The best 3 NBA guards at finishing around the rim this season

With the ever-growing rise of the three-point shot, we often undervalue those who finish exquisitely around the rim. There’s still enjoyment in watching a guard take someone off the dribble, maneuver to the hole, and challenge an interior defender.

Whether using deft touch, acrobatic finishes, or raw athleticism, let’s look at three players executing at a high rate around the basket. In doing so, we can identify the player’s shot profile and where potential improvements can come from, both individually and from a team perspective.

The best NBA guards at finishing around the rim: Jaylen Brown

With elite-level length and athleticism, it should come as no surprise that the Celtic wing leads all guards in field goal percentage from 0-5 feet (min. three attempts per game). While he came into the league as a high-flyer, it’s been Brown’s ability to take defenders off the dribble that’s improved greatly throughout his six seasons in the league.

His 73.4 percent from less than five feet is nothing short of outstanding. For comparison, that mark shades Giannis Antetokounmpo at 73 percent.

The next step of improvement? The ability to collapse defenses and find open teammates. After averaging a career-high 3.4 assists last season, Brown’s reverted closer to his career average with only 2.2 assists per game this season.

The best NBA guards at finishing around the rim: Jordan Poole

Many may view Poole’s improvement as a result of the three-point shot, such is his willingness to fire from deep. But it’s actually his inept finishing that has him as a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player.

While capable of the odd throwdown, the third-year guard displays a crafty array of finishers with either hand, allowing him to shoot 71.4% from within five feet. It’s a stat that makes you wonder why there’s such a disparity in his shots from within five feet (3.4 per game), and shots from beyond 24 feet (7.84 per game).

With a blistering first step that allows him to blow by defenders, there’s no reason Poole shouldn’t find a greater balance between the two.

The best NBA guards at finishing around the rim: Luka Doncic

Although the step-back three-point daggers may steal the show, the Slovenian is elite from within five feet (69.7%). Like Poole, there’s a stark difference in his attempts from that zone (3.6 per game), compared to beyond 24 feet (8.33 per game), especially given he shoots just 32.6% on the ladder attempts.

It speaks to the way opposing defenses have played the Mavericks this season, forcing Doncic to be a playmaker once he slithers into the paint. While he’s more than comfortable in that position, the opposition will live with the streaky outside shooting of Dallas’ role players. At 12-13 and 22nd in offensive rating, it’s a key area for Jason Kidd and the Mavericks to address.