MIAMI (AP) — The individual stat races in the NBA saw two repeat winners this season. Philadelphia's Joel Embiid is now a back-to-back scoring champion, and Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. won the blocks race for the second consecutive year.
A look at the top stat races:
SCORING
Embiid is the NBA’s scoring champion for a second consecutive year, averaging 33.1 points per game. His closest pursuers were Dallas’ Luka Doncic (32.4) and Portland’s Damian Lillard (32.2).
This season was the first in NBA history when three players averaged at least 32 points per game. Embiid becomes the 19th player to win multiple scoring championships.
The high-point game this season was 71, done twice — Donovan Mitchell did it for Cleveland against Chicago on Jan. 2, and Damian Lillard did it for Portland against Houston on Feb. 26.
ASSISTS
Philadelphia’s James Harden reclaimed the assist title, averaging 10.7 per game this season. It’s his second time finishing as the leader in assists per game; he also did it in 2016-17 when he was with Houston.
Harden is the 13th player to win multiple assist titles. He also had the high-assist game by a player this season, with 21 of them in Philadelphia’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23.
REBOUNDS
Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis led the league in rebounds per game, averaging 12.3. It’s his fourth consecutive season averaging at least 12 rebounds per contest, the longest such active streak in the NBA.
The most rebounds any player had in a game this season was 29, done by Ivica Zubac of the Clippers against Indiana on Nov. 27.
STEALS
Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby edged Miami’s Jimmy Butler for the steals title in a very close race. Anunoby averaged 1.91 per game, while Butler averaged 1.83.
Anunoby is the first Raptors player to win the steals crown. Butler was trying to become the 10th player with multiple steals titles; he also led the league in 2020-21.
Philadelphia’s De’Anthony Melton and Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell had the most steals in a game this season. They each had seven, Melton getting his on Dec. 9, Russell on Oct. 28 — and both efforts were against the Los Angeles Lakers.
BLOCKS
Jackson Jr. has gone back-to-back as the NBA’s blocked-shot champion, averaging 3.0 per game this season.
He’s the first player to lead the league in blocks in two consecutive seasons since Anthony Davis (2013-14, 2014-15).
Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez had the high-block game this season, swatting nine against Brooklyn on March 9.
THREE-POINTERS
Golden State’s Klay Thompson had the most 3-pointers by a player this season, getting to 301 by making six in Sunday's finale.
Thompson is only the third player to make 300 3's in a season. Warriors teammate Stephen Curry has done it four times, and Philadelphia's James Harden did it while playing for Houston in 2018-19.
Portland’s Damian Lillard had the most 3’s in a game this season, connecting on 13 in his 71-point outburst against Houston on Feb. 26.
TEAM BESTS
Sacramento (120.7 points per game) led the NBA in average scoring this season. Denver (50.4%) was the NBA’s best team from the field.
And from the line — be it the foul line or the 3-point line — nobody was better than Philadelphia.
The 76ers made 83.5% of their free throws — the second-best rate by a team in NBA history. The Los Angeles Clippers made 83.9% of their tries from the line in 2020-21.
The 76ers also shot a league-best 38.7% from 3-point range this season, just ahead of Golden State’s 38.5%. The Warriors made 1,363 3’s this season, a single-season record.
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