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The 10 Best Midrange Scorers In The NBA

By Nicholas Agar-Johnson

Mar 23, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball over Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball over Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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San Antonio Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge uses his 6’11” frame to shoot his face-up jumper over all but the tallest of defenders. Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

10. LaMarcus Aldridge

A number of big men with good jump shots have moved beyond the three-point line this season. LaMarcus Aldridge, however, has kept his shooting inside the arc. Aldridge is currently averaging 7.6 attempts per game from the midrange area, tied for fourth in the NBA according to NBA.com’s shot tracking data. He converts those looks at a solid 41.1 percent.

Aldridge has been a midrange killer for a while, but his shot attempts from that range have shifted since his arrival in San Antonio. In Portland, Aldridge generated many of his shots from the high post on face-up or fadeaway jumpers. He was assisted on 57.8 percent of those shots in his last year for the Portland Trailblazers.

In San Antonio, Aldridge has gotten most of his shots out of pick-and-pop jumpers or spot-up looks from midrange. He has been assisted on 67.8 percent of his midrange shots this season. Last year, he received assists on 78.5 percent of those looks.

LaMarcus Aldridge continues to thrive from the midrange, even if he is no longer the perennial All-Star he was in Portland. He has taken 219 of his 406 shots this season from that range (53.9 percent). He is still a threat from inside the arc for a Spurs team that leads the league in midrange offense.