Scoring reached an all-time high this season.
Scoreboards tilted. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria.
Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard each scored 71 points in a game. The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175 in the second-highest scoring game of all time. And Ol’ Man River just keeps rolling along: LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record with a fadeaway over Kenrich Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If you’re scoring at home, a record six players averaged 30-plus points: Lillard, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum. A record 43 players averaged 20 points — and that doesn’t include LeBron, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis and a few others who played less than the qualifying 58 games.
There were 25 individual 50-point games. Doncic had four, including a 60-point triple-double. Lillard, Embiid and Antetokounmpo had three, Curry and Booker two.
>> Nikola Jokic was the league’s top player for the third straight season. Possibly the greatest, most creative passer of all time, the Nuggets center was 12 total assists shy of averaging a triple-double. He shoots like a guard, rebounds like a center. He led the league in virtually all advanced metrics, and my personal eye test.
>> The Brooklyn Nets trashed their four-year championship plan, trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and splitting up with Steve Nash — and they still made the playoffs.
>> Klay Thompson led the league in 3-pointers made and attempted in his first full season back from knee and Achilles injuries.
— Kevin Brewer
TEAMS
Best record >> Milwaukee Bucks, 58-24
Worst record >> Detroit Pistons, 17-65
Home team >> Golden State Warriors
Road team >> Sacramento Kings
Best offense >> Sacramento Kings
Best defense >> Cleveland Cavaliers
Fastest pace >> Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs
Slowest pace >> Cleveland Cavaliers
AWARDS
Most Valuable Player >> Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
2. Joel Embiid, 76ers
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
5. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Coach of the Year >> Mike Brown, Kings
2. Tom Thibodeau, Knicks
3. Joe Mazzulla, Celtics
Teammate of the Year >> Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Clutch Player of the Year >> De’Aaron Fox, Kings
Rookie of the Year >> Paolo Banchero, Magic
Sixth Man of the Year >> Immanuel Quickley, Knicks
Bench >> Malcolm Brogdon, Bobby Portis, Christian Wood, Tyus Jones, Malik Monk, Brandon Clarke
ALL-NBA >> First team
Forward >> Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
>> 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 59.6% 2-point shooting
Forward >> Jayson Tatum, Celtics
>> 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 85.4% free throw shooting
Center >> Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
>> 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists
>> 67.5% 2-point shooting, 82.2% free throw shooting
Guard >> Luka Doncic, Mavericks
>> 32.4 points, 8.0 assists, 58.8% 2-point shooting
Guard >> Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
>> 28.3 points, 4.4 assists, 57/39/87 shooting splits
ALL-NBA >> Second team
Forward >> Jimmy Butler, Heat
>> 22.9 points, 5.3 assists, 85.0% free throw shooting
Forward >> LeBron James, Lakers
>> 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists
Center >> Joel Embiid, 76ers
>> 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 85.7% free throw shooting
Guard >> Stephen Curry, Warriors
>> 29.4 points, 6.3 assists, 58/43/92 shooting splits
Guard >> Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
>> 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, 57/37/91 shooting splits
ALL-NBA >> Third team
Forward >> Julius Randle, Knicks
>> 25.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists
Forward >> Jaylen Brown, Celtics
>> 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 57.6% 2-point shooting
Center >> Domantas Sabonis, Kings
>> 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists
Guard >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
>> 31.4 points, 5.5 assists, 90.5% free throw shooting
Guard >> De’Aaron Fox, Kings
>> 25.0 points (5.0 in clutch minutes), 6.1 assists
LEADERS
Box Plus-Minus >> Nikola Jokic, 13.0
Estimated Plus-Minus >> Nikola Jokic, 7.9
Box score RAPTOR >> Nikola Jokic, 13.6
Scoring >> Joel Embiid, 33.1
Total points >> Jayson Tatum, 2,225
Rebounding >> Domantas Sabonis, 12.3
Total rebounds >> Domantas Sabonis, 973
Assists >> James Harden, 10.7
Total assists >> Trae Young, 741
Steals >> OG Anunoby, 1.9
Blocks >> Jaren Jackson Jr., 3.0
SUPERLATIVES
Best shooters >> Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant
Best mid-range shooters >> Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic
Best 3-point shooters >> Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
Best free throw shooter >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Best backcourt >> Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Cavaliers
Iron man >> Mikal Bridges, Suns and Nets (83 games)
Sensation >> Mac McClung, 76ers
Best young player >> Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Best old player >> LeBron James, Lakers
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