“Their range is not like that” - Michael Porter Jr. breaks down the nuances between a shooter like Kevin Durant and someone like Steph Curry

Many fans don't realize how scientific the game of basketball is. While the objective has always been to put the round orange leather ball through the hoop, there is more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak.

Sitting down recently with Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi on the Off Guard podcast, Michael Porter, Jr. talked at length about shooting, a skill he knows a lot about. The Denver Nuggets forward explained the different types of shooters in the NBA and the pros and cons of each style.

"There is an art to shooting that different people utilize different things," said the 2018 first round draft pick. "The KDs and the Devin Bookers have mastered the midrange game, you notice they all have a jump shot similar to me. I'll make tough shots because I jump on my jumper."

"Then you have the guys who got the range-- the Trae Youngs, Stephs-- they shoot more of a push shot, so it takes away their ability to get in the midrange and jump over somebody and shoot it. But the guys we're talking about, the KDs the Books, they are on-the-line three-point shooters. Their range isn't like that," Porter Jr. explained.

MPJ made it clear he appreciates all types of shooters, but it's about comfort and necessity more than anything. The smaller, set-shooting guys like Trae and Steph need a quick trigger to get their shots off against taller defenders. On the other hand, tall, jump-shooting players like KD and Porter Jr. are all about utilizing their length and shooting over people.

Because of this main technical difference, Durant and shooters with a similar style can fall back on their midrange game when defenders chase them off the three-point line. Meanwhile, Trae and Steph have perfected their floater games as a counter.

MPJ’s Top 5 Shooters

As a deadly outside gunner, Porter Jr. has criteria by which he ranks the NBA's top shooters. The 6-foot-10 forward considers the whole shooting repertoire; off the dribble, spot-up, etc.

"My top five shooters right now would be Steph, I'mma put Book in there," MPJ begins his list. "So I'm putting KD in there… Steph, KD, Book, Dame, and Klay, obviously all time."

Interestingly, Porter Jr. stopped short of including Klay Thompson as one of the top five currently, showing that the league is saturated with shooting talent. The crew never definitively got a fifth name, but Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, and Keegan Murray were mentioned.

"You can't have everything"

Hardcore basketball fans genuinely value the insights MPJ shared on the podcast. That deep understanding resonates with those who live and breathe the game. It's also a humbling reminder that the basketball gods won't let someone have all the cards in the deck.

"CJ McCollum is another one that hugs the line, but he's got an unbelievable midrange. It's deadly. But Dame is out here shooting four feet behind the line, but he's not really a midrange guy. It's interesting because you can't have everything," commented host Austin Rivers.

Related: Trae Young on what if Michael Porter Jr. didn't hurt his back: "He would have been another Paul George"