My Little Investigation: Shaun Livingston’s Mid-Range
So, this question popped into my head the other day, and I couldn’t shake it: has Shaun Livingston ever actually missed a mid-range shot? I mean, seriously, when you picture him, especially in those Warriors years, that turnaround jumper was just pure money, wasn’t it?
My first instinct was, “No way, he made all of them!” It just felt like an automatic bucket every single time he went to that move. You’d see him post up a smaller guard, that little shoulder fake, the pivot, the high release… swish. Game after game.
But then, you know, the logical part of my brain kicked in. “Ever?” That’s a huge claim for any player, about any shot. No one shoots 100% on anything for a whole career, right? Not even the greats. Not Michael, not Larry, not Kobe. So, I figured I had to look into this a bit more, just for my own peace of mind.
I didn’t go super deep into complex spreadsheets or anything. I just started with some basic searching online. Typed in things like “Shaun Livingston mid-range percentage,” “Shaun Livingston never missed,” “Livingston turnaround jumper stats.” Stuff like that.
And what I found was a whole lot of love for that shot. Articles, fan discussions, highlight reels – everyone agrees it was one of the most reliable, unguardable shots in the league for a good stretch. People talked about its beauty, its efficiency, how he built his career back up on that very shot after his big injury. That was inspiring stuff to re-read, actually.
But did I find any definitive proof he never missed? Any stat line that read “100% from 10-16 feet”? Nope. Not a chance. Because, well, that’s just basketball. You take enough shots, some are going to rim out, some are going to be a bit off. Defenders eventually get a hand in, even if it’s rare against a shot that good.
So, the straight answer is yes, of course, he has missed mid-range shots. Lots of them over a long NBA career, I’m sure. To think otherwise is just falling for the legend, a bit.
But here’s the thing, and this is what I think is really cool. The reason that question even exists, the reason it feels like he was automatic, is a testament to how incredibly good that shot was. It was so consistent, so dependable, especially in big moments, that our brains kind of filter out the misses. We remember the makes because they were so impactful and so signature to his game.
It’s like that feeling when a great free-throw shooter goes to the line. You just expect it to go in. Shaun Livingston’s mid-range turnaround had that same aura. It wasn’t about him literally being perfect; it was about him being so darn close to it with that specific weapon that it became his legend.
So, yeah, he missed. But man, watching him take that shot? It was a thing of beauty, and it felt as close to a sure thing as you could get in the NBA. That’s how I’ll always remember it.
