Who Is the Greatest Scorer in NBA History?
Contents
We’re taking a look at the greatest scorers in NBA history and trying to answer the question: who is the greatest scorer of all time? We’ll look at a variety of factors, including total points, points per game, and efficiency, to try and come to a definitive answer.
Introduction
In basketball, points are used to keep track of the score in a game. A point is awarded to a player who shoots the ball through the hoop and into the net. A typical NBA game will see both teams scoring around 100 points each.
But there have been some players who have been able to score more than their opponents on a regular basis. These players are considered to be some of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the greatest scorers in NBA history and see how they stack up against one another.
A Look at the Numbers
When it comes to greatness on the basketball court, there are few who can compare to the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. But when it comes to who is the greatest scorer in NBA history, there is only one name that stands out above the rest: Wilt Chamberlain.
Regular season scoring
In the National Basketball Association (NBA), points are the currency of success. Fans and experts alike love to debate who the best scorers in league history are, and there are plenty of ways to measure scoring greatness. In this article, we’ll take a look at the regular season scoring leaders in NBA history.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who tallied 38,387 points during his 20-year career. Abdul-Jabbar is followed by Karl Malone (36,928), LeBron James (34,241), Kobe Bryant (33,643) and Michael Jordan (32,292). All five of these players are members of the NBA’s exclusive 30,000-point club.
While Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most points scored in a career, Jordan is widely considered the greatest scorer in NBA history. Jordan averaged an incredible 30.1 points per game during his 15 seasons in the league, a mark that stands as the highest career scoring average in NBA history. Jordan also holds the record for highest single-season scoring average, having averaged 37.1 points per game during the 1986-87 campaign.
There have been many great scorers in NBA history, but there can be only one greatest. For our money, that title still belongs to Michael Jordan.
Playoff scoring
Playoff scoring is a bit more complicated than just looking at points per game. The average number of games played in the playoffs is about half of what it is in the regular season, so scoring averages are usually higher. Additionally, some players have been able to pad their stats by playing for teams that go deep into the playoffs while other great scorers were on teams that were bounced early. To get a more accurate picture of the greatest playoff scorers, we need to look at points per 100 possessions.
When we do that, Michael Jordan leaps to the top of the list. He averaged an incredible 41.0 points per 100 possessions in his playoff career, which is nearly seven points higher than his regular season average. LeBron James ranks second on this list, just ahead of Allen Iverson and Jerry West. Kobe Bryant, who is fifth on the all-time scoring list, rounds out the top five.
One thing to keep in mind is that these numbers are from a different era. The pace of play was slower in the past and scoring averages were generally lower across the league. When we adjust for those factors, Jordan’s marks become even more impressive. He averaged nearly 33 points per game in an era when most players were scoring around 20 points per game. In today’s NBA, that would be like averaging 50 points per game!
The Greatest Scorers
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. It is widely considered to be the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The league adopted the name of the National Basketball Association at its founding meeting in New York on August 3, 1949.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Abdul-Jabbar, who played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, is also the NBA’s all-time leading blocker with 3,189 blocks. Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time NBA champion, a 19-time All-Star and was named the NBA’s MVP a record six times.
Karl Malone
Karl Malone is widely considered one of the best power forwards in NBA history. He spent his first 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz, formed a formidable duo with John Stockton, and helped lead the Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances. After leaving Utah, Malone played for the Los Angeles Lakers for two seasons, winning his only NBA championship in 2002.
Malone appeared in 14 NBA All-Star Games and was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1996-97 season. He is second on the NBA’s all-time scoring list behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is often considered the greatest player in the history of basketball. He was a dominant offensive player who could score as well as anyone who has ever played the game. In his prime, he was nearly impossible to stop on the court.
Jordan was a scoring machine during his time with the Chicago Bulls, winning six NBA titles. He was named the NBA Finals MVP each time that the Bulls won the championship. His individual accomplishments are numerous, including 10 scoring titles and five MVP awards. He was also named to 14 All-Star teams and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988.
There is no question that Jordan was an all-time great scorer. His career average of 30.1 points per game is the highest in NBA history. He also holds the record for most points scored in a season (3,041) and in a playoff game (63). Jordan retire with 32,292 career points, which ranks fourth all-time behind only Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and LeBron James.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there are many great scorers in NBA history, there is no clear-cut answer to the question of who is the greatest scorer of all time. Each player has their own unique skillset and approach to the game, and it is up to the individual to decide who they believe is the greatest scorer in NBA history.