Last night Dirk Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to cross the 30,000 points in the regular season threshold. Of course, Dirk has also been a very efficient scorer across his NBA career, so let's run down how he look on the all-time list when we factor in missed shots.
A reminder, the metric we are using is "Net Points," which just factors in missed shots and missed free throws. The exact formula is
[Net Points] = [Points] - [Field Goal Attempts] - 0.44 * [Free Throw Attempts]
Here's how the top 20 players in NBA history in regards to Net Points look.
| Name | Points | Net Points |
|---|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 | 5,986.2 |
| Karl Malone | 36,928 | 4,915.3 |
| Reggie Miller | 25,279 | 4,688.6 |
| Charles Barkley | 23,757 | 4,349.1 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 28,596 | 4,188.1 |
| Adrian Dantley | 21,613 | 4,119.6 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | 30,005 | 4,082.9 |
| LeBron James | 28,316 | 4,036.3 |
| Michael Jordan | 32,292 | 3,895.3 |
| John Stockton | 19,711 | 3,502.8 |
| Artis Gilmore | 15,579 | 3,471.1 |
| Kevin Durant | 17,873 | 3,392.0 |
| Ray Allen | 24,505 | 3,385.2 |
| Moses Malone | 27,409 | 3,304.4 |
| Magic Johnson | 17,707 | 3,182.0 |
| Paul Pierce | 26,316 | 3,155.0 |
| Kobe Bryant | 33,643 | 3,038.2 |
| Steve Nash | 17,387 | 3,006.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 17,335 | 2,997.2 |
| David Robinson | 20,790 | 2,960.6 |
Dirk will likely finish his career 7th in Net Points right in front of Michael Jordan! In regards to the 30,000 club, which has Kareem, Malone, MJ, Kobe, and Wilt, it turns out Dirk is actually the third highest in Net Points! In a sad note, Wilt doesn't even make top 20 in Net Points despite being an incredible scorer because he was that bad at free throws! Regardless, in a shock to no one, Dirk has been a damned good scorer. One more note. Let's look at the top players regarding Net Points from threes.
| Player | Position | Points from Threes | Net Points from Threes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Allen | 2.0 | 8,919 | 1,490 |
| Kyle Korver | 2.5 | 6,078 | 1,372 |
| Stephen Curry | 1.0 | 5,517 | 1,311 |
| Reggie Miller | 2.0 | 7,680 | 1,194 |
| Steve Nash | 1.1 | 5,055 | 1,116 |
| Dale Ellis | 2.4 | 5,157 | 891 |
| Peja Stojakovic | 2.9 | 5,280 | 888 |
| Mike Miller | 2.5 | 4,764 | 862 |
| Jason Terry | 1.5 | 6,660 | 813 |
| Glen Rice | 3.1 | 4,677 | 781 |
| Chauncey Billups | 1.2 | 5,490 | 765 |
| Klay Thompson | 2.3 | 3,777 | 762 |
| Brent Barry | 2.0 | 4,185 | 743 |
| Rashard Lewis | 3.6 | 5,361 | 736 |
| J.J. Redick | 1.9 | 3,663 | 702 |
| Wesley Person | 2.4 | 3,450 | 696 |
| Allan Houston | 2.1 | 3,915 | 668 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | 4.2 | 5,115 | 661 |
| Dell Curry | 2.0 | 3,735 | 637 |
| Vince Carter | 2.6 | 6,057 | 646 |
Dirk is 18th overall on the Net Points from threes list, which is a bit less impressive. However, a huge thing to note is he is the only player on this list that is classified entirely as a big. Dirk is the only power forward/center to crack the top 20 in terms of three-point prowess! The basic point is not only is Dirk one of the best scorers in NBA history; he has been one of the most efficient and most versatile! Good on ya Dirk!