There are a number of captivating storylines this NBA season and the top scorer’s list of 2020 sheds some light on some of them.
As players jockey for playoff positioning, the league’s top players are turning up their gear to help their team finish out strong. Since January 1st, there have been some interesting names atop the league’s scoring list.
Leading scorers since January 1st
Bradley Beal – 33.9
Russell Westbrook – 32.9
Damian Lillard – 32.9
Trae Young – 31.5
James Harden – 30.2
Giannis Antetokounmpo – 29.4
Kawhi Leonard- 28.8
Zach LaVine – 28.3
Luka Doncic – 28.0
Devin Booker – 27.2
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 2, 2020
With an average of 33.9 points per game, Bradley Beal is putting up more points than anyone in the league. He has been the de-facto leader of the Wizards all season long but his team has been unable to capitalize on the performance of their young star.
Just a point behind him is Russell Westbrook, who has been in a groove of his own since the New Year. In the midst of Harden’s struggles, he has carried the team to a respectable 39-21 record in the West. He’s averaging 27, 8, and 7 on the season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5XUFXqmYJM
Damian Lillard is set to return on Wednesday from a groin injury, but he has been among the league’s best players recently when healthy. Determined to help his team make the playoffs, Dame is willing, capable, and ready to carry his team through the rest of the season. The Blazers are currently 3.5 games out of the playoffs.
It’ll be interesting to see if these guys can keep up their current pace for the next month and a half of basketball. And while Giannis the runaway favorite to win MVP this season, these performances shouldn’t be ignored — especially if these guys are able to continue the pace.