NSL Insider - Premium: League Leaders

by jmac, updated on Monday, December 18 2023, 08:04 am EST

Who is a surprise, a breakout? Who is a stalwart amongst the most impactful players in the NSL, back again as one of the best?

After a month (or so) of action, let�s take this reasonable sample of games and information to look at the �leaders�.

Bucket-Getters (points per game):
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (39.9), Stephen Curry (39.3), Kyrie Irving (36.5), DeAaron Fox (35.2), Giannis (31.1)

All hail, Shai, the 2k God. He�s obviously got some huge fans there in the 2k coding bunker room, because he�s heads and shoulders above the next most effective player in this season�s NSL. Stephen Curry remains one of the highest scorers in the game, as he wills his Denver team as far as he can. Giannis is a tour de force of inside scoring and is practically unstoppable inside. He is the lone big man in the top five in an otherwise dominant season by scoring point guards, which is a testament to how dominant he is. Kyrie is having a bounce back year putting up career highs, and just needs the Nets to be healthy for a week for them to climb the ladder. Fox has announced his official arrival as a superstar, eclipsing over 35 points per game and putting Philadelphia on the map everyone�s second favourite team.

Glass-Eaters (rebounds per game):
Andre Drummond (17.3), Joel Embiid (16.5), Jalen Duren (15.9), Nikola Jokic (15.3), Rudy Gobert (14.5)|

Damn tragedy, Drummond getting traded from Portland. Idiots. Lakers are laughing all the way to the top of the West, and the climb has been staggering from their tanking days. Flipping the switch at the right time, and trading well, they are the toast of the NSL. Drum is the perfect complementary, lynchpin piece for the Lakers, dominating the paint. Embiid is his best 2k version this season, and the Wizards traded him a season early in hindsight; he is the most visibly dominant big and I�ve seen multiple highlight reel dunks and blocks that change the game. Duren is the rebounding wunderkind and shining light on the Miami Heat, he just can�t keep his ankles from twisting and he continues to miss time. Joker is a star, but his Rockets are floundering, despite his 15+ rebounds per game. The Raptors have traded better than anyone over these last six months, and Gobert anchors their defense and starts their offense with his rebounds and outlet passes.

Dime-Droppers (assists per game):
Darius Garland (10.9), Fred VanVleet (10.3), Mike Conley (8.2), Jalen Brunson (8), Luka Doncic (7.8)

Double digit assist numbers, sign me up! Passing is the most underrated skill in the game, and it�s great to see the best table-setters in the league getting some love. We haven�t seen scoring levels like this in the NSL, before, and the more buckets that fall, the more assist chances there are. These guys are maestros in the half court and on the fly, with Garland and Van Vleet playing pass-first General point guard styles, responsible for 25 of their teammates� points. Luka and Jalen are scorers and playmakers, deciding on the fly whether to call their own number or anothers. Steady vet Mike Conley is a calming influence on a young Kings� team.

Shot-Erasers (blocks per game):
Victor Wembanyama (5.27), Jaren Jackson Jr. (4.14), Walker Kessler (3.33), Chet Holmgren (3.23), Bol Bol (2.67)

The youth are angry! And the position of the paint enforcer has never been safer, with these young bigs sending shots back at high rates. We all knew 2k Wemby was going to be great right away (better than the real life version) and that blocks might be the greatest strength. Well, we were right - Wemby blocks the same amount of shots a game that some teams do in totality! Not far behind are modern day, prototypical bigs in Jaren Jackson Jr, Chet Holmgren and 2k wonder but real life spud, Bol Bol. Walker Kessler has a great name and an old school game, with timing and strength dictating his defensive prowess. Future All-Star talent on this list, for sure.

What has always fascinated me with blocks, is the worth of a �block� - what is the block worth if the team doesn�t retain possession after the act? Aside from lowering the teams FG percentage, what impact does it have on game style, confidence, winning effectiveness? So far, Wemby�s obscene block rate hasn�t helped Indiana win games.

Pick-Pockets (steals per game):
Donovan Mitchell (2.67), Marcus Sasser (1.93), Deanthony Melton (1.86), Jimmy Butler (1.67), Jrue Holiday (1.64)

The Minnesota Timberwolves, with their elite defensive presence, are adequately represented on the leaderboard with their backcourt wreaking havoc on opposition guards. Presented in the standings, the Wolves are the toast of the West, sitting almost atop of the standings, with barely a blemish on the campaign so far. Defensive stalwart Jrue Holiday, now with the Spurs, is no stranger to this list. Sasser, the unwanted, unloved rookie, has been remarkably, stupidly effective for the Grizzlies. Epic work, Sass. Way out ahead, as the biggest thief of them all, is surprising Donovan Mitchell. The high-octane Lakers force other teams to play quicker to catch up and Don pounces on the opportunities.

	CLE	36
	OKC	38

	UTAH	53
	PHI	60

	BOS	114
	ATL	91

	CHA	93
	WAS	109

	NY	111
	MIA	105

NSL Insider - Premium: League Leaders

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