Best "Pure Scorer" is....?

Who is the best pure scorer in the game? First, lets define what a pure scorer is.

A pure scorer is a player who scores a high volume of points with the capability of scoring from any situation. So for example, people that go off the notion of just because someone “scores more points” than another, does not necessarily mean they are a better “pure scorer.” Take LeBron James. James’ career average of 27.3 ranks him 4th on the all time list, ahead of the likes of guys like Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and Carmelo Anthony. KD has yet to grasp a competent low post game at this stage of his career – but watch out because once that day comes, NOBODY will be able to guard his shot – so he would be the only possible question mark of the 3. There is not a single person in their right mind that would say LeBron could score the basketball better than Carmelo or Kobe. Especially with a streaky, inconsistent jump shot that teams go under screens that he runs off of.

Off of a screen, on the low block, pick and roll situations, isolation, spot up, and transitions opportunities all are things a pure scorer needs to be able to do, and do well.

For all you number freaks out there that rely on a statistic to be able to tell a story for you, there is no clear cut stat that can back up ones belief of such a claim. If you know anything about me, I can’t stand a person who constantly brings up basic statistics to prove a point. My classic response to those people would be, by the time you can comprehend numbers and what constitutes which number is higher than another, you can win an argument. Sounds foolish, right? Exactly my point. I am a huge eye test guy, and believe I watch/study the game at a level where I can trust the eye test without relying on numbers, but I digress.

The top 2 people in this era people debate over, not including Kobe because he is over the hill at this point, are Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. I love Kevin Durant’s game, although I am a HUGE Russell Westbrook advocate, but for the sake of this argument he is not demanding enough and too laid back. Carmelo feasts off of isolation ball, and has been his bread and butter for years.

Understanding the tendencies of the defense, and their rotations are vital! Everyone knows it is not about beating your initial defender, when you’re that elite of a player offensively, its about navigating your way to the correct play once you beat your initial defender. You see most guys that have a knack for scoring – MJ, Kobe, T-Mac, Melo, KD – pause for a second or two to read the defense. That way they can decipher their next move and possible double teams coming.

The most important skill one needs to acquire in order to be considered a pure scorer would be a deadly jump shot, specifically mid range jump shot. Guys with the size and speed of these 6’8’’+ mismatch players can get a shot off on anybody with a deadly mid range. Anthony has one of the most lethal shots in the game, especially from the mid range.

Once one has mastered the jump shot, the game opens up for you. The best scorers in the world know how to create contact and get to the free throw line 7+ times per game. Utilizing a simple shot fake can cause all types of trouble for your defender, once they bite, you bump them right in the ribs and go up. Foul every time! Side note – if your shot is off, getting to the line will help get you back on track. The team that gets to the free throw line the most wins 75% of the time. This puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and possibly creates mismatches once you get your main defender in foul trouble. At that point the world is in your hands. Anthony’s career free throw attempt per game are 7.6, and has had 4 seasons of 8.0+ attempts per game.

Finally, you must have the ability to finish through contact. Melo is one of the strongest perimeter players in the league, displayed when he gets touches in the post, and takes advantage of players unable to contain him from a close range.

To sum it all up, I, along with the rest of the basketball community, are excited to see Melo return this year looking to put up some big time points. Melo is human, and does have some deficiencies along with the rest of the human race; shot selection, percentage, and falling in love with the jump shot. At the end of the day, it is an absolute joy to watch the scoring ability of a player like Anthony. Take notes, whether you are of the same build as him to take your game to the next level or just looking to study the game.