Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant are two of the most dynamic scorers in NBA history, but how do their first six seasons stack up against each other? Doncic, having played 400 games since entering the league in 2018-19, quickly established himself as an elite offensive force. Durant, meanwhile, played 461 games in his first six seasons after debuting in 2007-08, displaying unmatched scoring efficiency and versatility.
Both players have achieved remarkable feats, but who truly emerges as the superior scorer over this span? Let’s dive into the numbers and see how they compare.
Points Per Game (PPG)
Luka Doncic: 28.7 PPG
Kevin Durant: 26.6 PPG
Luka Doncic’s 28.7 PPG over his first six seasons outpaces Kevin Durant’s 26.6 PPG during the same span. Doncic’s ability to dominate on the scoreboard from the get-go, despite not having the same level of experience as Durant, speaks volumes about his offensive prowess. His scoring average is driven by his high usage rate and ability to create his own shots both inside the arc and beyond it. Durant, however, came into the league as a more traditional scorer, gradually increasing his efficiency but still maintaining a lower PPG early in his career compared to Luka's explosive start.
Durant’s 26.6 PPG is a testament to his ability to score consistently against any defense. His elite shooting touch and versatility as both a perimeter and mid-range scorer made him a nightmare matchup early on, but his scoring was more methodical, balanced by the presence of teammates like Russell Westbrook. Doncic, however, plays a more ball-dominant role, allowing him to inflate his scoring numbers slightly higher, though at the cost of efficiency in certain areas.
Advantage: Luka Doncic
Total Points
Luka Doncic: 11,470 Points
Kevin Durant: 12,258 Points
Kevin Durant’s total points over his first six seasons, playing 142 more games than Doncic, stand at 12,560, eclipsing Luka’s 11,470 points. Durant’s durability allowed him to accumulate more total points, showcasing his consistent availability on the court. While Doncic's scoring rate is higher, Durant’s overall point tally reflects his longevity and capacity to remain effective game after game, logging more minutes and handling the wear and tear of longer seasons.
Doncic, despite the game disparity, is closing in fast on Durant’s scoring mark. His ability to put up significant points in fewer games shows just how lethal he is offensively. However, the difference in total games played gives Durant a significant advantage in raw point accumulation.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
Field-Goal Percentage (FG%)
Luka Doncic: 47.0% FG
Kevin Durant: 47.5% FG
Kevin Durant holds a slight edge in overall field goal percentage, shooting 47.5% compared to Doncic’s 47.0%. Durant’s efficiency is largely due to his elite mid-range game, which allows him to score in a more refined manner. His height and shooting touch also enable him to take and make tough shots that most players wouldn’t attempt. Luka, on the other hand, relies more on his ability to penetrate and finish at the rim or step back beyond the arc, leading to slightly more variance in his shot-making.
Doncic’s 47.0% FG rate is still impressive, given his reliance on high-difficulty shots and a higher volume of attempts per game. His ability to score from nearly anywhere on the court is what allows him to keep pace with Durant’s overall shooting efficiency. However, Durant’s ability to pick his spots more selectively gives him a slight edge in this category.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
3-Point Percentage (3PT%)
Luka Doncic: 34.7% 3-PT FG
Kevin Durant: 37.3% 3-PT FG
Kevin Durant has the upper hand as a three-point shooter, hitting 37.3% of his shots from beyond the arc, compared to Luka’s 34.7%. Durant’s smooth stroke and ability to shoot over defenders give him an edge in long-range efficiency. While not necessarily known as a primary three-point threat in his early years, Durant’s ability to knock down key shots from deep helped round out his offensive arsenal.
Doncic’s 34.7% three-point percentage highlights his more streaky shooting from deep. He tends to rely on step-back threes and contested shots, which can lead to lower percentages, especially compared to Durant’s more selective, cleaner looks. However, Luka’s volume of attempts is higher, showing that while he’s not as efficient, his willingness to take these shots plays a crucial role in his overall scoring output.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
Effective Field-Goal Percentage (eFG%)
Luka Doncic: 54.2% eFG
Kevin Durant: 51.5% eFG
Luka Doncic surprisingly edges Durant out in eFG%, boasting 54.2% to Durant’s 51.5%. This stat accounts for the extra weight of three-point shooting, and Luka’s ability to hit tough shots from deep, along with his strong finishing at the rim, allows him to maximize his scoring efficiency. Even with a slightly lower FG%, Doncic’s versatility across different scoring areas gives him a higher overall eFG%.
Durant’s eFG% of 51.5% reflects his precision shooting, but it’s limited slightly by his preference for mid-range shots, which aren’t accounted for as favorably in this metric. While KD is a more consistent scorer from all ranges, Luka’s style of play—focused heavily on threes and drives—catapults him ahead in effective field goal efficiency.
Advantage: Luka Doncic
Field-Goal Attempts (FGA)
Luka Doncic: 20.7 FGA
Kevin Durant: 18.9 FGA
Luka Doncic attempts more shots per game than Kevin Durant, with 20.7 FGA compared to Durant’s 18.9. Doncic's role as the primary ball-handler and scorer for his team means he’s constantly creating scoring opportunities for himself. His aggressive offensive play style sees him taking a higher volume of shots, which explains his elevated scoring averages.
Durant, while more selective with his attempts, focused more on quality over quantity in his early years. His scoring comes from calculated shots within the offense, making him a more efficient but less frequent shooter compared to Doncic, who shoulders more responsibility on offense.
Advantage: Luka Doncic
Usage Rate
Luka Doncic: 35.6%
Kevin Durant: 29.9%
Luka Doncic’s usage rate of 35.6% is significantly higher than Kevin Durant’s 29.9%, illustrating how much more the offense revolves around him. Doncic’s role as both the primary playmaker and scorer for the Mavericks leads to his higher usage, often shouldering the offensive load nearly every possession. This high usage allows him to score more but also brings challenges in maintaining efficiency.
Durant, while still the focal point in his teams, shared more responsibilities with other stars during his first six seasons, especially playing alongside Russell Westbrook. This lower usage rate allowed Durant to be a more efficient scorer, focusing more on finishing plays rather than creating every opportunity himself.
Advantage: Luka Doncic
Minutes Per Game (MPG)
Luka Doncic: 34.9 MPG
Kevin Durant: 38.2 MPG
Kevin Durant played more minutes on average (38.2 MPG) compared to Luka Doncic’s 34.9 MPG. Durant’s durability and the demands placed on him early in his career by the Oklahoma City Thunder meant that he spent more time on the floor, giving him more opportunities to accumulate points and maintain a consistent rhythm throughout games.
Doncic’s slightly lower minutes per game are partly due to modern load management strategies and his more injury-prone style, where the Mavericks aim to preserve his longevity. However, Luka has still managed to be incredibly productive despite playing fewer minutes than Durant.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
Scoring Titles
Luka Doncic: 1
Kevin Durant: 3
Luka Doncic, while achieving his first scoring title in 2023-24 with an impressive 33.9 PPG, hasn’t yet matched Durant’s sustained success in this category as he won his first and only scoring title in six seasons. The Slovenian is a talented scorer but he has been unable to usurp the likes of Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry, and James Harden in PPG averages.
Kevin Durant stands out as the historically better scorer over their respective first six seasons, having captured three scoring titles compared to Luka Doncic’s one. Durant won his first three consecutive scoring crowns from 2010 to 2012, averaging 30.1 PPG in 2009-10, 27.7 PPG in 2010-11, and 28.0 PPG in 2011-12. His ability to consistently lead the league in scoring during this stretch reflects his unmatched scoring versatility despite playing in an era with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.
Advantage: Kevin Durant
Final Score
Kevin Durant vs. Luka Doncic 5-4
After breaking down the stats, Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant are neck and neck in many areas, but Durant takes the edge over their first six seasons. Doncic edges out Durant in points per game, effective field goal percentage, field goal attempts, and usage rate, showcasing his dominance as a ball-dominant player. Durant, however, holds advantages in total points, shooting efficiency, three-point accuracy, minutes played, and scoring titles.
While Doncic has proven to be an elite scorer, particularly with his 2023-24 scoring title at 33.9 PPG, the comparison shows that both players excel in different ways, with Doncic's higher offensive load countered by Durant's precision and efficiency. Durant's ability to win three scoring titles by 2012, compared to Doncic’s single scoring crown in 2023-24, solidifies this comparison. Stats can be looked at in different ways to make both players seem equal, but the three scoring titles puts Durant over the top as the better scorer straight out of the gate.
Related: LeBron James Is Still Trailing Michael Jordan In 7 Categories, Even Though He Played 528 Games And 7 Seasons More
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