Who Are the Best Closers in the NBA This Season?
Clutch Time
Because we're not dealing with just raw fourth-quarter production, the following list of players all have at least: 10 games, a two-point average, and an average plus-minus of one or greater in clutch situations, defined as the last five minutes in the fourth quarter when there is a point differential of five or fewer on either side.
Here are the best players in clutch time, in order of plus-minus, from greatest to least.
| Player | Mins | Pts | Plus-Minus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patty Mills | 2.9 | 2.2 | 3.3 |
| Danny Green | 2.8 | 2.1 | 3.3 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
| Stephen Curry | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
| Kevin Durant | 2.6 | 2.1 | 3.0 |
It's kind of crazy, but all five players are either a member of the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs. That should tell you how well both teams are at closing out games against their opponents.
After all, the Spurs' record when Patty Mills, Danny Green, and Kawhi Leonard are playing clutch minutes is 11-2, 9-3, and 13-4, respectively. As for the Warriors, their win-loss record with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on the court in such situations is 9-2 apiece.
Individually, to no one's surprise, Curry has been the best scorer with 3.7 points in 3.0 minutes per clutch situation. He's shooting 52.2% from the field, 41.7% from three, and 85.7% from the line. While Curry's teammate has struggled from the floor, with a shooting clip of 37.5%, Durant has excelled at the free throw line, knocking down all 10 of his attempts with the game at a crucial juncture.
Green has been even more efficient, shooting 66.7% from the floor, 63.6% from beyond the arc, and a perfect 100% from the line. Mills has also been great shooting in clutch time, converting on 10 of 20 shots and 5 of 11 from three-point land.
On the other hand, Leonard has shouldered a much larger load, with 34 total field goal attempts in 49 situational minutes this season. He has shot just 41.2% from the field, but he has gotten to the line 21 times and has made 18 of those tries. His total plus-minus of 52 is the highest of any qualified player.
