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Can Kevin Durant join Bird, Nowitzki, Nash in 50-40-90 Club?

2013/01/23 6:23 am 000 1 comment

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Kevin Durant is having a spectacular season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. His play has OKC as top team in the NBA.

It won’t be a surprise if Durant continues his current play, he’ll be the MVP this season. But there’s more. If Durant can keep up his scoring efficiency, he will join an elite group of players in the 50-40-90 club.
Steve Nash, Reggie Miller and Larry Bird are in the 50-40-90
Exactly halfway through this NBA season, Durant is averaging 29.5 points per game -shooting 51.6% from the field, 40.4% from three, and 90.9% from the free throw line.

If Durant can keep up the pace for the remaining 41 games, he’ll join Larry Bird, Mark Price, Dirk Nowitzki, and Reggie Miller in the 50-40-90; the five players in NBA history that have shot better than 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the line for the entire season.

Player	Season	FG%	3P%	FT%	PPG
Larry Bird	1986–87	52.5%	40%	91%	28.05
Larry Bird	1987–88	52.7%	41.4%	91.6%	29.93
Mark Price	1988–89	52.6%	44.1%	90.1%	18.85
Reggie Miller	1993–94	50.3%	42.1%	90.8%	19.92
Steve Nash	2005–06	51.2%	43.9%	92.1%	18.85
Dirk Nowitzki	2006–07	50.2%	41.6%	90.4%	24.56
Steve Nash	2007–08	50.4%	47%	90.6%	16.93
Steve Nash	2008–09	50.3%	43.9%	93.3%	15.68
Steve Nash	2009–10	50.7%	42.6%	93.8%	16.46

Larry Bird concentrates to shoot a free throw

As you can see above, Steve Nash, the two-time NBA MVP has accomplished the feat an astounding four times.

Larry Bird did it twice – both times averaging more than 28 points per game. Bird barely missed doing it a third time during the 1985-86 season when he shot 49.6% from the field and 89.6% from the free throw line.

Dirk Nowitzki accomplished his 50-40-90 season in 2006-07, the same season he won the NBA MVP award. Reggie Miller and Mark Price both have done it once.

At just 24 years old, Durant is having his best season thus far – his 29.5 points and 7.5 rebounds are both just a notch under his career highs (30.1 and 8.0). KD is putting up career bests in assists, steals, blocks and across the board in shooting percentages – of which could put Durant in impressive company.

1 Comment

Bill Haus

2013/01/29
12:09 pm

Hi, we think alike.

My story includes the angle that if Kevin Durant were to enter the 50-40-90 club, could he be the first to win an NBA title in the same year?

See my post at http://billhaus.blogspot.com/2013/01/kevin-durant-chasing-history.html and recently at http://voices.yahoo.com/kevin-durant-chasing-history-11989522.html?cat=14.

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