Chris Paul's midrange is more valuable than ever [Jordan Sperber collab]

The game has changed around Chris Paul's incredible midrange skills, but has that only made them more valuable? Paul is an elder statesman, but his pullup shooting and use of midrange jumpers has made him a deadly counter to playoff defenses and drop coverage. This video, with Jordan Sperber of @hoopvision68, looks at the evolution of modern offenses around Paul's midrange game, and how it's more valuable than ever today after leading to the Suns past the Los Angeles Clippers to the 2021 NBA Finals.

Twitter: @elgee35

Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.

Stats courtesy:
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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.

Music by csus (instrumental)

#ThinkingBasketball

[WhelmedButReady]

I swear I was about to slip into a deep depression having not had any new Thinking Basketball videos for over 2 months

[jisookwon]

To Ben, Jordan, and whoever narrates these videos, thank you for the free, educational content. This channel has changed so much of my mindset when it comes to watching and knowing basketball. I appreciate the thorough analyzing in each video and the insight yall have given me.

[bryanmejia]

These videos are so information packed they feel longer than they actually are, the quality is INSANE, if only it was possible to upload this level of content often.

[MindfulAttraction]

0:22 gotta love chuck. Such a funny guy

[MindfulAttraction]

You're back!!! So happy. I know this will be great

[jaypenn]

I've followed Thinking Basketball for while but this Sperber guy's on court edits showing the plays are really impressive. They're super helpful for me who just started following basketball and I'm deff subbing to his channel.

[Ricos]

The value of the mid range shot increases exponentially in the playoffs. All great perimeter players like Jordan, Lebron, Kawhi, Kd, and Kobe all became lethal and it’s what made them championship level players

[Schraiber]

Absolutely fantastic video! I think this really hit the nail on the head: prior to the 3 point revolution, offenses just ran bizarrely badly spaced offenses that made it really easy on the defense. The idea of spacing guys way out has really opened the game up for ball handlers, as is very clear in the comparison of CP3's snaking moves from the past and present.

[ignitionnight]

As a Jazz fan who has nightmares of CP3's midrange game, thank you for not having any clips of him cooking us with it in the regular season. Much appreciated!

[everyoneliesd]

I love this video, makes it easier to explain to friends as well as making it easier for myself to appreciate basketball more when you see plays with a video showing what's a pick and pop vs a pick and roll as well as the other stuff, in stead of just watching and waiting for a deep 3.

Well done.

[cloudydog]

This has to be the best analytical basketball video ive ever seen. The style of editing and writing is all very concise and well done! Great job!!

[jamesmarshall]

Love this video and how it explained how analytics often reveals what is occurring. My job is a data analyst and the one thing that's frustrating to hear is when people say "Analytics tells you to do this." Analytics doesn't tell you to do anything, it gives you probabilities of what is most likely to occur and when you speak to someone whose job it is to come up with those numbers we don't dryly tell you do this because the numbers say so, we explain the reasons behind those numbers, why those probabilities are most likely to occur and will often explain why sometimes doing the action with the lower probability is a smart action to take at particular times.
This video basically does that in a visual sense and is great to see.

[dinospumoni]

i ADORE the editing on this video, the on-time text on the relevant players is insanely helpful in understanding the breakdown

[arrownoir]

Would love to see CP3 get his ring, guy deserves it more than anyone else right now.

[atxng]

I smile every time I see a new Thinking Basketball video

[mateorp_]

Dude I was beginning to worry. Your videos are wonderful, keep it up!

[jaysonmahaguay]

I love to see Midrange is become relevant again, its a lost art, because in modern NBA, there's a heavy volume of 3 pt shots, but thanks to CP3, Devin Booker, Kahwi and KD for making Midrange jumper relevant this playoff

[Zach_Ravel]

*Game 6:* 41 PTS, 4 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 0 TOV, 81 TS% 🔥

[tempota]

For us plebs, here are the levels of basketball IQ:
Level 0: watch orange ball bounce, maybe drool a little (a lot 🤤🤤), "flashy play, wow", unga bunga ook ook
Level 1: watch some breakdowns, look at markings and arrows, "wow, such knowledge, much wisdom", still kinda unga bunga
Level 2: watch Thinking Basketball, ACTUALLY gets taught the 5 man small unit tactics, Third Eye 👁️ has now been OPENED 😨, every move, every cut, every screen, all now make sense like a well choreographed dance! I am no longer just watching 10 guys run around seemingly for no reason, but are actually in the middle of a non-stop orchestration of 2 sets of intricate offense and defense!

I have now ascended, and I am now Thinking Basketball.

[gurjassinghbatra]

Please please please please do a Scottie Pippen complete breakdown