(Translator's note: The author of this article is Colin Ward-Henninger, an NBA journalist in the United States, and the content in this article does not represent the views of the translator.) ）
Most Successful Players of the Season (East)
We decided to summarize the most successful stories of each NBA team in the 2020-21 regular season. Some of them are future stars who are blooming all-star status, some are stars who have already become famous but have played a dominant performance this season, and of course, we also have a few inspirational stories of starting from the bench and finally seizing the opportunity to gain a foothold in the league. Regardless of the final outcome of the season, it's safe to say that every team has brought joy to the fans this year, with a proud part.
Today we will take stock of the Western teams.
(Statistics as of the regular season)
1. Dallas Maverick
Jaylen Brunson, who played in 68 games and averaged 25 minutes per game, had 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 0.5 steals, shooting 40.5 percent from three-point range.
From Brunson's first day on the NBA, it was clear that the second-rounder player was bound to play far beyond the picks. But his great performance this season is still amazing. The 1.85-meter-tall guard has taken his stats to the next level this season, shooting 52.3 percent, 40.5 percent and 79.5 percent from the free throw line, averaging more than four points, while averaging a career-high 3.5 assists per game. According to Synergy, he can bring 1.45 points per game (including assists) to the Lone Rangers when he launches offense, a 95 percent better-than-league player, and Brunson became the most reliable organizer and scorer in Dallas' second-team when Doncic sat on the bench. In the more than 900 minutes he played on Brunson & Doncic's bench this season, the Lone Ranger was able to beat his opponent by 3.9 points.
Looking at the above stats, you might define Brunson as just another bench bandit who is fit to lead the second team, and this type of player tends to get lost when working with the main team. But that's not the case, and the Lone Rangers have performed even better this season when they play with Doncic, beating their opponents by 6.9 points and a surprising 114.7 points per 100 possessions. It suggests that while Brunson has been a substitute for much of the season, he could end up in doncic as he continues his march toward the championship.
2. Denver Nuggets
Michael Porter Jr., who played in 61 games, averaged 31.3 minutes per game, had 19 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.9 blocks, and shot 44.5% from three-point range.
Anyone who watched the Nuggets last season knows that Porter Jr. definitely has the hope and ability to become the third star on Jokic and Murray's side, and it won't take much time.
This year, Porter did live up to expectations for the most offensively efficient season of his career to date, averaging more than 19 points per game, shooting 54.2 percent, 44.5 percent, and shooting 79.1 percent from the field, three-point range, and free throws. According to Synergy, his stats of scoring 1.23 points per possession are second among all players in the league who have more than 300 possession offense rounds (Porter has more than 900 ball-handled offensive rounds). Since Jamal Murray was reimbursed for the season because of a torn cruciate ligament, Porter has taken on more responsibility and played even better, averaging 24.4 points per game while shooting 8.1 three-pointers per game and shooting 49 percent from the field. If Porter can continue to play at this level, even if his defense is still flawed, the Nuggets will have one of the best young trio in the league for years to come.
3. Golden State Warriors
Andrew Wiggins, who played in 71 games and averaged 33.3 minutes per game, had 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 1 block, and shot 38% from three-point range.
Curry is clearly the Warriors' thigh this season, but the matter is not new to the two-time MVP winner. Let's set our sights on the man who once carried a lot of expectations , Wiggins, who has shown great strength in the Warriors' first full season. Head coach Steve Kerr has consistently praised Wiggins for his ability to consistently play against the best outside players. Arguably, given Golden State's current roster structure, the Warriors wouldn't have played the league's fifth-best defensive performance without him.
Wiggins has also made great strides on the offensive end this year, averaging nearly 19 points per game, shooting record career highs (47.7 percent) and three-point range (38 percent). He has become an effective singles player, and this season he is more efficient than 83% of the players in the league. According to Synergy, Wiggins scored 1.053 points per possession round, which is very valuable for the Warriors when curry is not on the court. Wiggins had 4.4 mid-range shots per game during his final full season with the Timberwolves, and this season it dropped to 2.8 — one of the reasons for his increased efficiency.
Wiggins has fully fulfilled the Warriors' demands on him this season, and although he still has not yet played the top performance worthy of his contract amount, he has become an important part of the Warriors' journey back to the championship trophy.
4. Houston Rockets
Christian Wood, who played in 41 games, averaged 32.3 minutes per game, had 21 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks, shooting 51.4% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range.
While it's a pleasure to see John Wall healthy back on the court again, Wood is the Rockets' most successful story of the season. He played the Pistons with limited playing time in the closing season last season, but doubts remained on Wood's ability to sustain him for more of his playing time. He shut up all doubters at the start of the season, and this year Wood averaged a career-high 21 points and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting five three-pointers per game and shooting 37.4 percent from the field.
In addition to his ability to pull away space, Wood is also a monster under the basket, and according to Synergy, he scores 1.33 points per round when attacking from the basket, which is better than 82% of the players in the league. With his height and athletic ability, he can complete the catch under the basket to finish the cake, but also rely on the soft feel and flexible footsteps to complete some beautiful personal attacks in the movement.
There are a lot of questions about the rocket's future, but the good news is that they've found a reliable inside.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
Terrance Mann, who played in 67 games and averaged 18.9 minutes per game, had seven points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks, shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range.
The Clippers have a number of top stars in the regular season, their performance in the regular season this year is basically in line with expectations, as a strong team will not do their best in the regular season, so these stars can not become the protagonist of the Clippers success story. The most impressive player under Tylen Lue this year is obviously the young man, who has shown a lot of flashes in his limited playing time last season, but not many people think he can steal too much playing time from Kennard, who just signed the team's $64 million contract in the offseason. But this is not the case, as the season progresses, Mann has become a card that Lou relies heavily on, and Kennard has even been DNP several times.
In addition to his all-around performance in switching offense and defense, Mann's three-point shooting rate this season is also as high as 41.8%, up from 35% last season. Mann's empty three-point accuracy makes him a valuable member of the Clippers rotation, and his salary is also very low.
6. Los Angeles Lakers
Kyle Kuzma, who played in 68 games and averaged 28.7 minutes per game, had 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 36.1% shooting from three points.
Kuzma was instrumental in last season's championship journey, becoming the third scorer in the team after James and Anthony Davies, but this year after reinforcing Schroeder and Harrell, Kuzma's positioning has changed a bit. The fourth-year forward finally found the right place for himself in the Lakers after several years of exploration. With pressure on the offensive end lessening, Kuzma has become a reliable outside defender and one of the best frontcourt rebounders in the league.
As a shooter, Kuzma has also improved on his heels this season, shooting 36.1 percent from three-point range this year, up from 31 percent in the previous two years. Several former Lakers players — Randall, Ingram and Lonzo Ball — have all played well after leaving the team, and Kuzma has been questioned by many fans, but for a championship-fighting team, perhaps players like Kuzma are what Los Angeles really needs.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
D'Antoni Melton, who played in 52 games and averaged 20.1 minutes per game, had 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks, shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range.
When Melton first put on his Phoenix jersey to play in the NBA at the age of 20, people saw his strong defensive ability, but at that time he had a big problem - he couldn't shoot at all. But this season, Melton has shot 41.2 percent from three-point range, and in the past two years he's only shot a measly 29 percent from beyond the three-point line. According to Synergy's data, Melton's catch shots are very reliable, and he has scored 1.31 points per round when he receives the ball this season, which is better than 89% of players in the league.
Thanks to Melton's excellent performance on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, the Grizzlies have beaten their opponents by 7.8 points per 100 possessions this season. While the Grizzlies have young backcourts such as Ja Morant, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bain, if Melton can continue to maintain his shooting efficiency, he will definitely be able to firmly occupy an important rotation position.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Carl Anthony Downs, played in 50 games, averaged 33.8 minutes per game, had 24.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.1 blocks, shooting 48.6% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range.
D'Angelo Russell, who played in 42 games and averaged 28.5 minutes per game, had 19 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.4 blocks, shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range.
The Timberwolves had a tough season when they had to sack manager Sanders Jr., who had a close relationship with the team, because of the poor record, but when both the cornerstones of the team, Towns and Russell, were healthy and played at the same time, the team, which had been struggling at the bottom of the Western Conference rankings for many years, actually performed well. This season, when the two All-Star players can play together, the Timberwolves have a basic winning percentage of 50%, and in the 440 minutes that the two of them have played together, the offensive efficiency value of the main lineup centered on the two of them is as high as 115.8.
But due to injuries and some other reasons, the good brothers have not played together many times this year, but the team manager Finch has clearly seen the team's hopes from the data. If Towns and Russell can both stay healthy next season, and with Edwards, who is making rapid progress, the Timberwolves may really win their own revival.
9. New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson, who played in 61 games and averaged 33.2 minutes per game, had 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks, shooting 61.6% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range.
The 2020-21 season was only two important tasks for the Pelicans: Zion Williamson's health and development. Now that the season is over, you can tick between those two because the 20-year-old has played absolute dominance this season, averaging 33 minutes in 61 games and has been able to show plenty of energy on the pitch, with the exception of a few minor injuries. The team's new coach, Van Gundy, has found a suitable path for Zion - a possession forward, which makes Zion play more easily on the field, and whenever he starts to attack the paint from the outside line, the opponent's heart only collapses.
According to Synergy, Zion has scored 1.153 points per game this season, better than 92 percent of the league's players, and becoming the first player in NBA history to average 27 points per game and shoot more than 60 percent from the field. The sophomore has been named an All-Star and is also very promising to make it to the best team of the season. He proved with his top performances that he is not just a future star blown out by the media, he really has the strength to become one of the league's signature stars in the near future.
10. Oklahoma Thunder
Shay Kyrgyz-Alexander, played in 35 games, averaged 33.7 minutes per game, had 23.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks, shooting 41.8% from three-point range.
The Thunder's real story this season has gone all the way from 17-22 to 22-50 in the past two months, and it's unclear whether the Oklahoma are really lackluster or built for rebuilding reasons, but a lot of obviously purposeful breaks and slightly "conservative" protections for the team's young players tend to favor the latter possibility.
In any case, let's be optimistic by highlighting Alexander's progress, who has proven himself to be one of the league's future stars, and the Thunder may quickly return to the contenders after determining the core (the Thunder can make a huge profit on the trade, you know Sam Presti's style). Alexander's scoring average has improved by nearly five points this year, his efficiency has also improved significantly, and he is one of the best players on the field in any game he plays.
According to Synergy's data, Alexander leads 88% of the league's players with a statistic that can create 1.379 points (including assists) per game, on a par with Alphabet Brother, and even ahead of Curry, James and Durant. While plagued by a foot injury this season, Alexander's performance is enough to prove he will be in the All-Star ranks in the next few years.
11. Phoenix Sun
Mikael Bridges, who played in 72 games and averaged 32.6 minutes per game, had 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks, and shot 42.5% from three-point range.
As a candidate for Progressive Player of the Year (congratulations to Randall for winning the award), Bridges is clearly an important factor in the Suns' rise this season. In his third NBA season, the 24-year-old's average score has increased by more than 4 points, while his top outside defenders have not diminished in the slightest. His three-point shooting percentage this year is 42.5 percent, compared to just 34.5 percent in his first two seasons, and according to Synergy, he can score 1.236 points per shot this season, ranking in the top ten of all players in the league with similar number of games and shots.
But it has to be said that Bridges' scoring efficiency and production this year have increased significantly. According to NBA.com's stats, Bridges has only made 15 "tight" defensive three-point shots this season, while his "open" and "big open" three-point shots total 291, Paul's organization combined with the Suns' overall offensive system has made Bridges evolve on the offensive end.
Bridges has become one of the league's best 3-D flankers this season, and he's still young, and it looks like he definitely has hope of being a key part of the Sun's path to revival.
12. Portland Trail Blazers
Yusuf Nurkic, who played in 37 games and averaged 23.8 minutes per game, had 11.5 points, 9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1 steal, 1.1 blocks, shooting 51.4% from the field and 40% from three-point range.
You never know how far a player can recover after a major injury, especially for an interior player who has only played 25 games in two years, and some worries are more normal. Nurkic had just returned from a serious leg injury earlier in the season, but less than a month into the start of the new season, a broken wrist forced him to recuperate until the end of March. It took Nurkic a while to find form after returning from injury, but thankfully he's back, and after adjusting to the rhythm, he's averaged 14.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the last 13 games.
In addition, he is one of the few players in the Blazers to help the defense significantly — When Nurkic is on the bench, Portland gives his opponent 116.6 points per 100 possessions, and when he's on the court, that number drops to 108 points per 100 possessions. Nurkic's ability to return after consecutive serious injuries is definitely a big positive for the Trail Blazers who are targeting the Finals or even the championship.
13. King of Sacramento
Teres Halliburton, played in 58 games, averaged 30.1 minutes per game, had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks, and shot 40.9% from three-point range.
No one knows how Halliburton fell to 12th place in the 2020 draft, but the Kings are certainly happy about it. The 21-year-old has been extraordinary in his rookie season, joining Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson as the only three rookies in NBA history to average at least 13 points and five assists per game and shoot at or above 58 percent from the field. Although he was never known for his projectors and was not a standard shooter in college, Halliburton has shot 40.9 percent from three-point range this season and has shown great organizational prowess. According to Synergy's data, he scored 1.409 points per offense, including assists, more than 91 percent of the league's players. He's particularly good at orchestrating switching offense — a great trait for the Kings, the fastest team in the league.
Kings fans are hopeful that their backcourt duo of Halburton and Fox will be in the coming years, and their journey to the playoffs may end soon.
14. San Antonio Spurs
Dejuntai Murray, who played in 67 games and averaged 31.9 minutes per game, had 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.1 blocks, and shot 31.7% from three-point range.
Murray is certainly still in his formative years, but his improvements this season have been impressive, with career-high points, rebounds and assists per game while leading the team in terms of playing time. When Murray came on, the Spurs' goal difference per 100 possessions was 9.2 points higher than when he left the game, and the offensive score rose from 105.1 points to 111.9 points.
Murray's three-point ability hasn't been fully developed yet, but he's proven this year that he has the ability to influence the outcome of the game as long as he keeps working. The Spurs now have a lot of good young guards in the squad, but judging by Murray's defensive ability and improving offensive skills, he may be the best in the group.
15. Sir Utah
Jordan Clarkson, who played in 68 games and averaged 26.7 minutes per game, had 18.4 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.1 blocks, shooting 34.7% from three-point range.
Clarkson has proven with his continued efficiency this season that what he did for the Jazz after last season's trade deadline was not a flash in the pan and that he has become an integral part of Salt Lake City. After a fiery start, he cooled down but was still able to score his career-high in less than 27 minutes per game. Clarkson is particularly good at blocking and dismantling, and according to Synergy,000, he scores 1.1 points per block, leading 88 percent of the league's players.
Clarkson also improved his shooting, radically reducing the number of shots he took from mid-range jumpers (he only made 47 shots all season) and replacing them with more three-point shots and layups. He averaged 8.8 three-point shots and 3.1 shots per game this season, all career-highs. All of this brings the guard, who has been fighting in the league for seven years, very close to winning the Sixth Man of the Year award for the first time. (NBA officials announced on May 25 that Clarkson won the Sixth Man of the Year award.)
Colin Ward-Henninger
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