The Reaper Arrives: Durant’s Mid-Range Philosophy

Kevin Durant’s nickname is "The Slim Reaper." At 6’11" he owns guard-like handle and touch—when he pull-up jumps from the elbow, defenders can only watch.

His signature is the "unsolvable mid-range": using length to shoot over anyone, smooth and uncontestable. Scarier is his "Reaper mode" late—calmer under pressure, willing to force shots through doubles and hit.

In 2018 Finals Game 3, after JR Smith’s gaffe, Durant’s go-ahead three was the series turning point. That "clutch scoring machine" trait is the root of his two FMVPs.

Talent plus skill makes the hardest weapon to guard. Durant’s Reaper moments are defenders’ nightmares.

Related Reading

• 2018 NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
• Kevin Durant: Most Valuable and Legacy— One MVP, and a Coordinate of an Era
• Kevin Durant: Hard Work and Role Model— From a Fragile Boy to the "Reaper"
• 2017 NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
• The Birth of a Juggernaut: A Deep Dive Into the 2017 Championship