Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns

Informally, the 50–40–90 club is the group of National Basketball Association (NBA) players who have had a shooting percentage at or above 50% for field goals, 40% for three-pointers, and 90% for free throws during an entire NBA regular season while also achieving the NBA minimum number of makes in each category (300 field goals, 82 three-pointers, and 125 free throws).^[1][2] A total of seven players have had 50–40–90 seasons.

50–40–90 indicates a great all-around shooting performance and is considered the ultimate standard for shooters.^[3] Only Steve Nash (four times) and Larry Bird (twice) have repeat 50–40–90 seasons. Nash's lifetime 49–43–90 regular season average is the closest anyone has come to achieving a career 50–40–90 mark.^[4] Nash's lifetime 47–40–90 playoff average is the closest anyone has come to achieving a career 50–40–90 mark in the playoffs.^[5]Dirk Nowitzki is the only member that falls short of the updated minimum requirement for three-point makes implemented since 2013, finishing with 72 threes in 2007.

Members[edit]

Stephen Curry on a game night

Since the NBA introduced the three-point field goal in the 1979–80 season, the 50–40–90 shooting threshold has been reached by seven players:^[3]

• 
  Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors


• 
  Kevin Durant with the Oklahoma City Thunder


• 
  Mark Price with the Cleveland Cavaliers


• 
  Reggie Miller with the Indiana Pacers


• 
  Steve Nash with the Phoenix Suns


• 
  Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks


• 
  Larry Bird with the Boston Celtics

Nash and Bird are the only players who achieved 50–40–90 in multiple seasons; Bird was the first to join this club and achieved it twice consecutively while Nash achieved it four times in five seasons.^[6]

Nash narrowly missed five consecutive 50–40–90 seasons by shooting at 89.9% from the free throw line for the 2006–07 season, one made free throw short of the 90% mark.^[7] While not a criterion, it is notable that Curry is the only member to average at least 30 points-per-game during a 50–40–90 season, with Bird narrowly missing the mark at 29.93 ppg during his second 50–40–90 season. Nash (during his second 50–40–90 season) and Curry are the only members to achieve a 50–40–90 season while also beating one of the criteria by an additional 5%, with both of them averaging at least 45% (versus 40% required) on their three-pointer shooting.

Terminology and calculations[edit]

Similar to baseball batting averages, official NBA shooting percentages are computed to the third decimal place (thousandths), but is referred to in a "percentage", rather than "permillage" like in baseball. A player who shot .8995 on free throws would be officially computed as shooting .900 and referred to as a 90% shooter, but a player who shot .8994 would be officially computed as shooting .899 and referred to as an 89.9% shooter. While the significant number is the same for the two sports, a baseball player with a batting average of .300 is referred to as a "three hundred hitter" rather than a "30% hitter".

While the NBA officially uses a three digit number, it reports shooting statistics in a shortened and rounded form as a percentage, so that .899 to the third decimal place is simplified as a two digit "90%" in most of its reporting.^[8] Thus, a true 50–40–90 season requires a player to achieve or exceed 50.0 – 40.0 – 90.0.

This rounding to the second digit has pertinence regarding several near misses for 50–40–90 seasons, as the player's three digit results were "49.6 to 49.9" - "39.6 to 39.9" - "89.6 to 89.9" rather than fully 50.0% – 40.0% – 90.0%. These near-miss results can be found in secondary tables, below.

To qualify, a player also has to successfully make at least 300 field goals, 82 three-point field goals (since the 2013–14 season) and 125 free throws.^[9] These values have been used since the 1999–2000 season except in the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season; requirements varied with the schedule length several times before that.^[10]

This requirement to consistently produce through a season has pertinence regarding several players have been cited in the media or by their basketball clubs for having a 50–40–90 season, while ignoring the full minimum successful shots makes criteria required to be considered a leader in each category. For example, a book published in 2009 credits Steve Kerr as achieving a miracle 50–50–90 in the 1995–96 season, but ignores the fact that he was considerably short of the minimum requirements for field goals (short by 56 makes) or free throws (short by 47 makes) to be recognized officially.^[11]

Close calls[edit]

Other players have been very close, but still failed to completely meet the criteria for an official 50–40–90 season.

Missed by less than 1.0%[edit]

Six players, over eight attempts (two repeats), missed the 50–40–90 mark by less than 1.0% in one (or more) of the 50.0% - 40.0% - 90.0% criteria required. Four of these players – Bird, Curry, Nash and Nowitzki – did achieve official 50–40–90 seasons during their careers. The following table highlights, with color and asterisks, the statistical categories in which these six players fell short.

Missed minimum makes by less than 15%[edit]

Three players missed the official 50–40–90 list above by finishing the season without meeting the needed minimum figures to be considered a statistical season leader in the respective category that particular year (minimums have varied over the decades^[10]). The miss can also include one or more "miss up to two of 50.0% - 40.0% - 90.0% by less than 1.0%" added to the shortfelt numbers. The following table highlights, with color and asterisks, the statistical categories in which these three players fell short. The minimum requirements to be listed here are: within 15% of the needed made shots in no worse than two of the three categories.

References[edit]

Specific

General