but his improved focus has taken him to another level the past two seasons. His already gaudy scoring stats have been given a healthy boost by his ability to catch and shoot so efficiently out of the pick-and-roll.
This is increasingly important for a New Orleans team lacking in offensive firepower. With consistent health and a stable supporting cast, expect Davis to become one of the top shooting star for years to come.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks
Stats: 20.8 ppg; .438 MRFG%; .489 MRS%
It is fair to question if Harrison Barnes will ever live up to the max contract he received from Dallas this offseason. What isn’t fair to question is Barnes’ ability to shoot. We saw glimpses of brilliance from his time on the Warriors Finals’ teams, but he’d never been the guy until this year.
So far, he’s given the Mavs a career season predicated largely on his shooting touch. Still a deadly three-point threat, he’s made more efficient use of the mid-range jumper this year. As with Davis in New Orleans, hitting from most spots inside the arc will continue to be vital for this team to maintain any sort of offensive rhythm moving forward.
Expect to see more of Barnes from 10+ ft. moving forward as he becomes reliant on catch-and-shoot opportunities due to double teams. If he can continue knocking them down at this rate, he may well prove worthy of that max contract, even if he does so without flashiness. He might never become an NBA All-Star, but he’s become one of the league’s true shooting stars.
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
Stats: 21.2 ppg; .431 MRFG%; .410 MRS%
Yes, this is a bit of a cheat as Blake Griffin has missed significant time with injury. When healthy, a focused Blake Griffin is as deadly with his mid-jumper as he is when he’s attacking the rim.
When Griffin burst onto the scene with his athleticism and monstrous dunks, his soft shooting touch was overlooked. As he’s lost a step (although still a strong finisher at the rim) and become a more savvy veteran, his ability to hit the step back jumper off of a Chris Paul pass has been a cornerstone of this Clippers offense the past few years.
Look for more mid-range mayhem when he returns to form, something the Clippers will continue to rely on if they are to ever break out of their playoff funk.
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