In the last four seasons, we have seen more 50, 60, and 70-point games than we have since the 1960s in the NBA. With players scoring at an astronomical rate, the accomplishments are always met with two main criticisms. One is the continuous debate about rules that favor the offense and less effort overall defensively. The other is the egregious rate at which many of today’s NBA stars are headed to the foul line.
- 1. Luka Doncic – 27.3 Points Per Game
- 2. Joel Embiid – 24.8 Points Per Game
- 3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 23.6 Points Per Game
- 4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 23.1 Points Per Game
- T5. Kevin Durant – 22.6 Points Per Game
- T5. Donovan Mitchell – 22.6 Points Per Game
- T5. De’Aaron Fox – 22.6 Points Per Game
- 8. Stephen Curry – 22.4 Points Per Game
- 9. Devin Booker – 22.2 Points Per Game
- 10. Jalen Brunson – 21.7 Points Per Game
The offensive explosion over the last few seasons has triggered many into assigning a negative connotation to drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line. This led us to ask the question of what would the NBA’s top scorers look like if we removed free throws completely out of the equation. Would these top scorers remain at the top or would there be shuffling amongst them? Does the foul line make a difference when it comes to the elite of the elite offensive players in the NBA? Let’s take a look at the true best scorers in the NBA this season without the inclusion of free throws.
1. Luka Doncic – 27.3 Points Per Game
Luka Doncic is having yet another MVP-caliber season for the Dallas Mavericks in 2023-24. Without the 7.4 free throws he is knocking down per game, Doncic is the NBA’s top scorer by 2.0 points per game over the next closest player. Doncic hardly relies on free throws to rack up his points, showcasing that fully when needing only 15 of them in his historic 73-point performance just five days ago.
Doncic’s 27.3 points per game with free throws have come from his improved efficiency across the board shooting the ball. He is shooting a career-high from three-point range at 37.5% on 10.3 attempts as well as 48.9% shooting from the floor overall. He is also finishing a ridiculous 82.3% of his shots at the rim this season which has been crucial to his downhill attack.
Once again tasked with leading a Dallas team back to the playoffs with high expectations, Doncic has answered the call in every way as the team currently sits 26-21 through 47 games and seventh in the Western Conference.
2. Joel Embiid – 24.8 Points Per Game
When including free throws, Joel Embiid is well on his way to his third straight scoring title at 36.0 points per game. Unfortunately, Embiid has been the poster child for a favorable whistle from the referees this season with an NBA-leading 10.5 free throws made per game and 12.2 attempts.
Even without the free throws, Embiid has been dominant with 24.8 points per game. He is currently shooting 53.3% from the field which is the second-best shooting percentage of his career as well as 36.6% from three which is the third-best three-point percentage of his career.
Embiid should be well on his way to an MVP award regardless of free throws but his real issue lies with his health. At this moment, he can miss just five more games before he becomes ineligible for any season awards including the MVP and All-NBA team honors.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 23.6 Points Per Game
When you play basketball carrying the size and with the playstyle that Giannis Antetokounmpo does, contact and subsequent free throws are inevitable. However, in Antetokounmpo’s case, the absence of free throws improves his standing as a scorer, moving him from fourth with 31.0 points per game to third overall with 23.6 points per game.
This is due to a few reasons. One, Giannis is not a good free throw shooter, knocking down 7.4 of 11.2 attempts this season. Two, the scorers ahead of him are using the free throw line more to their favor this season while he has improved in other areas of his game.
In 2023-24, Antetokounmpo is shooting a career-high 60.7% from the floor on 19.0 attempts overall. He is finishing 81.7% of his shots within three feet and shooting a career-best 45.5% from 3-10 feet as well. An astounding 64.2% of his two-point attempts are falling and with that type of production, removing free throws is not enough to diminish his impact.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 23.1 Points Per Game
Falling to fourth without free throws in his arsenal is Oklahoma City Thunder and All-Star starting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. As one of the biggest beneficiaries of free throws in 2023-24, Gilgeous-Alexander’s standing as a scorer this season without free throws will drop him in these rankings.
This isn’t to say that things have been easy for him this season. Sure, he gets a favorable whistle from officials on the court but his talent as a shot-creator and his shiftiness as a scorer have led to most of the contact he draws. Without free throws, he is still shooting a career-high 54.7% overall from the field and a career-high 59.0% of his two-point shots are falling.
His ability to finish through contact has been on full display with a 73.3 finishing rate on attempts at the rim. His mid-range numbers are also up across the board. Even with the free throws, Gilgeous-Alexander is still one of only four players averaging over 30.0 points per game this season and has the Thunder in the thick of the race for the top spot in the Western Conference.
T5. Kevin Durant – 22.6 Points Per Game
The next three players all tied for fifth in the NBA in scoring without free throws rank Nos. 6-8 in the NBA with them included. Kevin Durant’s 28.3 points per game with free throws is good enough for the sixth spot for the Suns this season but his talents as a scorer have been on full display from everywhere on the court.
Durant is currently averaging 22.6 points per game without free throws, shooting 53.1% overall from the floor and a career-high 45.2% from three-point range. As one of the best mid-range shooters in NBA history, Durant has taken his efficient scoring to all three levels over the last few seasons, remaining one of the most lethal offensive players in the NBA today.
Even at 35 years old, Durant is finishing a career-best 87.4% of his shots at the rim this season as well as over 52.0% of all his mid-range attempts. Durant’s scoring as of late has helped the Suns improve their record to 27-20 on the season and sit at sixth in the West.
T5. Donovan Mitchell – 22.6 Points Per Game
Donovan Mitchell also sitting in the fifth spot on a list of scorers in today’s NBA without free throws is a testament to just how great he has been since joining the Cavaliers last season. Of the 10 players on this list, Mitchell is just one of three players who are making less than 5.5 free throw attempts per game, meaning most of his scoring is coming from elsewhere.
For Mitchell, it has come from a consistent effort across the board. He is shooting 46.1% on a career-high 21.1 attempts per game this season after both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley went down from injury and Mitchell took on the bulk of the offensive load. He is also shooting a very average 34.4% from three.
Mitchell’s leadership in the absence of his two teammates has kept the Cavaliers more than alive in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Cavaliers are currently 28-16 and fifth in the East thanks to Mitchell’s stellar offensive play.
T5. De’Aaron Fox – 22.6 Points Per Game
It has been a well-known fact over the last three seasons at least that De’Aaron Fox is one of the most talented scorers in the NBA. Without free throws included, Fox’s scoring takes him from eighth in the NBA with 27.5 points per game to a tie for fifth in the NBA with Durant and Mitchell with 22.6 points per game.
This is because Fox is currently the only player in the top 10 for scoring in 2023-24 who is making less than 5.0 free throws per game. Fox is even struggling at the line this year, shooting 72.6% on 6.8 attempts which is his worst effort at the line since 2020. Fox is making up for it in other ways, shooting a career-high 38.6% from three this season and 47.1% overall.
Once again, the Kings look like a serious playoff threat in 2023-24 thanks to Fox and teammate Domantas Sabonis. The Kings are 27-18 through 45 games and fifth in the Western Conference playoff picture.
8. Stephen Curry – 22.4 Points Per Game
With or without free throws in 2023-24, Stephen Curry still claims the eighth-best scoring average this season. With free throws, Curry is averaging 27.5 points per game this season when taking away his 5.1 made foul shots per game, it drops to 22.4.
Curry’s game is not predicated at all on getting to the foul line even though he can certainly force himself there in numerous ways. Meanwhile, the Warriors are struggling mightily to get any production from players not named Stephen Curry this season as they have dropped to 20-24 on the year and sit 12th in the West.
Curry continues to be himself though. He is shooting 45.5% overall and remains the most deadly shooter in the game at 40.9% from three on 11.6 attempts. Coincidentally, he also leads the NBA in free throw percentage at 92.9%.
9. Devin Booker – 22.2 Points Per Game
The player who takes the largest hit from eliminating free throws is Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns. He is having one of the best seasons of his young career with the fifth-ranked scoring average of 28.4 points per game. His 6.2 free throws per game bring his scoring average down to eighth at 22.2 points per game.
Booker has been on an MVP-like tear in 2023-24, shooting over 50.0% from the field for the first time in his career and knocking down 38.1% of his free throw shots. If he can stay healthy and continue to tap into his playmaking abilities that see him dishing out a career-high 7.3 assists per game, Booker still has the Suns positioned to be a serious threat come playoff time.
10. Jalen Brunson – 21.7 Points Per Game
The player who sees the biggest improvement in his standing as a scorer on this list is Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks. Brunson has been incredible this season and is likely heading for his first All-Star selection ever. With free throws, 26.7 points per game ranks 12th in the NBA. Without free throws, his 21.7 points per game claim him the final spot in the top 10.
Currently, in 2023-24, Brunson is having a career year and in turn, the Knicks are in great shape just past its halfway point. Through 45 games played, Brunson is shooting 48.1% overall from the field but the real difference has been his 42.4% shooting on over 6.0 attempts from three. Brunson’s play has led the Knicks to 13 wins in their last 15 games and a 30-17 record overall which is good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference.
