OKC Thunder Guard Duo are Two of the League's Best Mid-Range Scorers

OKC's top leading scorers use the mid-range area to score a large chunk of their points and are statistically some of the best at it in the NBA.

Nov 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and forward Jalen Williams (8) high five after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The mid-range jump shot has seen an emergence of sorts in recent years in the NBA, with many of the league's best adding it to their bag of tricks when trying to score the ball. The Oklahoma City Thunder's two leading scorers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, use it to their advantage in each game they participate in.

Statistically, both guards are two of the best at the mid-range shot in the entire NBA. Williams ranks fifth in the league in mid-range field goal percentage at 57.8% and Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 34 in the league at 44.4%, according to Shotcreator. Gilgeous-Alexander might be lower in the percentage area because he attempts 3.2 mid-range field goals per game, good for No. 15 league-wide.

For both guards, it's become a detrimental part of their offensive games. Most recently, In OKC's 130-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings, Gilgeous-Alexander made three of his six mid-range attempts. He finished with 37 points on 13-for-20 shooting. Williams finished with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting against the Kings, four of which came in the mid-range and two of which went in. The total number of attempts for both players was above their usual average.

Gilgeous-Alexander does a good job creating space for himself on jumpers in isolation situations. He's the sixth most efficient player in stepback jump shots in the league and is No. 36 in turnaround jumpers. Whether it's in the mid-range area or outside the perimeter, he somehow manages to make space to get a shot off.

Statistically, Gilgeous-Alexander's most efficient mid-range shot attempt comes when he executes a step back. He's made 10 shots on 20 step-back attempts so far this season. It appears to be a shot he's comfortable taking and always has been and it doesn't look like he will stop taking them.

For Williams, his most efficient mid-range shot is a pull-up jumper. He's 14-for-23 on those shots this season, good for 60.9%. As a whole, the mid-range jumper is an effective choice for Williams. He's made 25 of his 42 attempts all year and besides rookie Ajay Mitchell, who attempts two less mid-range shots per game, is the most efficient on the team when it comes to that shot.

Both players lead the offensive attack on a nightly basis for OKC and do so in a variety of ways. The mid-range shot isn't the only way they do it and both gain plenty of points at the free-throw line and around the rim. That being said, both Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams highlight their creativity as scorers the most when doing so in isolation scenarios between the paint and the perimeter.

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