All-Star Break Musings
Some notable facts and figures as we take a break for the 2024 All-Star Game.
There are no games to write about this morning — it’s day two of the NBA’s six-day All-Star break — so I thought it would be a good time to check in on some notable facts and figures from around the league.
The league scoring average is 115.5 PPG, the highest such figure at the All-Star break since the 1969-70 season (115.7 PPG). Five teams are averaging at least 120 PPG this season:
Indiana Pacers, 123.7
Milwaukee Bucks, 122.0
Atlanta Hawks, 121.3
Oklahoma City Thunder, 120.8
Boston Celtics, 120.7
That’s by far the most such teams at the All-Star break in NBA history. In fact, no other season has produced more than two such teams, and that’s only happened four times: 1961-62, 1962-63, 1966-67, and 1969-70.
The Pacers’ league-best scoring average of 123.7 PPG has only been eclipsed by three teams at the All-Star break: 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers (125.1), 1961-62 Philadelphia Warriors (124.8), and 1983-84 Denver Nuggets (124.3).
The Pacers and Bucks have each scored at least 130 points in 18 of their 56 games this season (32.1%). Only two teams in NBA history have posted a higher percentage of 130-point games at the All-Star break: 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers (39.5%) and 1961-62 Philadelphia Warriors (39.1%).
On the flip side, six teams are allowing at least 120 PPG this season:
Atlanta Hawks, 123.9
Washington Wizards, 123.9
Indiana Pacers, 122.3
Detroit Pistons, 122.0
Utah Jazz, 120.7
San Antonio Spurs, 120.4
Again, that’s by far the most such teams at the All-Star break in NBA history, double that of any other season. Only three other seasons have produced multiple such teams: 1961-62 (three), 1969-70 (three), and 1967-68 (two).
The Wizards have given up at least 130 points in 21 of their 54 games this season (38.9%). The only team in NBA history to go into the All-Star break allowing 130-point games more often is the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets (a ridiculous 51.1%).
The Pacers and Hawks are both scoring and allowing at least 120 PPG this season. It’s the second season in NBA history to feature two such teams at the All-Star break, joining the 1961-62 campaign (Cincinnati Royals and Philadelphia Warriors). The last team to reach the All-Star break with a team and opponent scoring average of at least 120 PPG was the 1990-91 Denver Nuggets.
All of this scoring has produced a lot of blowouts. Eighty-nine games have been decided by 25 or more points this season, which represents 10.9% of all contests. That’s the second-highest such percentage at the All-Star break in NBA history, trailing only the 1969-70 season (11.1%).
Frequent blowouts lead to an inflated average margin of victory. The average point differential for the winning team is +12.4 PPG this season, the second-largest such figure in NBA history at the All-Star break. The high of +12.6 PPG was set in the 1971-72 season.
Eighteen teams have a winning record this season, led by the Boston Celtics at 43-12. That represents 60% of the league, tied for the third-highest such percentage in NBA history at the All-Star break behind the 1953-54 (six out of nine, or 66.7%) and 1988-89 (16 out of 25, or 64.0%) seasons.
Three teams have a winning percentage of .200 or lower this season: Detroit Pistons (.148), Washington Wizards (.167), and San Antonio Spurs (.200). The only other season with three such teams at the All-Star break is the 1997-98 campaign. Just three other seasons had even two such teams: 2007-08, 2015-16, and 2018-19.
All three of the teams listed above have posted the lowest winning percentage in franchise history at the All-Star break. However, no teams have recorded the highest such winning percentage in franchise history.
If you are a free subscriber who is enjoying these posts, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. This newsletter is produced by a team of one, but provides more “NBA statistical goodness” (Marc Stein) than most, if not all, major media outlets. Sign up using the special link below and you’ll get 25% off your first 12 months.
On the individual side, six different players have scored at least 60 points in a game this season:
Luka Doncic, 73
Joel Embiid, 71
Giannis Antetokounmpo, 64
Karl-Anthony Towns, 62
Devin Booker, 62
Stephen Curry, 60
That’s double the total of any other season in NBA history at the All-Star break (2022-23, three). Only four other seasons have produced even two such players: 1961-62, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21.
The Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is averaging a league-leading 34.2 PPG this season. Over the last 50 seasons, only three qualified players have entered the All-Star break with a higher scoring average: Michael Jordan (twice), James Harden (twice), and Kobe Bryant.
Doncic has compiled at least 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 33 of his 47 games played (70.2%). That’s the highest such percentage in NBA history by a player at the All-Star break.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 PPG with a field goal percentage of 61.6% this season. He’s the first qualified player in NBA history to enter the All-Star break averaging at least 30 PPG on 60% shooting from the floor.
The Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis has produced a double-double in 50 of his 54 games played (92.6%) this season. Since the ABA-NBA merger, only two qualified players have entered the All-Star break with a higher double-double percentage: Moses Malone (98.0%, 1982-83) and Kevin Love (93.8%, 2011-12).
Sabonis — who is not an All-Star, by the way — is averaging 20.1 PPG, 13.2 PPG, and 8.3 APG with a field goal percentage of 62.2% this season. He and Antetokounmpo are just the third and fourth qualified players in NBA history to average at least 20 PPG, 10 RPG, and 5 APG with a field goal percentage of 60% at the All-Star break, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1966-67) and Nikola Jokic (2022-23).
Do you have a friend or family member who loves the NBA as much as you do? Please consider sharing this free post with them.
San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is averaging 20.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 3.2 BPG this season. Since the NBA began tracking blocks in 1973-74, only two other qualified rookies have averaged at least 20 PPG, 10 RPG, and 3 BPG at the All-Star break: David Robinson (1989-90) and Shaquille O’Neal (1992-93).
Wembanyama is logging just 28.4 MPG. No qualified player in NBA history — rookie or otherwise — has averaged less playing time while averaging at least 20 PPG and 10 RPG at the All-Star break.
Another rookie center, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, is averaging 16.7 PPG with an effective field percentage of 60.6% this season. He’s the first qualified rookie in NBA history to enter the All-Star break averaging at least 15 PPG with an effective field goal percentage of 60%.
Washington Wizards guard Tyus Jones is averaging 6.8 APG this season, with 51 turnovers and 44 personal fouls in 54 games played. Since the NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78, no other qualified player has dished out at least 5 APG while averaging less than one turnover and one personal foul per game at the All-Star break.
Jones’ assist-to-turnover ratio is 7.2, the highest such figure by a qualified player at the All-Star break since the 1977-78 season, when turnovers were first officially recorded. Jones’ ratio is 0.8 higher than the next-closest player (Danny Young, 1987-88).
The Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young is averaging 26.7 PPG and 10.9 APG this season, his second in a row averaging at least 25 PPG and 10 APG at the All-Star Break. Only two other players in NBA history have done this in consecutive seasons: Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.