Great scorers usually stand up not only because of their ability to put up points on the scoreboard but also because of their versatility and efficiency.
Thing is, everybody knows all of their moves. They have a lot of pages on the scouting report that disclose their strong and weak points, however, they still manage to score 25+ a night over the best defenders in the world.
But another thing about great scores is their durability and the way they work in their game. They have to evolve constantly to prevent defenders from adjusting to their strengths between seasons.
So, over the last five years or so, just a handful of ballers have been able to dominate defenders night in and night out and today, we’re going to let you know everything about them:
10. Paul George – 8,422 PTS
Paul George was the Indiana Pacers’ go-to-guy since Danny Granger fell down with an injury years ago, so it’s not a surprise to see him among the league’s top scorers.
But what’s impressive about George is the fact that he’s put together five strong seasons after suffering a gruesome injury that put his career in jeopardy six years ago.
Also, he’s stayed at the top of his game and has been as efficient as ever despite sharing touches with Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard over the last couple of years.
9. Bradley Beal – 8,434 PTS
Bradley Beal has been forced to carry the load for the Washington Wizards for quite some time now and the sad part is that he’s not getting enough credit for what he’s done due to his team’s lack of success.
Beal is currently averaging 30.5 points per game on 57.9% true shooting percentage but he didn’t even make the All-Star team.
Also, Beal is no longer ‘just a spot-up shooter’ as some people thought earlier on his career. He drives, posts up, shoots, and is an outstanding finisher as well.
8. Kemba Walker – 8,451 PTS
Kemba Walker just doesn’t get the credit he deserves, but he’s one of the best players in the league right now, and he’s been like that since the 2015-16 season.
Walker may not be the volume scorer who racks up 40 point game after 40 point game, but he’s efficient, consistent, and reliable. You know what you’re getting out of him on a nightly basis.
Also, Walker has been incredibly durable over that span. He’s never missed more than 3 games on a season despite the fact that the Charlotte Hornets weren’t always contending.
7. Anthony Davis – 8,609 PTS
On the other hand, Anthony Davis hasn’t exactly been durable, yet he’s found the way to climb the ladder and make it to this list, which is impressive.
To put it in context, Davis missed 21, 7, 7, and 26 games from 2015 to 2019, but he’s still scored over 8,600 points during that span.
Davis is one of the league’s most unstoppable scorers. He can pull up from deep as easily as he dominates below the rim, so hopefully, he’ll finally find the way to stay healthy.
6. DeMar DeRozan – 8,677 PTS
DeMar DeRozan is yet another underrated scorer in this league, just because of the fact that he’s reluctant to shoot three-pointers.
But, in fact, him being able to average – at least – 22 points per game over the last five seasons without being a three-point shooter in the modern NBA talks about how good he is.
DeRozan’s lack of playoff success has always been the biggest question mark over his head, but he’d be a terrific second scoring option for a contender.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 8,880 PTS
Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged roughly 16.9 points per game during the 2015-16 season. So, how is he the 5th player on this list? Easy:
Thing is, Giannis’ scoring averages just keep going up year after year. He’s a relentless worker and has improved on every single aspect of his game between seasons.
He’s now averaging 29.6 points per game on 54.7% from the floor and once he starts knocking down three-pointers, he’ll be just the ultimate cheat code.
4. LeBron James – 9,174 PTS
LeBron James has been arguably the most consistent player in NBA history. Prior to last season, he had never missed more than 13 games throughout his career.
It seems like you always know what LeBron is capable of doing, yet he finds a way to surprise and reinvent himself year after year.
James isn’t the most skilled scorer, but he’s a master of getting to his sweet spots. He’s unstoppable when driving to the lane, and has never averaged less than 20.9 points per game, so it’s not a surprise to see him here.
3. Russell Westbrook – 9,595 PTS
Russell Westbrook has never backed down from a challenge. He embraced the task of leading the Oklahoma City Thunder during the post-Kevin Durant era, and made a statement every time he was out there.
Westbrook even won the Scoring Title on his first season without Durant and hasn’t slowed down a bit ever since, even averaging a triple-double for three straight seasons.
Notably, efficiency has been an issue with Westbrook from time to time, especially when it comes to three-point shooting, but he’s still a walking bucket.
2. Damian Lillard – 9,609 PTS
It’s always the same story with Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. People sleep on them at the start of the season and he somehow leads them to the playoffs.
We should really start putting some respect on Lillard’s name. He’s one of the league’s most dynamic scorers and can literally pull up from everywhere the same way Stephen Curry does.
Also, Lillard has made a name for himself as one of the league’s most clutch players. When in need of a bucket, just hit Dame Dolla and he’ll come through.
1. James Harden – 11,837 PTS
And obviously, there couldn’t be another top scorer in this list other than James Harden, the leagues’ most unstoppable force since the 2016-17 season.
Harden has piled up three-straight scoring titles and is poised to win his fourth one after averaging a whopping 34.4 points per game this season.
Old-school fans don’t appreciate Harden’s greatness because of his isolation and how often he goes to the line, but if it were that easy, everybody would do it.
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