Who Were the Top NBA Leading Scorers During the 2016-2017 Season?
Looking back at the 2016-2017 NBA season, I still get chills remembering the offensive fireworks we witnessed night after night. As someone who's analyzed basketball statistics for over a decade, I can confidently say that season featured one of the most thrilling scoring races in recent memory. The league was transitioning into this new era where three-point shooting became more than just a weapon—it became the foundation of offensive systems. Teams were embracing analytics at an unprecedented rate, and we saw the results in the scoring numbers that season.
I remember tracking Russell Westbrook's historic campaign with particular fascination. The man averaged 31.6 points per game while somehow managing to grab 10.7 rebounds and dish out 10.4 assists—the first triple-double season since Oscar Robertson's legendary 1961-62 campaign. What made Westbrook's scoring so compelling was the sheer force of will he displayed night after night. He took 24.0 field goal attempts per game, and while critics pointed to his 42.5% shooting from the field, what they missed was how he carried that Thunder team after Kevin Durant's departure. I've always believed that efficiency metrics don't capture the full story of a player's offensive impact, especially when they're shouldering such massive offensive responsibility.
Then there was James Harden, who finished second with 29.1 points per game while leading the league in assists with 11.2. Mike D'Antoni's move to make Harden the primary ball-handler in that revolutionary offensive system was pure genius. The Rockets attempted an insane 40.3 three-pointers per game—a number that would have been unthinkable just five years earlier. Harden's ability to draw fouls became an art form itself; he attempted 881 free throws that season, making 847 of them. That's a 96.1% conversion rate that still blows my mind when I look back at the numbers.
Isaiah Thomas's performance that season remains one of my personal favorites in recent NBA history. The 5'9" guard averaged 28.9 points while shooting 46.3% from the field and 37.9% from three-point range. His fourth-quarter heroics became must-watch television—he averaged 9.8 points in the final period alone. I'll never forget his 53-point game against Washington on what would have been his sister's 23rd birthday. That emotional performance encapsulated everything that made Thomas's season so special.
What often gets lost in discussions about top scorers is how individual brilliance sometimes doesn't translate to team success. This brings me to thinking about teams like UE in our reference material, where Precious Momowei put up 23 points and 11 rebounds in yet another loss. We see this pattern across basketball—outstanding individual performances trapped in struggling teams. Momowei's stat line of 23 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block would typically indicate a winning effort, yet his team remained winless at 0-7. This reminds me that scoring titles and individual accolades, while impressive, don't always correlate with team success.
Anthony Davis put up 28.0 points per game that season while grabbing 11.8 rebounds, yet his Pelicans finished 34-48. DeMarcus Cousins averaged 27.0 points between Sacramento and New Orleans but never made the playoffs that year. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry's 25.3 points per game came on historically efficient shooting—46.8% from three-point range on 8.1 attempts per game—but what made his scoring so effective was how it served the Warriors' system, helping them cruise to 67 wins.
The evolution of scoring in that 2016-2017 season fascinates me when I compare it to earlier eras. We had four players averaging over 29 points per game—something that hadn't happened since the 2005-2006 season. The game was speeding up, with teams averaging 100.8 possessions per 48 minutes compared to 97.8 just three seasons earlier. This pace revolution, combined with the three-point explosion, created perfect conditions for scoring explosions.
When I reflect on that season's scoring leaders, what stands out isn't just the numbers but how they were achieved. Westbrook's relentless attacks, Harden's step-back threes, Thomas's fearless drives into the lane—each scorer had their signature style that reflected both their personal skills and their team's offensive philosophy. The diversity of scoring methods made following the race so engaging for analysts like myself.
The relationship between high-volume scoring and team success remains complex. While we celebrate individual scoring champions, basketball ultimately remains a team sport where chemistry, defense, and role players determine championship contention. Players like Momowei putting up strong numbers on struggling teams remind us that individual statistics only tell part of the story. The true value of a scorer lies in how their points contribute to winning basketball—whether through efficient shooting, clutch performances, or drawing defensive attention that creates opportunities for teammates.
As I look back at that remarkable season, I'm struck by how it represented a turning point in NBA offensive philosophy. The scoring explosion we witnessed wasn't just about talented individuals—it was about systems evolving to maximize offensive potential. The top scorers that season weren't just putting up empty numbers; they were pioneers in a new offensive landscape that continues to shape how basketball is played today. The 2016-2017 season gave us historic individual performances while challenging traditional notions about scoring efficiency and team success—conversations that continue to evolve in today's game.
