We saw a tremendous amount of offense in the league this year, where two players managed at least 70 points in a single game, and the Sacramento Kings managed to average 120.7 PPG as a team that led all franchises. Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell both dropped 71 points in a single game, and the former also had a 60-point game as well. Luka Doncic also added 60 points in a single game in the same instance, adding 21 rebounds and 10 assists.
Clearly, the NBA is encouraging an incredible shift toward offense. It has never been easier for players to score due to the presence of technology pointing out ways to get buckets easier and the uptick in coaching strategies. Not to mention, player skill is through the roof, while playing any form of aggressive defense is non-existent. It seems the league is becoming more finesse and discouraging any form of defense that involves physicality. With this amount of offense almost every night, players are putting up monster-scoring numbers.
With the season over and the playoffs coming up next, let’s dive deeper into the game’s greatest scorers this season and divide them into tiers. Scoring in the NBA is never easy, even with the aforementioned factors encouraging it, and only a few players can truly be regarded as the greatest and elite of their kind. Here are the top 25 scorers in the NBA divided and ranked into tiers.
All-Star Scorers
Jaylen Brown – 26.6 PPG
Trae Young – 26.2 PPG
Ja Morant – 26.2 PPG
Zion Williamson – 26.0 PPG
Anthony Davis – 25.9 PPG
Lauri Markkanen – 25.6 PPG
Julius Randle – 25.1 PPG
De’Aaron Fox – 25.0 PPG
Zach LaVine – 24.8 PPG
Brandon Ingram – 24.7 PPG
Anthony Edwards – 24.6 PPG
DeMar DeRozan – 24.5 PPG
Nikola Jokic – 24.5 PPG
All-Star scorers are players with an innate inability to get buckets, which normally leads to All-Star appearances. These players make up the list of stars who provide the minimum required PPG averages to be selected as All-Stars and be go-to scorers for a franchise.
Jaylen Brown leads the bunch with a very solid 26.6 PPG average, and he did it at respectable efficiency (49.1%) despite having another superstar scorer in Jayson Tatum beside him. Whether it’s outside jumpers or finishing inside, Brown is on his way to being a superstar.
Trae Young has his critics for the turnover-heavy and ball-dominant style of play he has, but he is one of the best scorers in the NBA, which is why he was an All-Star by posting 26.2 PPG and 10.2 APG. No doubt, Young is an offensive machine who can carry an offense alone.
Ja Morant was absent more than we like due to his off-court drama but was sensational as a scorer when available. Through 61 games, Morant averaged 26.2 PPG and added 8.1 APG, and he is no doubt a superstar player who will likely continue to increase his scoring through the years.
If only we could get Zion Williamson healthy because the dominant forward is dealing with non-stop injuries that are becoming frustrating for the sake of New Orleans Pelicans fans. Through only 29 games, Williamson posted 26.0 PPG on 60.8% shooting, so that’s enough evidence of what he can do when available.
Anthony Davis is considered a top-ten player in the world because he put up 25.9 PPG despite having many games where he completely disappeared. That is a testament to Davis’ talent because he can get buckets so easily, yet his mentality doesn’t encourage more when he can do more.
Who saw Lauri Markkanen coming this season? He was always a solid shot-blocker and scorer but was never an All-Star before this season. The Finnish star posted 25.6 PPG and basically carried the Utah Jazz to become a competitive team in the Western Conference, so let’s see if this season was just the start of things to come.
New York Knicks star Julius Randle posted an unbelievable 25.1 PPG and 10.0 RPG this year and made the All-Star Team. It is very possible that the power forward finishes with an All-NBA Team appearance because he has been excellent as the best player for an iconic franchise.
De’Aaron Fox was considered the most clutch player in the NBA, as he came through for the Sacramento Kings time and time again during the regular season. The speedy point guard has improved his mid-range jump shooting and is a deadly player from that range. Of course, his ability to slice to the rim helped make Sacramento the best offensive team in the league.
Zach LaVine started out slowly but managed to post almost 25 PPG because he is a natural scorer. The shooting guard gets underlooked because of how beautiful DeMar DeRozan makes offense look, but LaVine is on par with DeMar, if not better, due to his efficient three-point shot (37.5%).
Stepping in for a franchise player is not easy, but Brandon Ingram has done enough in Zion Williamson’s absence to post over 24 PPG and lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a play-in spot. The forward can create his own shot and also play off the ball, which is why many likened him to Kevin Durant when he first entered the league.
Anthony Edwards might have overtaken Karl-Anthony Towns as the franchise player in Minnesota. The team has struggled to impress despite having four All-Star players, including Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley. It seems Towns is out the door soon, so Edwards has a chance to carry the team on his back on the offensive side of the floor.
DeMar DeRozan is a mid-range maestro, and that will never change. He has a beautiful jumper from that range and is always a threat to score at the rack as well, averaging 50.4% from the field which is very solid. Hopefully, DeRozan and LaVine can sort out the team’s kinks and hopefully contend together.
Serbian superstar and two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is required to do a lot of things for the Denver Nuggets, including passing and rebounding, but scoring over 24 PPG is not easy as well. The point center shot a whopping 63.2% from the field and always came through for the team, which is why he will finish as a top-two MVP candidate.
Bonafide Superstars
Stephen Curry – 29.4 PPG
Kevin Durant – 29.1 PPG
LeBron James – 28.9 PPG
Donovan Mitchell – 28.3 PPG
Devin Booker – 27.8 PPG
Kyrie Irving- 27.1 PPG
Stephen Curry is still the best shooter in the NBA, and he averaged 29.4 PPG on 42.7% from deep, a very elite number from a point guard. Curry’s scoring was one of the few bright spots for the struggling Golden State Warriors that fell to the No. 6 seed this year. Regardless, Steph is still one of the best offensive players in the world, and that won’t change.
Kevin Durant can average 30 PPG in his sleep, a testament to his greatness. He was a shade under that figure this season but he did deal with a ton of roster inconsistencies with the Brooklyn Nets and found himself on a new team in Phoenix after the trade deadline. The superstar forward is far more interested in winning his third NBA title, however, and expect him to have a sensational postseason with the Suns as long as he stays healthy.
The King broke the all-time scoring record this season and is now the primary offensive player for the Los Angeles Lakers despite being 38 years old. James had to carry a heavy offensive burden for most of the season until former All-Star D’Angelo Russell and forward Rui Hachimura came on board. James needs to continue his offense heading into the playoffs because it will be sorely needed for the Purple and Gold to make the playoffs and go on a run.
Donovan Mitchell had a 71-point performance against the Chicago Bulls this season and that certainly helped his scoring average. The shooting guard has been a fantastic scorer since becoming an All-Star with the Utah Jazz and has yet to slow down. Whether it’s a mix of scoring outside or attacking the rim with explosiveness, Mitchell is clearly developing into a superstar offensive player.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has plenty of help from Kevin Durant now, but his offense will still be needed in the playoffs. The shooting guard posted 27.8 PPG on 49.4% shooting from the field this season, and he will need to hover around these numbers if he wants to make the NBA Finals again. Booker does a lot well on offense, including creating his own shot and spotting up for threes, so that makes him a terrific sidekick alongside Kevin Durant.
It is amazing how effortlessly Kyrie Irving can score the basketball. The point guard is the greatest ball-handler of all time and is continuing to find ways to get buckets at a high level. Despite forcing a trade from Brooklyn and facing constant criticism for being a part of a Dallas Mavericks side that missed the play-in, Irving averaged 27.1 PPG on 49.4% FG and 37.9% 3-PT FG which indicates he is a superstar player without any doubt.
Elite Scorers
Damian Lillard – 32.2 PPG
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 31.4 PPG
Giannis Antetokounmpo – 31.1 PPG
Jayson Tatum – 30.1 PPG
Elite scorers are the cream of the crop in terms of offensive players who averaged at least 30 PPG this season. In years past, very few players managed to put up these averages, but it seems to be more normal in the modern NBA with spread offenses and less aggressive defenses.
Damian Lillard headlines the Elite Class with a 32.2 PPG average on sublime efficiency. The point guard literally carried the Portland Trail Blazers all season long, and without him, the franchise might have been the worst team in the league. Shooting 46.3% from the field and 37.1% from three is amazing for a player who posted over 32 PPG, so hopefully, there is more to come from the star guard.
Budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most promising players in the world after posting 31.4 PPG on 51.0% shooting from the floor. The guard was supposed to be part of a tanking team but has actually led them to a play-in spot. Utilizing his incredible athleticism and explosiveness, the guard can get anywhere he wants on the floor, and his 34.5% clip from beyond is a good sign that he is improving as a shooter as well.
Giannis Antetokounmpo does not have a great jumper by any means but is still posting at least 30 PPG consistently. The Greek Freak is a modern-day Shaquille O’Neal in the way he finishes inside and is completely dominant on a physical level. Due to his length and size, Giannis can literally be a one-man fast break but also attack the rim and score in the half-court as well. He is the best two-way player in the world and has been for a while now.
Jayson Tatum has proven to be a steal by the Boston Celtics as he was taken No. 3 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Using a mix of outside shooting and an improved ability to finish inside, the Celtics superstar is getting better with age as he posted a career-high 30.1 PPG in only his sixth season. Watch out, NBA, because Tatum could be on a path to legendary status if he can win a ring this year and keep adding new offensive moves to his arsenal.
The Best In The World
Joel Embiid – 33.1 PPG
Luka Doncic – 32.4 PPG
Who are the greatest scorers in the NBA, ahead of everyone else? The answer is Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic. Embiid finished the 2022-23 campaign as the best scorer in the league by posting 33.1 PPG on 54.8% shooting from the field. The center was absolutely sensational all season long, and he could end up becoming the MVP for the first time in his career. The Cameroonian has it all, including a three-point shot and a career 81.9% clip from the stripe, so he could be a one-of-a-kind big man with a unique skill set.
Luka Doncic has carried the Dallas Mavericks all year and might be frustrated that the addition of Kyrie Irving backfired in terms of team success. Luka averaged 32.4 PPG, which shows the load he had to carry all year, and Kyrie’s help did not really matter in the end. Regardless, even if Doncic finished second to Embiid in PPG, he had an amazing season offensively and is getting more comfortable as the years go by, which is a scary thought to imagine.
Source: fadeawayworld
