Wondering how Durant's shot selection changed over the years?
Obviously there are available ways to find out. But this image is probably among the most elegant ways I can think of.
Thanks for the link. I like the visualization. It's easy to see (for example) Kyrie Irving's trend up in % of long 2s in his 3 year career, or Iguodala's big jump up in % of 3P this season for GSW.
The data about mid-range shots is out there and the general message has been repeated enough so that any one willing to listen should have heard it and should be acting upon it more. But part of the mid-range issue that probably will be harder to change in the near-term involves short mid-term shots. Durant has cut his frequency of long 2s but the overall trend for short but not close to the rim 2s is up, though down a bit this season. He only hits 35% of them this season. Even though it is fairly close these are still relatively bad shots. Only 1 player in the league who takes 2+ of these a game hits 50+% from 5-12 feet (B Lopez) and only 15 hit 40%.
1) just to be clear, this post is not about Durant. he was just an illustration.
2) re 4-12 ft shots. watch the video: http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.html?P ... ode=Totals
they're in huge part of 'drive to the rim gone bad' sort. no foul called. difficult shot with not many other options available. there's cost to driving to the rim for most efficient shots. difficult short mid-range shots where you don't get bailed out by the officials are part of it.
I know this thread had its own purpose. It is a handy tool, thanks. But since Durant had been displayed and discussed, this was the right place for me (hopefully tolerable to you) to put another brief comment on shot locations with Durant again just being the used example.
I and others know / agree that short mid-range shots are a cost of driving. There is a thread in the past here where I believe I found that if you combined at the rim and mid-range shots together the combined FG% is pretty close to but below 3 pt shots and the league average. Getting a good amount of FTAs in the process is the way to raise this large strategy up close to or above not driving and taking the average 3 pt shot. A lightly contested or uncontested 3 pt shot will usually beat the average yield from driving and getting the expected inter-connected mix of short-mid range shots, at the rim shots, foul shots and charges though.
You can obviously write about whatever you want to. I just thought there was 10% chance that I was misunderstood, so I thought i would made it clear, just in case.
Perhaps I'm a little too lazy, but could you share a link to that thread?
