The Stat-Stuffers!
Statistical league-leaders across the NSL

Allow the journalists and statisticians at NSL Premium run the magnifying glass over the top statistical contributors of the NSL.


POINTS PER GAME

Jayson Tatum � 27.1
Kyrie Irving � 26.2
Giannis Antetokounmpo � 26
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander � 24.1

Luka Doncic � 23.4

Individual scoring is at the lowest watermark it has ever sat in NSL history. This engine seems to refuse to consistently give stars the high usage they deserve, and alas, we have a �mid� top scorers list. Tatum would have to be the most successful three point shooter in the league. First hand, I have seen him go for 7 or 8 threes in a game and his percentage leads the league. Irving, now a Net, has been in two situations where his team needs him to shoot all the time, but he is losing most games. Giannis, SGA and Luka are as legitimate of a scorer as you will see in real life or NSL and are as worthy as they come on this list. However, Luka at 23.4 ppg shows you the parameters of this years engine � usage, usage for everyone! Here, you are rated 75, take ten shots!




REBOUNDS PER GAME

Deandre Ayton � 20.1
Nikola Jokic � 18.1
Jonas Valanciunas � 17.8
Joel Embiid � 17.7
Clint Capela � 17.5

The Golden Geese of the NSL, the dominant inside talls. Ayton pulls in an enormous 20 rebounds a game, which is one of the highest rates of all time. Toronto play a gritty style of game which leads to a lot of bad shots from the opposition, as well as him being the lone true-tall in the starting lineup. Jokic is a superstar and it�s been disappointing to see the Rockets falter again with him getting better and better. Valancuinas, in his current role, would lead the league in boards if he had played the role all season. Embiid and Capela staggeringly both feature in the top 5, showing the sheer dominance of the Wizards� rebounding prowess and winning, as well as their GMs inclination to play tiiiiight 8 man rotations with a handful of grated cheddar.


ASSISTS PER GAME

Darius Garland � 6.3
Trae Young � 6.2
Luka Doncic � 6
Jimmy Butler � 5.3
Spencer Dinwiddie � 5.3

Dimes, the figurative term of an assist, are a falling stock this season. With the success of outside shooting at what feels like an all-time low, the assists, which correlate entirely with how many shots you can get in, are low, too. Daris Garland is a terrific playmaker for the Celtics, who are one of the big movers this season and look primed to win a playoff series. He is always under control and smart. Trae has always been a great passer, but what he does well doesn�t necessarily lead to his team�s success. Luka will be on this list for another ten years, and Jimmy Butler and Spencer Dinwiddie make for surprising top-5 assist getters. Kudos.

STEALS PER GAME

Jimmy Butler � 2.11
Matisse Thybulle � 1.99
Deanthony Melton � 1.73
Dejounte Murray � 1.53
Marcus Smart � 1.48

The top thieves in the NSL are very much as accomplished with the art form as their real-life counterparts, with every name on this list well and truly belonging. Butler, even in 2019, had these unique 2k defensive animations that I didn�t see from any other players. He is a bully and a pirate and plunders and overwhelms any player that he guards. Crazy he has been traded so many times! Thybulle, Melton represent the elite role player niche within the NSL, feature amazing hands, timing and effort. Dejounte and Marcus represent two of the players who can genuinely be a defensive anchor from the PG spot in a big-dominated NSL. Bucks showing their defensive chops.




BLOCKS PER GAME

Kristaps Porzingis � 2.94
Rudy Gobert � 2.66
Joel Embiid � 2.64
Jaren Jackson Jnr � 2.63
Myles Turner � 2.48

The enforcers! Kristaps takes being tall very seriously, standing almost as tall as the backboard in 2k and pretty much just catching shots. If only Rudy Gobert could block punches the way he blocks shots, or alter his emotions the way he alters shots, people might like him. Joel Embiid, making some serious MVP-headway as the season has progressed, dominates in so many ways. JJJ and Myles turner, the hybrid bigs for the Grizzlies and Bucks respectively, are their teams anchors and exciting players to own in the modern-basketball world. Almost all these players play on the best defensive teams in the league, aside from Krisptaps.


NSL RANKING

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

2. Anthony Davis

3. Nikola Jokic

4. Jayson Tatum

5. Joel Embiid

6. Jarrett Allen

7. Deandre Ayton

8. Luka Doncic

9. Kevin Durant

10. Lebron James


Obviously, these rankings demonstrate that life for the big man in NSL in 2023 is bloody easy compared to guards and wings. Just like in real life, the advanced statistics are buoyed strongly by high FG%, low turnovers and steals and blocks. Enter, big men. It�s a bid disappointing, but it�s a reality that 2k often provides us with � it�s easier to be tall.

Giannis is no.1 with a bullet and unless the league really hates Nelso and the Spurs (I mean, it�s reasonable), he should run away with the MVP vote. Following the Freak, we see Davis, Jokic, Embiid, and Allen and Ayton, feature in the next five spots. Jayson Tatum has been incredible this season and deserves his flowers, as the only player who is good at shooting threes in the whole league, but aside from Embiid, the other bigs haven�t led their teams to the successful heights their gaudy numbers suggest. Ayton and Allen eat big on teams lacking rebounding support.



The superhero-wings finally make their run in the final spots, with Luka, KD and Lebron proving that wings can make an impact in the NSL (if they are rated 95+).