Who Leads the NBA in Scoring?
Contents
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional men’s basketball league in North America. It is widely considered to be the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by FIBA (also known as the International Basketball Federation) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States.
The NBA’s Top Scorers
James Harden
With an average of 36.1 points per game, Houston Rockets guard James Harden leads the NBA in scoring for the 2018-19 season. This marks the third time in his career that he has finished as the league’s top scorer, also accomplishing the feat in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Harden is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, and his 36.1 points per game this season are the fourth-highest single-season average in league history. He entered the 2018-19 campaign ranked 11th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and he currently sits eighth on that list with 23,299 career points.
Damian Lillard
As of the end of the 2019-2020 regular season, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard led the NBA in scoring with an average of 30 points per game. Lillard was drafted by the Blazers in 2012 and has been with the team throughout his entire eight-year career. In addition to leading the league in scoring this season, Lillard also averaged 7.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. He is one of only five players in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds per game in a single season.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a nine-time NBA All-Star, and an eight-time All-NBA Team member. He is also the 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player and led the league in scoring that year. Westbrook has also been selected to eight All-Defensive Teams.
In his ten seasons since being drafted fourth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, Westbrook has averaged a triple-double for three consecutive seasons, becoming one of only two players to do so in NBA history. He is one of only four players to average a triple-double in multiple seasons. He is also the only player to average a triple-double in every season since joining the 50–40–90 club in his third season while maintaining a high usage rate.
The NBA’s Most Efficient Scorers
In the National Basketball Association, points come in a variety of ways. Some players rely on their natural scoring ability while others focus on being more efficient. This season, there have been a few clear-cut leaders in terms of scoring. Here are the most efficient scorers in the NBA.
Harden
Harden is currently averaging 36.3 points per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three-point range. He’s also getting to the free throw line a ton, averaging 10.3 attempts per game. That makes him by far the most efficient scorer in the NBA.
Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers’ point guard Damian Lillard is one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. In fact, he leads the league in points per shot attempt, meaning he scores more points per shot than any other player in the league.
This stat is important because it takes into account not only made baskets, but also missed shots and turnovers. It’s a good measure of a player’s scoring efficiency.
Lillard is averaging 27.8 points per game this season, and is shooting 46.7% from the field and 36.9% from three-point range. He also has a solid free throw percentage of 86%.
Westbrook
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook is one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. Westbrook averaged 31.6 points per game during the 2016-2017 season, shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range. He also averaged 8.2 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game, making him one of just two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season.
The NBA’s Best Scorers Per Minute
In the NBA, there are a lot of great scorers. But who are the best scorers per minute? In this article, we will take a look at the players who lead the NBA in scoring per minute.
Harden
James Harden has been one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA over the past few seasons. The Houston Rockets guard is averaging 36.3 points per game this season, which is the best mark in the league. He’s also averaging 7.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Harden has been especially impressive since the turn of the calendar year. In 2018, he’s averaging 41.1 points, 8.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. He’s scored at least 30 points in 30 straight games, which is the longest such streak in 55 years.
What sets Harden apart from other great scorers is his ability to score efficiently. He’s shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three-point range this season. For his career, he’s a 44.2 percent shooter from the field and 35.4 percent shooter from three-point range.
Lillard
damian-lillard-leads-nba-scoring
Entering the final week of the NBA season, Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard leads the league in scoring, averaging 29.6 points per game. Lillard is followed by Houston Rockets guard James Harden (29.1), Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George (28.9), Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (27.7) and Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (27.2).
Westbrook
Westbrook is currently leading the NBA in scoring, averaging 31.6 points per game. He also leads the league in assists, averaging 10.4 assists per game. Westbrook is aflashy player who often takes and makes highlight-reel plays. He’s one of the most electric players in the league and is must-see TV whenever he steps on the court.
