There are many people in the NBA community who believe that no amount of points matter from a player more than the ones he scores during a late-game situation. Because of the nature of the sport, many basketball games come down to the wire, and require players to make big shots and plays to get their team the win.
And so far this season, there have been 11 players who have been doing very well at that in the league. As things stand, Joel Embiid leads the NBA in clutch scoring, with 66 points in clutch moments. Right behind him are Jayson Tatum, D’Angelo Russell, Zach LaVine, and Anthony Davis in the top 5.
Rounding out the list are Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan, Chris Paul, Miles Bridges, Reggie Jackson, and Russell Westbrook. Below is the list in its entirety.
Leading scorers in the clutch:
Joel Embiid – 66
Jayson Tatum – 57
D’Angelo Russell – 51
Zach LaVine – 50
Anthony Davis – 47
Kevin Durant – 44
DeMar DeRozan – 41
Chris Paul – 40
Miles Bridges – 40
Reggie Jackson – 40
Russell Westbrook – 40
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 13, 2021
Leading scorers in the clutch:
Joel Embiid – 66
Jayson Tatum – 57
D’Angelo Russell – 51
Zach LaVine – 50
Anthony Davis – 47
Kevin Durant – 44
DeMar DeRozan – 41
Chris Paul – 40
Miles Bridges – 40
Reggie Jackson – 40
Russell Westbrook – 40
Joel Embiid leading the league in clutch scoring is actually quite impressive, given that he has missed quite a few games due to injury issues. Players like Jayson Tatum and Zach LaVine are showing that their development into NBA superstars is going well, especially when it comes to their performance in late-game situations.
Anthony Davis, despite all his issues shooting the ball, is actually quite high on the list. While AD can be complacent from time to time, there is no denying that he steps up for the Lakers when they need him most. As for Kevin Durant, him being on the list comes as no surprise, as he is considered one of the most clutch players in the NBA.
DeMar DeRozan has led the league in points scored in the 4th quarter at points during the season, so his inclusion on the list is also unsurprising. As for Russell Westbrook, his recent improvement in form is due in large part to his improvement in scoring during the final moments of the game.
This list will change as time goes on, and will probably loom very different at the end of the season. But as things stand, these players are proving extremely valuable to their teams this season.
