Post by eric on Jan 23, 2020 20:58:52 GMT
There have been 35 players to lead the NBA in points per game.
There have been 26 players to lead the NBA in assists per game.
Only 5 are on both lists.
The first to do both (in the same season or otherwise) was Oscar Robertson, who in 1968 combined his sixth assist title with his first scoring title*. His Royals missed the playoffs with a cool 39 wins.
Jerry West took home his first and only scoring title in 1970 but suffered his first and only Finals loss in a year ending in 0 (after taking six such Ls in the six-ties). Suitably humbled, he switched focuses and won his first and only assist title in 1972 alongside his first and only NBA title.
Also managing exactly one of each statistical title was Tiny Archibald, but he did so simultaneously in 1973 on the mean streets of Kansas City, another 30 something win team in storied Kings franchise history. It would be another eight years before he led the similar small town Midwestern club of Boston to the 1981 title.
.
Nothing happened for a long time.
.
Russell Westbrook won the first of two scoring titles in 2015 and the first of two assist titles in 2018.
Once and future teammate James Harden won his only assist title in 2017 and the first of two scoring titles also in 2018.
If LeBron James maintains his current leaderboard position in the year 2020, he will add his first assist title to the lone scoring title of his career, obtained way back in 2008.
He currently leads Ricky "Still in the League" "Well, on the Suns Anyway" Rubio by 1.6 assists per game. Both players are at career highs, and both players' previous career highs are 9.1 per game - they don't call him the Akronese Ricky Rubio for nothing, folks. LeBron needs to play at least 58 games to qualify and the answer to how many games he has currently played is 42. Intriguingly, the requirement used to be 70 games OR 400 assists, and he has currently recorded 454. Makes you wonder.
.
.
*Technically, the NBA didn't use points per game for scoring titles in 1968, and wouldn't abandon total points until 1970. Using the contemporaneous criteria for leaders only changes three in these categories:
1950: New York Knicks legend Dick "Tricky Dick the Knick" McGuire trails Chicago Stags player Andy Phillip 5.7 to 5.8 per game, but an extra three games gives him the raw assist lead. I guess there's just something about inaugural seasons and Knicks greatness in all walks of life/similitude.
1968: the aforementioned Oscar Robertson manages to lose both titles - he finishes over two PPG and one APG clear of his nearest competitors, but only playing 65 games leaves him a paltry 6th in total points and 3rd in total assists, paving the way for Dave Bing and Wilton Norman Chamberlain respectively to get their only crowns in each category.
Add in Wilt's seven straight scoring titles (a feat still unsurpassed) and we remain at a total of 5 players on both lists.
There have been 26 players to lead the NBA in assists per game.
Only 5 are on both lists.
The first to do both (in the same season or otherwise) was Oscar Robertson, who in 1968 combined his sixth assist title with his first scoring title*. His Royals missed the playoffs with a cool 39 wins.
Jerry West took home his first and only scoring title in 1970 but suffered his first and only Finals loss in a year ending in 0 (after taking six such Ls in the six-ties). Suitably humbled, he switched focuses and won his first and only assist title in 1972 alongside his first and only NBA title.
Also managing exactly one of each statistical title was Tiny Archibald, but he did so simultaneously in 1973 on the mean streets of Kansas City, another 30 something win team in storied Kings franchise history. It would be another eight years before he led the similar small town Midwestern club of Boston to the 1981 title.
.
Nothing happened for a long time.
.
Russell Westbrook won the first of two scoring titles in 2015 and the first of two assist titles in 2018.
Once and future teammate James Harden won his only assist title in 2017 and the first of two scoring titles also in 2018.
If LeBron James maintains his current leaderboard position in the year 2020, he will add his first assist title to the lone scoring title of his career, obtained way back in 2008.
He currently leads Ricky "Still in the League" "Well, on the Suns Anyway" Rubio by 1.6 assists per game. Both players are at career highs, and both players' previous career highs are 9.1 per game - they don't call him the Akronese Ricky Rubio for nothing, folks. LeBron needs to play at least 58 games to qualify and the answer to how many games he has currently played is 42. Intriguingly, the requirement used to be 70 games OR 400 assists, and he has currently recorded 454. Makes you wonder.
.
.
*Technically, the NBA didn't use points per game for scoring titles in 1968, and wouldn't abandon total points until 1970. Using the contemporaneous criteria for leaders only changes three in these categories:
1950: New York Knicks legend Dick "Tricky Dick the Knick" McGuire trails Chicago Stags player Andy Phillip 5.7 to 5.8 per game, but an extra three games gives him the raw assist lead. I guess there's just something about inaugural seasons and Knicks greatness in all walks of life/similitude.
1968: the aforementioned Oscar Robertson manages to lose both titles - he finishes over two PPG and one APG clear of his nearest competitors, but only playing 65 games leaves him a paltry 6th in total points and 3rd in total assists, paving the way for Dave Bing and Wilton Norman Chamberlain respectively to get their only crowns in each category.
Add in Wilt's seven straight scoring titles (a feat still unsurpassed) and we remain at a total of 5 players on both lists.