The 2005-06 season was one of the best we’ve ever seen. We had some of the greatest scorers in the history of the game right on their prime and it looked like everybody was playing with a chip on his shoulder night in and night out.
As a matter of fact, that season gave us some of the most impressive scoring performances ever, with 3 players averaging over 30 points per game for the season. That year’s leading scorers were some of the most defining players of the past two decades.
To put this in context and show how impressive the scoring outbursts of that year were, let’s just take into consideration the fact that the game wasn’t played with the uptempo pace of today and players weren’t taking that many three-pointers. So, without further introduction, let’s talk about the top 10 leading scorers of that legendary 2005-06 season:
10. Ray Allen – 25.1 PPG
Most young fans may think of Ray Allen as just a spot-up shooter. However, way before he became one of the deadliest snipers in the history of the game, Allen was a dominant scorer and his team’s first-scoring option.
Prime Ray Allen was a walking bucket. He wasn’t the most athletic guy on the court but made up for it with his speed and strength. He was quite an aggressive driver and an underrated playmaker as well.
9. Michael Redd 25.4 PPG
If we talk about people outplaying their Draft stock we must name Michael Redd around the top of that list. He was a 2nd rounder that ended up making it to Team USA and becoming one of the league’s most efficient sharpshooters during his prime.
Redd doesn’t get enough recognition nowadays because he was always a hard-working player that let his game do all the talking for him, but he was a stud, my friends.
8. Carmelo Anthony – 26.5 PPG
Back in 2005-06, Melo was just getting started in the league. He had been around for a couple of seasons, but this was his breakout year. He really put the league on notice and proved that he was going to be around for a very long time.
Young Melo was incredibly strong and athletic and didn’t rely on his jump shot as much as he does nowadays. He was one of the league’s biggest entertainers.
7. Dirk Nowitzki – 26.6 PPG
Dirk Nowitzki was right on his prime back in 2006. With his signature one-legged fade away, he was used to embarrassing some fo the most physical rim protectors in the league. Nobody seemed to have an answer to such a big man with that kind of range.
Nowitzki eventually led his Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006, but Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade weren’t going to be denied.
6. Paul Pierce – 26.8 PPG
Paul Pierce talks a lot about his game right now, but truth to be told, there was a time when he was in fact one of the deadliest scorers in the league. He may have never been as good as he says he was, but he was a major problem when he was locked in.
Pierce always had a thing for hitting clutch shots. However, he just couldn’t miss from anywhere on the court during the 2005-06 campaign, arguably the best of his career.
5. Dwyane Wade – 27.2 PPG
Dwyane Wade will go down as one of the greatest shooting guards in the history of the game, but it was in the 2005-06 campaign when he proved it. He was on a mission all year long and put the cherry on top of the sundae by winning his first of 3 NBA Championships.
Wade was fastest than anybody. He was a lockdown defender that could swat your shot and drive at full steam on every single possession. His drive was undeniable.
4. Gilbert Arenas – 29.3 PPG
Looking back, it’s pretty sad to think about what could’ve been of Gilbert Arenas’ career if he had stayed focused merely in basketball. He was one of the biggest entertainers in league history and a guy with an almost flawless offensive skillset.
Arenas just outsmarted most of his opposition. He knew how to get to his spots and could do everything with the rock on his hands, but his issues off the court ended up cutting his career short.
3. LeBron James – 31.4 PPG
LeBron James was done with not making the playoffs and he made damn sure to put that streak on an end in 2006. He became the youngest player to average 30.0+ points per game in the history of the league and had his first MVP caliber season.
Also, he joined Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West (and later Russell Westbrook) as the only players to average 30+ points, 7+ rebounds, and 6+ assists over a season.
2. Allen Iverson – 33.0 PPG
2005-06 would be Allen Iverson’s final full season as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Later on, he’d be traded to the Denver Nuggets on what would be the beginning of the end of his career.
Iverson was one of the most dominant scorers the league had ever seen, but the Sixers were never to surround him with the kind of talent he needed to thrive and lead them to an NBA Championship. He came pretty close, though, but Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were the best duo in the league since Jordan and Pippen.
1. Kobe Bryant – 35.4 PPG
Kobe Bryant wanted to make sure everybody started putting some respect on his name after Shaquille O’Neal’s departure. The Lakers were now his team and he wanted to end the narrative of O’Neal carrying him to the NBA Finals.
Bryant gave us a glimpse of his greatness every night out in the court. He knew he had to do it all for his Lakers if they wanted to make the playoffs with such a depleted roster and had one of the most impressive scoring seasons in the history of the game.
And this is with a way slower pace. A lot of buckets were giving out in the 05/06 season https://t.co/dzQ8bFGEYl
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 2, 2020
Next
The Reasons Why The Milwaukee Bucks Will Not Win The NBA Championship
The Best Scorer Of Every NBA Decade
The 2015-16 NBA Season Was The Best Season Of All Time
NBA Rumors: The Players That Could Leave The Lakers This Offseason
NBA Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Land The Morris Twins This Offseason
