The Best Clutch Player in the Game Today
‘MeloIf you look back through the Dimemag.com archives about five months ago, you’d see a whole lot of Carmelo hate in the comments section. The talk about him being overrated, out of shape and indifferent ran rampant. But since Chauncey has come to Denver, ‘Melo is now seen as the consensus best small forward in the West. And according to the folks at 82games.com, he is also one of the best, clutch performers in the game today.
In April 2006, 82games quantified clutch scoring based on “game winning shot opportunities,” which are defined as: “24 seconds or less left in the game, team with the ball is either tied or down by 1 to 2 points.”
In that original report, Anthony led the League in makes during that “clutch” time at a 64.7% rate from the floor.
Now, 82games is stretching that data sample from the 2005-06 season to the last five years – from the 2003-04 season to the 2008-09 year. Carmelo isn’t in the top spot in total makes. He’s fifth. But the combination of total makes and his astronomical percentage (48.1% FG) makes him a good choice as the best clutch performer during the last five regular seasons.
Here are some other names to consider based on these numbers: LeBron is leading the League in makes during this stretch with 17 (at 34% FG), surprisingly Vince Carter is second with 16 (31.4% FG), Ray Allen has 15 (38.5% FG), and Kobe has 14 (25% FG).
But this year, none of those guys are at the top of the list. This year alone, Danny Granger is at the head of the pack, hitting 5-7 “game winning shots,” Brandon Roy is 4-7, Roger Mason Jr. is 3-8, Kevin Durant is 3-8, and Raymond Felton is 3-8.
Would you say that Granger or Roy are better clutch performers than LeBron, Vince, Ray, Kobe, or ‘Melo?
Source: 82games.com
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February 9th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Goldenboy118 says:
Mehmet Okur
February 9th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Hurricane says:
Kobe is the best hands down. If i wanted one shot to win any game, i would take kobe over anyone. then carmelo.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Xavier says:
Id say Kobe and LeBron haven’t been in many last possession situations in games this season so far since they tend to win by a comfortable margin. Lots of Blazers games have been going down to the wire, so even though Roy has proven to be a clutch player, Id still take Kobe or LeBron over him
February 9th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Zen Master says:
If you need a 2 kobe HANDS DOWN!! If you need a 3 gotta go with Ray Ray with kobe not far behind.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
KDizzle(6-0 - Haterproof) says:
Kobe all day, but I’d take Wade, Melo, Pierce, Roy, Gil when healthy and Roger Mason been a giant killer this season
February 9th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
pig says:
i remember how melo hit a lot of buzzerbeaters before the iverson trade and i’d take him today too
February 9th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
jess says:
I’ve got to think D-Will should be mentioned as well.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
uneeda says:
Melo has consistently improved one or more areas of his game every year since stepping out for the Nugs – and his nailing the shot two years ago in TRIPLE overtime against Dallas with the paper towel hanging out of his nose after getting in bloodied!
Melo is the best.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
Kobe of course, (like I would ever say anyone else) but seriously though, gotta go with Kobe big game or not
February 9th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
Roy is better than Vince.
Im surprised Joe Jeezy is not up there.
Melo has been clutch for a while now
February 9th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Jim says:
I’m not a fan, but looking at this chart shows that Dirk’s reputation among Dime commenters does not reflect reality.
Also, Kobe’s FG% in those situations is really bad.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Amar says:
it’s obviously jason collins.
actually, i wouldn’t call deron clutch (he’s made game winners and daggers aplenty, be them in college, or things like three pointers to send the game to OT in denver, or coast to coast game winners against cleveland, or whatever), i’d just call him a pretty good one-on-one player who doesn’t get to play one on one.
memo is clutch though. he’s not up there with those other guys, but for what it is worth, he’s hit plenty of game winners / three point daggers in his career as a center.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Oscarisalakerfan says:
I choose KObe no question bout it… The reason he shoots so poorly is because other coaches and teams constantly double team him in the clutch and most of the time he doesn’t pass out of it and takes terrible shots……If he was left alone in the clutch with his defender on an island like most of the other players….. he would be shooting at least 50 %
February 9th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
LakeShow84 says:
I always considered Dirk clutch..
Melo clutch too..
And of course the Mamba is the clutchest of all clutchers who try to be clutch..
February 9th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol at Amar for that Jason Collins s#$t..
February 9th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Heckler...formerly 'yallallreadyknow' says:
CLUTCH FIVE:
5. Joe Johnson
4. Chauncey Billups
3. Dwyane Wade
2. Paul Pierece
1. Kobe Bryant
sorry….but carmelo aint making the list. Not top 5 anyway.
BTW….
Jon Barry’s top 5 (playoff) clutch of alltime was the most accurate ever
5. reggie miller
4. kobe bryant
3. jerry west
2. larry bird
1. michael jordan
February 9th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
doug says:
5. Reggie Miller
4. J.west
3. Larry Bird
2. Kobe
1. M.J
February 9th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Sanpitch says:
i’d take roy over ‘melo and lebron. but ray-ray, kobe, and vinsanity are on the list for a reason.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
doug says:
I don’t like when they get top-5′s from guys that were pee-ons in the league, Jon Barry LMAO,this guy sucked in the L. Tim Legler I’m not interested in these cats top 5, I want top 5′s from guys that were legit ball players. Tim Legler said Calbert Chaney was one of the best lockdown defenders he ever played against, I spit my food all over my flat screen, I didn’t have to do my abs that day I laughed for a good five minutes.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Melo2TDot says:
the stats speak for them selves.
all hail Melo Yello
February 9th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
doug says:
Melo2TDot,those stats don’t speak for themselves, they’re actually real deceiving because no one in the L recognizes him as best clutch player in the L. When SI has those polls every year between coaches and players he’s never even mentioned, Kobe has won it out right for the past 7-8 years.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
blah says:
melo is trash. fuck him.
If i need one shot, all time it’s MJ. then reggie miller. then a sick mj. then a sick reggie. then an injured mj. That’s my top 5.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
doug says:
i think we officially have someone dumber than doc his name is Blah, many please Reggie on his best day can’t hold a candle to Kobe in the clutch. Reggies top 5 list had Kobe ahead of him. the only one ahead of Kobe is MJ.Who cares if melo hits a game winner in the 2nd game of the regular season against the thunder, Kobe hits them in the playoffs and finals games that count.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
azazin says:
Melo’s clutch…, But i think the best closer in the game today is Paul Pierce… I want the ball in PP’s hands with 8 ticks.. mamba is overrated being the best closer, he choked on his last shot against boston last week.. and he sucks when its a close out series.. He choked in phoenix and in boston last year.. Mj loves those kinda moment.. that game in NY, they were up 15 late in the game, he should have been on the bench. He’s a point shaver…
February 9th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
dennis says:
you didnt mention who had the best fg% in last 24second shots with game on the line, travis outlaw with over 85%
February 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Ian says:
oscarisalakerfan
hahahahahaha
read again what u posted the reason kobe shoots so poorly is because hes doubled in that situation and never passes. so fuck no i dont want him then all superstars will get doubled in that situation.
alltime clutch
jordan
bird
miller
doug u must be joking now with kobe ahead of reggie for one shot. doug what is kobe not the best at??? damn
THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE TAKES KOBE FOR ONE LAST SHOT OVER REGGIE AT THE BUZZER REGGIE CAN HIT FROM HALF COURT
February 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
heartbreaker85 says:
church kids. you all need to go to church.
melo aint clutch, he’ll take a jumpshot to win games. ditto with pierce.
wade is gonna drive strong (and get fouled).
kobe is gonna do both. did you see last night’s game vs cleveland where lebron(!) was all up in his grill and he did his “hakeem-shimmy”, turn-around fade-away? the ball’s arc was so high i thought it wouldnt go the fuck down!
swoosh. flu game. cleveland’s 23-1 at home.
and im not even a kobe fan!
February 9th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Ian says:
kobe takes 100 game winners and makes 4 but since they play those 4 all day in espn , plus kobe is a laker not a dude from sacramento hes gonna get love, never in the history of the league has one player that has yet to take a a team to a championship been praised as much.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Ian says:
and dime the article says mason is 3-3
February 9th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Ian says:
he fellas guess who lead the league in game winners missed
42 – Kobe
35 – Vince Carter
33 – Joe Johnson, LeBron
32 – Crawford
31 – Billups
funny how duncan shoots 40% and kobe 25% but lets all suck kobes balls fuck that.
and people have him over reggie fucking miller
February 9th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Ian says:
lol if u go back and take it from 03 kobe shots an awsome 21% while duncan goes to a 46% and melo must be outta his damn mind shooting 65%
February 9th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
doc (i like kobe AND bron) says:
Doug I know nobody loves Kobe’s balls more than you.The stats dont lie.If they are the top clutch players the last 5 years then thats what it is.
February 9th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Ian says:
4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points
last seasons
kobe 44%
manu 56%
bron 47%
February 9th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Mike says:
Umm how is VC not on this years list?? He hit two in one game for gods sake!!(three at buzzer to tie and reverse oop for the win against raps. Not to mention the 35-foot dagger against the hawks for the win. Man, VC just doesnt get the credit he deserves. Put him on a championship contender and watch him do his thing in the playoffs…
February 9th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Amar says:
VC is the most clutch . . . only against Toronto though. I don’t know what the heck that city ever did to him to make him so mad at them . . . didn’t the major of toronto pronounce it Vince Carter day in the city on the day he resigned with them after his rookie contract? (They never did that for hockey players in Toronto)
February 9th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Lol is this the same list that said Lebron was the most clutch in the 4th quarter last year??
STATS CAN BE TWISTED TO SAY ANYTHING..
Chumps..
February 9th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
c says:
KOBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
There shouldn’t even be a debate.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Luigi says:
okay. the debate is clutch player today…not of all time
my tops are
Black Mamba
Jesus Shuttleworth
The King
Melo
Tough Juice
Oh n Agent Zero [when his knee decides to heal]
February 9th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
heartbreaker85 says:
who the fluck goes with the monicker ‘tough juice?’ sounds like something from a smut film.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Matt says:
Roy. Nuff said.
February 9th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
jay says:
kobe and it aint even close..nuff said!!!
black mamba!!!!!!!!!!
February 9th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Safetydan says:
What is up with this? look at the stats. stats don’t lie. Kobe misses more game winners and makes less than many, many in the nba today. why is he so clutch? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:14 am
bookkwormmaster says:
I live in ATL and I support my Hawks but Joe Johnson is not clutch. Dude’s not even a superstar. He’s not even the most clutch player on our squad (that honor goes to Bibby). He is a legit all-star with his skill set and abilities but let’s be real. As a matter of fact he’s not even in the top 5 at his position; top 10 definitely though. Aside from that shot he hit in the playoffs last year against Boston how many “game-winners” does he have on his resume as a player people tout as a borderline superstar?
February 10th, 2009 at 12:30 am
j says:
If Brandon Roy is not in your top 3 then you do not watch enough basketball to give an educated opinion. maybe he isnt the best, I will take him any time, but he is definately top 3. see new york or houston specifically to be amazed, but he is always great in the clutch.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:58 am
N says:
Clutch does not equal the best percentage. I’m going to school in Long Beach right now & my roommates & I watch every Laker game. 24 is the most clutch player since 23. And this is coming from a kid from Sacramento.
And as for the dude that said Bibby is more clutch than Joe Johnson? Are you serious? Bibby is having a great year but that doesn’t make him clutch. With the exception of this year, he has been super inconsistent. CWebb & Bibby was great, but he let us down quite a few times.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:45 am
JHov says:
In this case stats do lie! Does anybody remember the Jordan commericial about how many shots MJ has missed?? The player who has the most opportunity is gonna fail the most usually. Danny Granger has been unbelievable clutch but he’s only been the man on his squad for about one season so his percentage will fall..whether you love or hate KB24..no one lacing them up in today’s game is more clutch..no one!
February 10th, 2009 at 7:28 am
solomon (and i'm back ballin...) says:
where’s chuck hayes?
February 10th, 2009 at 11:37 am
hucklebuck says:
Kobe is overrated when it comes to game winners. yes he made one against the Suns a few years ago, but that was the no-D Suns. he can hit clutch shots, but when it comes to game winners, especially vs teams that play D (Boston last Thursday OR vs Detriot in Finals) he settles for a fadeaway jumper. This year, I would put the ball in Batman Granger’s, Roy’s, or Allen’s hands (via Pierce).
February 10th, 2009 at 11:41 am
hucklebuck says:
unless Kobe can hit a game winner (not lucky 3s on Pierce) on the Celtics over The Truth who is slower than Kobe, he ain’t no Jordan. Jordan would probably have found a way for easy buckets against Boston. Kobe gets discouraged vs tough D teams in the clutch.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Erichv96 says:
It’s about time Dime put up something including Melo in all of those “Who’d you rather have with the last shot” votes…it’s always Kobe and Bron. I’m not taking away from either of them and Kobe is the best, but Melo has been an assassin since he’s been in the league. I’d take Melo’s J over Bron’s J in any situation
February 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Schwaller says:
Kobe is da clutchest player in the NBA. You see how he can score anytime and anywhere. If you a Lakers fan like me you would know that kobe has many clutch shots to either win the game or put the game away.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
hucklebuck says:
what Kobe NEEDS to do to sustain his clutchness title that u guys says he has is to beat Boston. For a clutch player with the chance to win it against a team who embarrassed him in the Finals, he tried to pull a shot fake and a fadeaway? what Kobe NEEDS to do is not get frustrated when he doesn’t get calls and drive to the basket rather than settle for than weaksauce fadeaway stuff. that’s what separates MJ from Kobe-ability to get where he wants WHENEVER he wants against ANY TEAM, especially the CHAMPIONS.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Big V says:
Taking Kobe over Reggie hands down for the last shot is a little insane. Reggie’s body of work in the playoffs alone puts him up there with (if not ahead of) Jordan in my book.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
jerod says:
Kobe has always been overrated as a clutch player.
He misses way more game deciding shots than he makes. The media’s desperation to create a new MJ is why they say Kobe is clutch. Making 25% of your crunch time shots doesn’t make you clutch.
We also remember what Kobe the choke artist did during the finals in game 4. Choking away 24 pts lead mid way through the 3rd at home.
February 14th, 2009 at 9:29 am
James says:
roy. and durant should be mentioned this year!
September 5th, 2009 at 1:36 am
dude says:
RAY ALLEN FOR THREEEE!!!!!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
justin says:
im not surprised that it says..”surprisingly” vince carter is second lol wow hes the most underrated player in the last 15 years in the words of lawrence frank, if not all time…
November 17th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
justin says:
vc clutch only against toronto:S i think ur forgetting his gamewinners/tyers with new jersey at the buzzer against washington, charlotte, utah, atlanta,…and those r just at the buzzer ur styll missing the ones hes hit between 25 to 5 seconds remaining
December 11th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Kobe Bryant says:
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most clutch players in the league but he’s white so I can understand why the average NBA fan doesn’t like him.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:23 pm
vince says:
i would pic vince any day