There are good midrange shooters, there are elite midrange shooters and then there’s Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant has been great in the midrange and has pushed his efficiency from that distance to greater heights to start the 2021-22 season. He has made 59.7% of his shot attempts from midrange to start the new season.
Kevin Durant And Midrange Shots Are A Pair Made In Heaven
Durant is one of 81 players who have attempted at least 15 shots from midrange through the first three weeks of the season. Only 4 players have converted their midrange jumpers at a higher rate than Durant and they are Chris Paul with 64.3%, Seth Curry with 65.7%, Nikola Jokic with 68.8%, and LaMarcus Aldridge with 78.6%.
Durant’s 37 field goals from midrange are the most in the league by a pretty large margin. DeMar DeRozan with 29 FGs is the closest to him, followed by Paul George with 28, Trae Young with 26, and Dejounte Murray with 26.
Kevin Durant has been the NBA’s most prolific midrange scorer so far this season, but he’s been one of the most efficient.
The 11-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion, a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP, and one-time MVP, has been scoring against his opponents from midrange over several years and this has been his favorite weapon, even before joining the league.
He has the natural size and height advantage, at 6’10”, over defenders, and shooting over their heads is quite easy for him.
If Durant feels like he needs a little more space, his fadeaway usually does the trick, giving him an even higher release point.
