Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC the exception with 20-point scorers

David Lee ranks 10th in the NBA in points per game this season, with 20.0. There have been NBA seasons when that figure wouldn’t rank in the top 30.

The number of big scorers is down in the NBA. Only 10 players are averaging at least 20 points a game. Only 12 players averaged at least 20 last season. And that’s a new trend.

In 2008-09, 20 averaged at least 20 points. The year before, 26. In 2006-07, 20. In 2005-06, 24. In 2004-05, 21.

We can go back in history. Twenty years ago, when there were 27 franchises, there were 19 20-point scorers. In 1982-83, when there were 23 franchises, there were 27 20-point scorers.

Go back and read that last sentence. Thirty years ago, there were more 20-point scorers than teams in the league. Eighteen teams of the 23 teams had 20-point scorers. Denver and Utah had three each.

In 1972-73, 40 years, the NBA had 17 franchises. And 23 20-point scorers. Every team except Houston and Buffalo had a 20-point scorer.

Over the decades, scoring is down in the NBA, though it’s currently on a rise. But clearly, spreading the wealth has become more of the norm in the NBA.

The Thunder and the Warriors each have two 20-point scorers. That means only eight of the 30 franchises have a 20-point man.