50-Day Checkin
50-Day Checkin
Some notable trends through the first 50 days of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Yesterday was the 50th day of the NBA season, so I thought it would be a good time to check in on some of the notable trends we’ve seen thus far. The recurring theme is points; lots and lots of points.
Teams are averaging 114.7 PPG, the highest such figure through 50 days since the 1969-70 season. Only six seasons have yielded a higher scoring average at this point in the season, all occurring in the 10-year span from 1960-61 to 1969-70:
118.5 PPG — 1961-62
117.6 PPG — 1960-61
116.4 PPG — 1966-67
115.7 PPG — 1969-70
115.6 PPG — 1962-63
114.8 PPG — 1967-68
The league effective field goal percentage is 54.1%, the highest such figure in league history through 50 days. In fact, the top eight such figures have all occurred in the last eight seasons:
54.1% — 2023-24
53.7% — 2022-23
53.5% — 2020-21
52.2% — 2019-20
52.1% — 2021-22
52.1% — 2018-19
51.9% — 2017-18
50.5% — 2016-17
The Indiana Pacers lead the way among teams, averaging 128.4 PPG, the highest scoring average through 50 days in NBA history:
128.4 PPG — Indiana Pacers, 2023-24
127.4 PPG — Denver Nuggets, 1990-91
126.7 PPG — Philadelphia 76ers, 1966-67
126.4 PPG — Philadelphia Warriors, 1961-62
126.2 PPG — Denver Nuggets, 1988-89
Four of the top 14 scoring averages through 50 days have been posted this season:
128.4 PPG — Indiana Pacers (1st)
123.3 PPG — Milwaukee Bucks (8th)
122.5 PPG — Atlanta Hawks (13th)
122.3 PPG — Philadelphia 76ers (14th)
Two other teams are averaging at least 120 PPG: the Oklahoma City Thunder (120.4) and Dallas Mavericks (120.2). In other words, 20% of the league’s teams are averaging at least 120 PPG, the highest such percentage through 50 days since 1969-70 (three out of 14, or 21.4%).
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On the flip side, three of the eight-highest opponent scoring averages through 50 days have come from this season:
127.0 PPG — Washington Wizards (3rd)
125.5 PPG — Indiana Pacers (4th)
123.3 PPG — Atlanta Hawks (8th)
The Pacers are just the second team in NBA history to both score and allow at least 125 PPG through the first 50 days of a season, joining the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (127.4 and 137.8, respectively).
Due in part to the increase in scoring, there have been eight games decided by 40 or more points. That represents 2.30% of all games played, the highest such percentage in NBA history through 50 days:
2.30% — 2023-24
2.19% — 2019-20
1.92% — 1978-79
1.67% — 1966-67
1.66% — 2017-18
Three teams this season have won less than 15% of their games:
Detroit Pistons (2-22, .083)
San Antonio Spurs (3-20, .130)
Washington Wizards (3-20, .130)
It’s the first time in NBA history there have been three such teams through the first 50 days of a season. Only one other season has produced multiple such teams: 1997-98, with the Denver Nuggets (2-22) and Toronto Raptors (3-23) achieving the ignominious feat.
On the other hand, 19 of the league’s 30 teams have a winning record (63.3%). Only two seasons have produced a higher such percentage through 50 days: 1947-48 (six out of eight, or 75%) and 1970-71 (11 out of 17, or 64.7%).
On the individual side, there have been 45 40-point games this season, the most through 50 days in NBA history. That’s a rate of one 40-point game every 166 player-games. To put this in perspective, 40-point games have not been this common since the 1969-70 season, when the rate was one every 137 player-games through 50 days.
Five players are averaging at least 30 PPG (minimum 15 games played):
33.8 PPG — Joel Embiid
32.0 PPG — Luka Doncic
32.0 PPG — Giannis Antetokounmpo
30.8 PPG — Kevin Durant
30.4 PPG — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
That matches the 2022-23 season* for the most such players through 50 days in NBA history. Fifteen players are averaging at least 25 PPG, matching the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons for the most such players through 50 days.
* Stephen Curry narrowly missed being the sixth last season, averaging 29.96 PPG.
Three players who started the season age 35 years or older are averaging at least 25 PPG:
30.8 PPG — Kevin Durant
29.1 PPG — Stephen Curry
25.3 PPG — LeBron James
It’s the first time in NBA history there’s been more than one such player through 50 days. In fact, only four other seasons have produced even one such player: 1999-2000 (Karl Malone), 2014-15 (Kobe Bryant), 2020-21 (LeBron James), and 2022-23 (James).
It’s not just the old guys who are filling it up. Nineteen-year-old Victor Wembanyama is averaging 19.3 PPG and 10.7 RPG. Only two other teenagers in NBA history have recorded a higher scoring average through the first 50 days of a season: LeBron James (24.7 PPG, 2004-05) and Kevin Durant (19.6 PPG, 2007-08). Meanwhile, the only other teenager to average double-digit rebounds through 50 days is Dwight Howard (10.2 RPG, 2004-05).