{"id":61740,"date":"2024-01-20T13:26:47","date_gmt":"2024-01-20T18:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=61740"},"modified":"2024-01-20T13:26:47","modified_gmt":"2024-01-20T18:26:47","slug":"five-nba-stat-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/01\/20\/five-nba-stat-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Surprising NBA Stat Leaders This Season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The NBA has a ton of stats, ranging from traditional stats to advanced analytics. As a result, there are many well-known stat leaders, such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/e\/embiijo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joel Embiid<\/a><\/strong> once again leading the league in scoring or <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/halibty01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyrese Haliburton<\/a><\/strong> being the assists leader. However, with a plethora of different stats, there are also plenty of surprising stat leaders. Let&#8217;s show some love to five surprising stat leaders midway through this season.<\/p>\n<h2>5 Surprising NBA Stat Leaders This Season<\/h2>\n<h3>Coby White: Total Minutes<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/whiteco01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Coby White\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> emergence has been one of the best <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/01\/02\/chicago-bulls-2024-nba-season\/\" target=\"_self\">stories<\/a> of this season. The fifth-year guard has blossomed into an All-Star caliber talent and franchise building block. He is an elite three-point shooter and high-level playmaker. White\u2019s availability has also been crucial to his success, notably appearing and starting in every game this season. Averaging a career-high 35.4 minutes per game, a 12-minute increase from last year, White <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2024_totals.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leads<\/a> in the league in total minutes by a slight margin over his teammate <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/derozde01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DeMar DeRozan<\/a><\/strong>. This is only the second season where White has averaged at least 30 minutes per game. It&#8217;s no surprise that his improved play is paired with increased minutes; nevertheless, before the season started, nobody would have expected White to lead the league in minutes.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Chicago Bulls have a NEW Star\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NeSjusf-rsA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>Dwight Powell: Free Throw Rate<\/h3>\n<p>Free throw rate measures a player&#8217;s free throw attempts per field goal attempt. By dividing total free throw attempts by total field goal attempts you get a player&#8217;s free throw rate. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/poweldw01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dwight Powell\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> .849 free throw rate makes him the runaway <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2024_advanced.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leader<\/a> for this stat, as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/goberru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rudy Gobert\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> .651 is the next closest. Getting to the foul line isn\u2019t probably something most people think of when Powell\u2019s name comes up. However, the stats show he&#8217;s elite at it this year, nearly averaging as many free throws as field goals in just 16 minutes per game. Furthermore, this is Powell\u2019s highest free throw rate by a large margin, the next highest being .639 in 2020-21.<\/p>\n<h3>Obi Toppin: 2 Point Field Goal %<\/h3>\n<p>After being traded to the Pacers this offseason, many expected <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/toppiob01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Obi Toppin<\/a><\/strong> to make a jump and benefit from a change of scenery. Toppin is in the midst of a career year and thriving in the Pacers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2024_ratings.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">top-ranked<\/a> offense. Toppin\u2019s 72.4% on 2-point field goals not only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2024_totals.html#totals_stats::fg2_pct\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leads<\/a> the league, but is on pace to be the highest number since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2020_totals.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2019-2020<\/a> season. Furthermore, Toppin\u2019s 2-point field goal % has increased by 13% from last season. A big reason for this is Toppin\u2019s elite athleticism and finishing abilities. He ranks in the 89th percentile for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/players\/transition?dir=D&amp;sort=PERCENTILE\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">transition scoring<\/a>. He\u00a0also ranks <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2024_shooting.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">top 25<\/a> in both total dunks and percent of field goal attempts that are dunks. Similarly, Toppin is an effective finisher; he can take advantage of mismatches with his combination of strength and athleticism. Ultimately, it shouldn\u2019t be too surprising given how well Toppin is playing this year, but this level of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/12\/09\/obi-toppin-expectations-indiana-pacers\/\" target=\"_self\">efficiency<\/a> is very impressive.<\/p>\n<h3>Jaden Ivey: Points Per Isolation<\/h3>\n<p>After a slow start, including <a href=\"https:\/\/hoopshype.com\/2023\/12\/01\/pistons-front-office-unhappy-with-monty-williams-usage-of-jaden-ivey\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">issues<\/a> with coach Monty Williams, the Pistons are finally figuring out how to use <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/i\/iveyja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jaden Ivey<\/a><\/strong>. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statmuse.com\/nba\/ask\/jaden-ivey-stats-by-month\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January<\/a>, Ivey is averaging 18.9 points and 5.0 assists per game. However, more impressively, he is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/players\/isolation?CF=GP*GE*35:POSS*GE*1.1&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PPP\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leading<\/a> the league in points per isolation (minimum 40 attempts) with 1.42 points per possession. Stars <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/leonaka01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kawhi Leonard<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gilgesh01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a><\/strong> are second and third in the stat. Comparing these numbers to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/players\/isolation?dir=D&amp;sort=PPP&amp;SeasonYear=2022-23\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">last season<\/a>, Ivey has more than doubled his isolation efficiency on slightly less volume. As time goes on Ivey is showing more signs that he\u2019s living up to his potential.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Potentially my favourite Jaden Ivey game last night:<\/p>\n<p>32 PTS | 6 AST | 1 STL | 59% FG<\/p>\n<p>The numbers were awesome, but the way he got to his spots via his handle and change of speed looked the smoothest I&#39;ve ever seen. <\/p>\n<p>Love watching a confident Jaden Ivey. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jnKdARPHpU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/jnKdARPHpU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Pistons Jack (@pistons_jack) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pistons_jack\/status\/1747955747198021753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Jalen Brunson: Charges Drawn<\/h3>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brunsja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jalen Brunson<\/a><\/strong> isn\u2019t known as a high-level defender. However, his hustle and grit are changing that reputation. Brunson has a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/12\/02\/sports\/jalen-brunsons-knack-for-drawing-charges-becoming-knicks-weapon\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">knack<\/a> for drawing charges, a stat he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/players\/hustle?PerMode=Totals\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leads<\/a> the NBA in with 23 charges drawn this year. He has also been near the top of this stat for most of his career. Brunson\u2019s elite positioning and IQ are central to his ability to draw charges. At six-foot-two, Brunson is putting his body on the line each night to make winning plays. Impressively, Brunson has more charges drawn than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/hustle?PerMode=Totals\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">18 teams<\/a> this season. Ultimately, Brunson\u2019s ability to draw fouls and make winning plays are impressive for a star of his caliber.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NBA has a ton of stats, ranging from traditional stats to advanced analytics. As a result, there are many well-known stat leaders, such as Joel Embiid once again leading the league in scoring or Tyrese Haliburton being the assists leader. However, with a plethora of different stats, there are also plenty of surprising stat [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4779,"featured_media":61839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,8,30,10,2,11,62,12],"tags":[1782,159,4107,1417,2617],"class_list":["post-61740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-bulls","category-mavericks","category-pistons","category-featured","category-pacers","category-nba","category-knicks","tag-coby-white","tag-dwight-powell","tag-jaden-ivey","tag-jalen-brunson","tag-obi-toppin"],"modified_by":"Kayla Fonte","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4779"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61740"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61740\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}