Over the course of five stellar games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Durant pulled off the most efficient and versatile scoring performance of the last 20 years by a Finals MVP.
Along with Durant’s individual award, he secured his first-career championship in his first season with the Golden State Warriors. And while he did manage to lead his team in rebounds and blocks in their 2017 Finals series against the Cavaliers, it was his ability to score the basketball with ease and precision that put his team over the top.
There’s no doubt that Durant, an eight-time all-star, is already in some elite company. But he’s also managed to use his unique skill set to produce a Finals performance that is currently unmatched in the last 20 years by a fellow Finals MVP.
We’ve used the past 20 years as our sample for a couple of reasons. First off, the 20-year window is as far back NBA.com’s stat page will allow us to go. And second, we need to consider how much the league has evolved since the 1998 Finals.
How much the league will change moving forward is unknown, but there’s no doubt that Durant should be able to enjoy knowing he has etched some historic feats into his résumé.
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The 50/40/90 club
One way a player can ensure he’s considered in the highest echelon for shooting and scoring efficiency is by becoming a member of the 50/90/40 club. It requires a player to shoot at least 50 per cent from the field, 40 per cent from three-point distance, and 90 per cent from the free-throw line.
Durant is a known sniper, and in the 2017 NBA Finals he was able to catch fire, recording a shooting line of 55.6/47.4/92.7. The only other Finals MVP in the past 20 years to join him in that club is Chauncey Billups, who won it all with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Billups’ shooting line is similar to that of Durant’s, but their production was very different. The former Pistons point guard averaged 21 points per game against the Lakers, which doesn’t reach the same stratosphere as Durant’s average of 35.2 points against the Cavaliers.
Another way to look at this stat: Durant is the first player to average at least 30 points in the Finals while making the 50/40/90 club.
True Shooting Percentage
Another stat that helps put shooting efficiency in a wider scope is true shooting percentage, a formula which includes all three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws a player attempts.
Durant, who holds a true shooting percentage of 69.8, barely nudged past Billups. Now, the only Finals MVP he looks up at is Kawhi Leonard, who had a ridiculous 75.3 true shooting percentage throughout the 2014 Finals.
Just like when comparing Durant and Billups, Leonard’s production needs to be taken in context, with the two-way stud averaging 17.8 points while playing with three other future Hall of Famers.
Another shooting stat that’s fun to glance at, and only because of its small sample size, is the 100 per cent shooting Durant held in clutch moments in the 2017 Finals. It’s a stat that only consists of two shots, but does include this dagger:
Averages of +35 points on 50 per cent shooting
Durant’s scoring output in the 2017 Finals was something we haven’t seen since Shaquille O’Neal secured three straight titles wearing purple and gold.
O’Neal’s dominance helped shape an era, and Durant might soon be on his way. Throughout the 2017 Finals, Durant joined The Diesel as the only player in the past 20 years to average at least 35 points in the Finals on 50 per cent shooting from the field. O’Neal did it twice in 2000 and ‘02, even without the ability to stretch the floor like Durant.
Another similar feat along Durant was able to match was his five straight games with at least 30 points in the 2017 Finals, a record O’Neal set in 2000 as he secured his first title.
Per 100 averages
To make sure we’re giving every Finals MVP the same opportunity and window to produce, we’ve decided to look at Per 100 numbers — a stat that shows a player’s averages throughout a 100-possession stretch.
Durant’s scoring output Per 100 is a staggering 41.1 points. For perspective, the only Finals MVPs to match or exceed his scoring output is Dwyane Wade in 2006, Shaquille O’Neal in ‘00 and ‘02, and Michael Jordan in 98.
The fact Durant’s name is in such elite company should come as no surprise, considering he has held the league’s scoring title on four separate occasions.