This article should be sent to every writer, analyst, and TV, radio, and internet personality who talks incessantly about how Kobe is deadly in the clutch…in reality, over the past 5 seasons, his true shooting percentage (which accumulates FG%, 3P%, and FT%) is 38th in the NBA. LeBron is 12. Carmelo 22. Wade 28.
Of course, shooting percentage doesn’t account for making plays - so it’d be nice to see which players have the highest assist rates in the clutch as well. Perhaps a cumulative stat could be conceived of.
The perception game that the media plays is an interesting one that I’m planning on writing about soon, but I will say that it’s human nature - I think - to forget about mistakes and remember successes. In other words, if Kobe misses 5 shots in a row and then hits a 3 to tie the game and send it in to OT, he’s suddenly an amazing player, when really if goes 2 of 5 on those other shots, he doesn’t have to hit the 3.
Look closer…
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