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Final NBA Stat Leaders And Other Historical Performances

By Mark Vandeusen

Feb 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives past New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives past New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the 2014-15 regular season officially in the books, here are the final NBA stat leaders in each category, as well some other numbers of historical significance.

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Scoring Leader: Russell Westbrook, 28.1 PPG

In his final game of the season on Wednesday, Westbrook put up 37 points (34 in the first half) in the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 138-113 blowout of the Minnesota Timberwolves.  Westbrook finished the year with an average of 28.1 points per game, beating out James Harden‘s 27.4 PPG.

However, the victory over Minnesota wasn’t enough to get the Thunder into the postseason, as the New Orleans Pelicans claimed the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.  Westbrook didn’t appear to care much about his scoring title in relation to missing the playoffs:

Westbrook also led the league in field goal attempts per game, 22.0, and by a rather large margin.  LaMarcus Aldridge was second with 19.9.

The Thunder’s Kevin Durant won the scoring title in 2013-14 (with 32.0 PPG), making Durant and Westbrook just the second set of teammates in league history to take home the honors in back-to-back seasons.  Paul Arizin and Neil Johnston did it for the Philadelphia Warriors in 1951-52 and 1952-53.

Rebounding Leader: DeAndre Jordan, 15.0 RPG

Jordan was easily the best rebounder in the league in 2014-15, grabbing 1.5 more per game than No. 2 finisher Andre Drummond (13.5).  Jordan pulled down at least 20 rebounds on 13 occasions, and closed the season with a streak of 31 consecutive games of 10 or more, dating back to Feb. 6.

Assist Leader: Chris Paul, 10.2 APG

Paul narrowly edged out John Wall, who finished second with 10.0 assists per game.  It’s the fourth time in his career that Paul has been the NBA’s No. 1 assist man–including last year when he averaged 10.7.

Blocks Leader: Anthony Davis, 2.94 BPG

Davis destroyed the field in this category, with more than half a block per game more than second-place Serge Ibaka (2.42).  The 22-year-old Davis also averaged 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.47 steals per game.  Only three other players have ever put up those numbers in points, rebounds, blocks and steals in a single season–Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Steals Leader: Kawhi Leonard, 2.31 SPG

Leonard beat out Westbrook (2.09 steals per game) by a healthy margin.  Chris Paul had led the league in this category in each of the previous four seasons and six of the last seven.

Field Goal Percentage Leader: DeAndre Jordan, 71.0%

If you thought Jordan’s rebounding rate was impressive, his field goal percentage is off the charts.  The second-highest finisher was Amir Johnson at 57.4 percent, more than 13 percentage points lower.  Jordan also became just the second player in NBA history to shoot better than 70 percent from the floor–Wilt Chamberlain did it in 1972-73.

Oddly enough, in addition to Chamberlain’s highest-ever field goal percentage record, Jordan also challenged him for the lowest free-throw percentage ever.  Jordan ended the year at 39.7 percent at the foul line, just ahead of Andre Drummond’s 38.9 percent.  Those are the second and third worst free-throw percentages of all-time, behind Chamberlain’s 38.0 in 1967-68.

Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Leader: Luke Babbitt, 51.3%

Babbitt technically is No. 1 among qualified candidates, although he only made 59 three-pointers all year.  Kyle Korver (who narrowly missed the first-ever 50-50-90 season) connected on 221 threes at 49.2 percent.  Don’t forget about Stephen Curry either:

Curry led the NBA with 286 total triples this season, 47 more than the runner-up, his teammate Klay Thompson.

Next: The Top 10 Sophomores in the NBA This Season

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