2023-24 NBA League Leaders: Luka Doncic Wins First Career Scoring Title

The 2023-24 NBA season has finally been completed, with all teams playing their final game last night. This was one of the best seasons in recent memory, with multiple teams and players vying for different positions on the league leaders chart for the final games of the season. 

The established status quo of the NBA has been affected by this year’s results, with a new generation of top players in the NBA taking their positions as the top players in the NBA as a whole. With the 2023-24 NBA season leaders decided after the final night of regular-season basketball, let’s take a close look at which players have ended their season as the best in their respective statistical categories. 

Points Per Game (PPG) 

1. Luka Doncic – 33.9 PPG

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 30.4 PPG

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 30.1 PPG

Luka Doncic won the first scoring title of his NBA career with a sensational scoring season where he carried the Dallas Mavericks offense. His 33.9 point average could’ve been challenged by Joel Embiid if he remained healthy, but since he got injured, the race was headed in Doncic’s favor. He leads second-place Giannis Antetokounmpo by 3.5 points. His signature scoring moment came when he scored 73 points on the Atlanta Hawks as the single-highest scoring performance this season, also setting a new career high. 

Rebounds Per Game (RPG)

1. Domantas Sabonis – 13.7 RPG

2. Rudy Gobert – 12.9 RPG

3. Anthony Davis – 12.6 RPG

Domantas Sabonis spent the entire season dominating the boards, establishing himself as the premier rebounding threat in the NBA. He grabbed boards against every opponent regardless of size or matchup, such was his proficiency. He finished second in the season-tally for offensive rebounds behind Clint Capela and led in defensive rebounds with 75 more than second-place Nikola Jokic.

Assists Per Game (APG)

1. Tyrese Haliburton – 10.9 APG

2. Luka Doncic – 9.8 APG

3. Nikola Jokic – 9.0 APG

Tyrese Haliburton completed his ascendancy to NBA stardom by leading the Indiana Pacers back to the playoffs while being the best playmaker in the NBA. Haliburton comfortably outpaced his closest rivals to keep a firm grip on the assists title from the start of the season. His court vision has accelerated the Pacers’ rebuild, as Haliburton was the only player this season to tally double-digit assist averages.

Steals Per Game (SPG)

T1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 2.0 SPG

T1. De’Aaron Fox – 2.0 SPG

T2. Matisse Thybulle – 1.7 SPG 

T2. Alex Caruso – 1.7 SPG

3. Kawhi Leonard – 1.6 SPG

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander solidified his case as MVP by being top-three in scoring while leading the NBA in steals. His numbers have dipped through recent months, as his once unassailable per-game lead fell with De’Aaron Fox tying him with a 2.0 steals per game average. Both two-way guards had incredible seasons, but Shai has established himself as the best two-way guard in the NBA this season. 

Blocks Per Game (BPG)

1. Victor Wembanyama – 3.6 BPG

T2. Walker Kessler – 2.4 BPG

T2. Brook Lopez – 2.4 BPG

T3 Anthony Davis – 2.3 BPG

T3. Chet Holmgren – 2.3 BPG 

Victor Wembanyama would have been a runaway Defensive Player of the Year candidate if the Spurs were a winning team, as his defensive statistics are mind-boggling for a rookie. He has already taken the crown as the best rim protector in the NBA and has sent warning shots to the likes of Rudy Gobert to enjoy his final DPOY award this season, as Wembanyama is coming after it from next year onwards.

Turnovers Per Game

1. Luka Doncic – 4.0 TOV

2. Victor Wembanyama – 3.7 TOV

3. LeBron James – 3.5 TOV 

The leader in usage rate is unsurprisingly also the leader in turnovers, as Doncic’s high time with the ball and playmaking wizardry lead to turnover-prone basketball. The biggest shock has to be Wembanyama’s high placement here, as the seven-footer has a tendency to be ripped easily by smaller defenders while also adjusting his handle to the NBA. LeBron James has led this category in years prior but his reducing role means players like Doncic are outpacing him.

Minutes Per Game

1. DeMar DeRozan – 37.7 MPG

2. Tyrese Maxey – 37.6 MPG

3. Luka Doncic – 37.5 MPG

DeMar DeRozan has tried putting the Chicago Bulls on his back in a contract year. He’s done his part admirably, playing over three-quarters of every game this season. Tyrese Maxey bore a heavy burden for the 76ers in Joel Embiid’s absence along with the James Harden trade, making his minutes skyrocket. The Mavericks are overly dependent on Doncic, so it’s no surprise to see him among the league leaders in this stat.

3-Point Makes Per Game 

1. Stephen Curry – 4.8 3PM

2. Luka Doncic – 4.1 3PM

3. C.J. McCollum – 3.6 3PM

The NBA’s resident 3-point king continues to wear his crown, as Stephen Curry once again led the NBA in 3-point makes per game. Luka Doncic’s incredible offensive season wouldn’t have been possible without a high volume of threes, which places him among the best shooters in the NBA. C.J. McCollum has been a sniper his entire career and has continued that with the Pelicans this season.

3-Point Percentage

1. Grayson Allen – 45.7%

2. Luke Kennard – 45.0%

3. Mike Conley – 44.2%

Grayson Allen proved to be the best Suns’ offseason acquisition, as the former Milwaukee swingman has been a revelation in Phoenix. He has demolished offenses based on the open space he receives on the perimeter with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal on the court. Allen’s ability to consistently make shots in wide-open situations has catapulted him atop this list.

Field Goal Makes Per Game

T1. Luka Doncic – 11.5 FGM

T1. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 11.5 FGM

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 10.6 FGM

3. Nikola Jokic – 10.4 FGM

The two league leaders in scoring also make the most field goals per game, as Doncic and Antetokounmpo both convert 11.5 shots per game. Giannis does it with over 60% efficiency by virtue of his play style attacking the rim. Doncic scores from all three levels of the court, with his shot diet consisting of threes, mid-rangers, and paint shots. 

Field Goal Percentage 

1. Daniel Gafford – 72.5%

2. Rudy Gobert – 66.1%

3. Ivica Zubac – 64.9%

Daniel Gafford has had one of the most efficient scoring seasons in modern history, averaging 11.0 points on 72.5% from the field. He was averaging 10.9 points on 70.6% from the field for a hapless Wizards team without an elite floor-setter but has been a game-changer since joining Dallas. He set the modern NBA record for consecutive field goal makes but still lags behind the unofficial Wilt Chamberlain record. He’s averaged 11.2 points on 78.0% in Dallas, dominating above the rim with Luka and Kyrie Irving.

Free Throw Makes Per Game

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 7.6 FTM

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 7.0 FTM

3. Luka Doncic – 6.8 FTM

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has received plenty of criticism this season for his over-reliance on free throws and whether it’d be a problem for the Thunder in the playoffs. Nonetheless, Shai has proven his worth as an offensive player with his ability to get to the line playing to his advantage. He leads the league in free throw makes, but other MVP candidates such as Giannis and Luka aren’t far behind.

Free Throw Percentage 

1. Klay Thompson – 92.7%

2. Stephen Curry – 92.3%

3. Bogdan Bogdanovic – 92.1%

Even with his 2023-24 struggles, Klay Thompson has remained virtually automatic from the line. His teammate Stephen Curry completes a dup that rarely slips on free throw opportunities. Bogdan Bogdanovic’s sensational shooting season carried over to the free-throw line as well. Getting to the line isn’t good enough if you can’t consistently convert the shots, something these players have no problem with.

Double-Doubles

1. Domantas Sabonis – 76 Double-Doubles

2. Nikola Jokic – 67 Double-Doubles

3. Anthony Davis – 63 Double-Doubles

Domantas Sabonis made NBA history with the most consecutive double-doubles ever recorded, surpassing the previous record and ending it at 61. No player was even close to Sabonis in terms of racking up double-doubles, but predictably other centers such as Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis finished closely behind in the category.

Triple-Doubles

1. Domantas Sabonis – 26 Triple-Doubles

2. Nikola Jokic – 25 Triple-Doubles

3. Luka Doncic – 21 Triple-Doubles

As Sabonis spent most of the season as a double-double machine, it’s not surprising to see that he also leads the league in triple-doubles given his passing ability. Doncic was extremely competitive for this award, even going a stretch of seven games with triple-doubles, with the first six being all 30-point triple-doubles, but the reliable rebounding touch Domas brings isn’t as simple for Doncic, who has to work much harder to make up the size and strength difference.

Player Efficiency Rating (PER)

1. Nikola Jokic – 31.1 PER

2. Giannis Antetokounpo – 29.9 PER

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 29.3 PER

The Player Efficiency Rating stat is one most analysts rely on to get a true sense of how a game has unfolded. Jokic has been the PER leader for years and now retains his crown, leading second-place Giannis by 1.2 points while Giannis and No. 3 Shai are just 0.6 PER behind Giannis, essentially half the size of the difference between him and Giannis. 

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