Ranking the best shooters in 2021 NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoffs are when the best and most prolific scorers shine. The lights are the brightest and it's a true testament to greatness when a player gets his team buckets at an efficient clip even when the pressure is amped up. Some of the most efficient scorers unsurprisingly operate in the paint as it gives them the best looks and highest percentage shots. Zion Williamson led the league in FG% for any player averaging over 20 points per game in the regular season but we, unfortunately, couldn't see him in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
Who are the most efficient shooters in the 2021 NBA playoffs?
For this ranking, we have taken players with a minimum of 150 shot attempts into consideration. Some of these players are the franchise's main scorers and all defensive attention is usually on them. These superstars still managed to shoot at an efficient clip and give their team buckets when they needed them most.
Amazingly, Philadelphia 76ers' Seth Curry won't make this list because he had a total of 147 attempts, three shy of our minimum requirement for this ranking. He shot at an absurd 57.8% from the field as a perimeter player. Moreover, Atlanta Hawks' John Collins is currently on 149 attempts and his postseason is still going on. Just one more shot and he would instantly crack this list as he is averaging 57% from the field.
But let's take a look at the five best shooters in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
#5 Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid was the best player and highest scorer on the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 28.1 points per game on 51.3% shooting from the field on 17.9 attempts a game. One of his highlights was when he dropped a playoff career-high 40 points on 52% shooting from the field in Game 2 against the Hawks and 36 points in Game 3 against Washington on 14-18 (77.8%) shooting.
#4 Kevin Durant
The fact that Kevin Durant operates everywhere on the floor, and not just the paint, is why his presence on this list is even more impressive. He was the primary scorer left on the team in the conference semifinals series as Kyrie Irving went down with an injury and James Harden was just a shell of himself. Durant dropped the second-highest playoff triple-double of all time with 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a must-win Game 5 against the Bucks. KD shot 51.4% from the field in the 2021 NBA playoffs on 23.5 attempts per game with a total of 282 attempts.