As Playoffs Begin, A Notable Number For Each Team In The NBA’s Eastern Conference

With the wild, unpredictable 2019-20 NBA regular season now in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look back on the unprecedented campaign. Listed below are a couple of interesting statistics or factoids for each team in the Eastern Conference. 

Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young has already scored more than 40 points in a single game 12 times in his short two-year career. Dating back to the start of the 2018-19 campaign, that’s more games with 40+ points than every other player in the Eastern Conference. (The only two players in the league with more 40-burgers are James Harden and Dame Lillard). The only players with more than 15 40-point games over their first two NBA seasons were Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Young averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists per game in 2019-20. The only other sophomore to average over 29 points and nine dimes was Oscar Robertson.

Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum was heating up before the season was suspended. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February after he finished the month averaging 30.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 49.4% from the field and 48.1% from downtown. Tatum celebrated his 22nd birthday in early March. According to Basketball-Reference, he is one of only four players in league history to tally at least 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 150 made 3PT’s before turning 22. The other three are LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.

Brooklyn Nets

Over the final 20 games of the 2019-20 regular season, Caris LeVert averaged 24.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 dimes and 2.3 made 3PT’s. The only three NBA players to match or exceed LeVert’s per-game averages in those categories over the final 20 games of the year were LeBron James, Luka Doncic and James Harden. 

Charlotte Hornets

In 2018-19, Devonte’ Graham was the Hornets’ 14th-leading scorer, one spot behind Bismack Biyombo. This season, Graham erupted, averaging 18.2 points, 7.5 assists and 3.5 made treys. The 13.3 increase in his scoring average was the highest in the league this season. Graham is just the third player in NBA history to average more than 18 points, more than seven assists and more than three made 3-pointers per game. 

Chicago Bulls

Coby White closed out his rookie campaign on a heater, scoring at least 19 points in each of the Bulls’ final nine contests. During this nine-game stretch, White averaged 26.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.9 made triples, while shooting above 43% from downtown and above 90% from the free-throw line. Only one other rookie in Bulls franchise history had a streak of 19+ points in nine or more games: Michael Jordan. 

Cleveland Cavaliers

Collin Sexton was incredibly consistent on the offensive end in the second half of 2019-20 for Cleveland. Over the Cavs final 25 games, Sexton averaged 24.2 points and 4.0 assists while shooting 50.3% from the floor, 45.2% from 3-point territory, and 86.6% from the charity stripe.  

Detroit Pistons

Christian Wood signed a one-year, make-good contract with the Pistons last summer, and he most certainly made good. When Detroit traded away Andre Drummond at the deadline, it cleared the way for Wood to flourish. Over the Pistons’ final ten games of the season, Wood averaged 24.2 points (on 57.8% shooting), 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 made 3-pointers, 1.0 steals, and 1.1 blocks. 

Indiana Pacers

T.J. Warren caught fire in the Orlando bubble. He was named to the NBA’s All-Seeding Games First Team after averaging a whopping 31.0 ppg while shooting a scorching 57.8% from the floor and 52.4% (22-42) from 3-point range. During the 2019-20 regular season, Warren set career highs in points scored, scoring average, assist, steals, made 3-pointers, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage. 

Miami Heat

Duncan Robinson knocked down a total of 270 triples this season, which is the most ever by an undrafted player during a single NBA season. Kendrick Nunn was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Month in each of the season’s first three months, becoming the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to win the award multiple times. The team’s first-round draft pick, Tyler Herro, closed out the regular season on fire, averaging 21.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 made treys over the final five games.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks’ 56-17 (.767) record this season was the third-best in franchise history. Milwaukee outscored its opponents by 10.1 points per game, tied to the 11th-highest net differential in NBA history. Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to take home his second consecutive MVP after posting a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 31.85, the highest PER ever recorded in a single season. 

New York Knicks

Mitchell Robinson made 74.2% of all field goals he attempted in 2019-20, setting the all-time NBA record for the highest single-season FG percentage ever, passing Wilt Chamberlain. Over his first two years in the league, Robinson had more blocks (280) than missed FGA (177) and turnovers (72) combined. According to Basketball-Reference, he is one of only six players in league history to average at least 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks per-36 minutes over their first two NBA seasons. )The other five are ‪Shaquille O’Neal,‬ David Robinson,‬ ‪Dikembe Mutombo,‬ ‪Marvin Webster,‬ and ‪Hakeem Olajuwon.) In 2019-20, R.J. Barrett became one of only four rookies in NBA history to average at least 14 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one made trey per game. Two of the other three (Steve Francis and Luka Doncic) won Rookie of the Year. It’s also noteworthy that Barrett didn’t turn 20 until June. The only other teenagers to tally 14/5/2 as rookies were LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Doncic. 

Orlando Magic

Despite playing solid defense all year (ranked fifth in the NBA), the Magic got pounded by the elite team in the Eastern Conference this season. Orlando was a combined 0-14 vs. the Bucks, Raptors, Celtics and Pacers in 2019-20. 

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers finished the regular season with a 43-30 record. It’s the first time the team has won at least 43 games in three consecutive seasons since the turn of the century. Joel Embiid averaged 23.0 points, 11.6 boards and 1.3 blocks this season. According to Basketball-Reference, he is just the sixth player in NBA history to average more than 20 points and 1.0 blocks per game over the first four seasons of his career. The other five are Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. 

Toronto Raptors

Despite losing Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard via free agency last summer, the Raps set a franchise record for winning percentage (.736) in 2019-20. Over the past five seasons, no team in the NBA has posted a better record than the Toronto Raptors, who have won 277 out of 400 regular-season games (.693). Fred VanVleet averaged 6.6 assists, 2.7 made 3-pointers and 1.9 steals per game this season. Only two other players in NBA history have matched or exceeded those averages in each of those categories throughout a full NBA season: Stephen Curry (during his two MVP seasons) and James Harden. 

Washington Wizards

From January 20 through March 6, Bradley Beal scored at least 25 points in 21 straight games. Per NBA.com, that’s the longest such streak in franchise history and the second-longest in the league over the past ten seasons. Beal finished the year averaging over 30 points and six assists while shooting above 35% from 3-point range. The only other players to accomplish that feat are Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry and James Harden.