Let's be honest, it's either Kobe or Carmelo. I pick Carmelo because Kobe didn't learn until recently to post some one up. Yeah Carmelo doesn't shoot a high percentage and some may consider him a chucker... but there is absolutely no one in the league able to put the ball in more different ways than Melo. He can post you up, take you off the dribble, he can pull up on you, shoot the open 3 or 2. Carmelo can do so much it crazy how much of you think Durant is better at the moment. Also he aint that bad of a passer so he can even command a double team and pass it to the open man very easily. That's my definition of a pure scorer. It's someone that you put on the court that will guarantee that he will put the ball in the hoop in any way they desire. Durant just has the perfect jumper. Durant is too weak to post someone up. I don't see him posting up Lebron. I can't even see him posting up Melo. Melo is the best pure scorer at the moment in the NBA.
You included the negation to your argument within your own post. By default, since he didn't have those players around him in Cleveland, he had to take more shots. And the poll wasn't who has had more ppg in their career. That would be a silly poll.
Bosh can play in the post (good back to the basket moves), has a deadly mid-range game, can beat opponents off the dribble, and is great in the fast break. Pure scoring skills (Bosh) vs. pure scoring (LeBron). Bosh has wide array of weapons versus Lebron who has more indomitable offensive skills.
Who played in the post in the finals? Lebron, not Bosh. Who is the best in the NBA on the fast break and MUCH better beating people off the dribble? Lebron. Lebron can also shoot the three and play the perimeter, opening up a much wider variety of scoring skills. Remember the 45 point explosion against Boston? Lebron has both better pure skills and pure scoring and it is not even close.
I was about to post something with regards to this. Best pure scoring skills doesn't mean you need to take hard shots and be flashy doing it (Kobe/whoever). For sake of argument, right now the best True Shooting % guard in the NBA is Steve Nash. Right behind him? Kevin Martin. Yes, it's a different definition of best pure scorer. But from a pure statistics standpoint, it's valid. It's just like how no one will mention John Stockton as one of the best pure scorers in the NBA. Guess what - he's #10 for all-time TS%. Here's another one, from a PPS (points per shot) perspective, Harden had by far the best season last year, eclipsing all other players that just don't rely on dunks (Tyson Chandler)... yet he isn't on this list.
I'll answer your question with another question: Which of the players on this list have scored 81 points in a single game?
I'll answer your question with another question. What year is it? (not 2006) It is six years later; Kobe has gotten older. And also, David Robinson scored 71 points in a game. Does that mean he can score better than Kareem or Hakeem?
Kevin Martin shoots a lower fg% than Kobe, Durant, Lebron or even Carmelo. And scores less points than any of them.
This Kobe hate is remarkable.... from top to bottom Kobe is the most well rounded overall scorer. Post Game 3-pointers close shots mid range left hand right hand hooks fades ball handling He has it all...
This. But also to me it seems quite absurd to define "pure scorer" as in someone who has most moves. Yes, Kobe is a jack of all trades but guess what, Durant and LeBron, while using less varied offensive moves, are so much more efficient, i.e., more likely to score on any given posession, that what does it matter?
According to this thread, Kareem was not a good "pure scorer" because he only used one move all the time.
All around scoring skills does NOT = PURE scoring. (What is "PURE" scoring anyway, just being "born with it?" ) Getting to the foul line is a great scoring skill in the NBA. But no one cares, cuz yes its lacks aesthetic look and hard to count as a skill. Especially when it involves some offensive flopping. To me its Durant with the "pure" scoring touch. If I had to pick one player to generate a MADE shot by himself to dump in points through the basket, its Durant. Though from this past season, Lebron went to an even higher level in efficient shooting. As good as Durant is, I dont see him getting 53% FG anytime soon.
Durant shoots a lot more 3s, which lowers his percentage. They are both terrors near the rim and in transition.
On effective field goal % and true shooting percentage % - Does anyone really say the Suns should just clear everyone out of the way...and let JARED DUDLEY do his work? (Now that Steve Nash is gone) - The Spurs should let Tony Parker and Tim Duncan give up the ball, let DANNY GREEN and Tiago Splitter show off that SCORING REPERTOIRE? So yes a little creativity the ball in the hands, with ability to sink the ball through the rim, as does regular FG% still counting for something. How did Kevin Martin look last year when you took the ref whistles out of his game. What did Trevor Ariza look like in Houston trying to masquerade as a #1-2 scoring option? So context does matter some. Right. I still put Durant a small tad over Lebron cuz his outside shot from anywhere is just more "true". Though if Lebron gave up his facilitating and focused just on scoring, he'd be above.
