If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers. This is the fourth year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic winning the first two, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers winning last year.
To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at Thanksgiving. We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.
Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 270 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 65 Cup Points, 15 Games, 4.33 Cup Points per Game, 27.5, PPG, 13.1 RPG, 8.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 33.8 PER, 3.3 WS.
Here we are on our first tally, and who else would you expect at the top but Nikola Jokic!, who is now an NBA Champion and Finals MVP At present, the Joker is leading the NBA in Rebounds (197), Rebounds per Game (13.1), Triple-Doubles (6), True Shooting Percentage (.701), Field Goals (162), PER (33.8), Win Shares (3.3), Box Plus/Minus (15.2) and VORP (2.2). Right now, he is the best player in Basketball, and that is not in dispute.
2. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, 63 Cup Points: 15 Games, 4.20 Cup Points Per Game, 31.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 25.2 PER, 2.2 WS.
Durant remains a superstar and when he is healthy, he is among the best in the world. KD is chasing another title and MVP with the Suns, and he is having one of his best starts in recent years. At present, Durant is second in scoring (31.4) has not averaged over 30 Points per Game since the 2013/14 Season, but is over that right noe.
3 (TIE). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 57 Cup Points: 14 Games, 4.07 Cup Points Per Game, 30.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 30.8 PER, 2.9 WS.
Gilgeous-Alexander broke through to the upper-tier last season, and he is proving that this was no fluke. He is leading the NBA in Steals per Game (2.6) is third in PER (30.8) and fourth in Points (30.8). The Canadian is now an MVP contender.
3 (TIE). Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 57 Cup Points, 14 Games, 4.07 Cup Points per Game, 31.9, PPG, 11.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 31.2 PER, 2.6 WS.
Embiid is the reigning MVP, NIHOF Cup Winner, and two-time scoring champion, and he is currently leading the NBA in scoring again (31.2). The 76er is also first in Usage Percentage (36.4), and is second in PER (31.2), third in Win Shares (2.6) and VORP (1.4) and is in the top ten in Rebounds and Blocks per Game. Could we have a dogfight between Embiid and Jokic again?
5. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 56 Cup Points: 15 Games, 3.73 Cup Points per Game, 30.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 26.8 PER, 2.1 WS.
Doncic is on a four-yea streak of First Team All-NBA stars, and he is on pace to add a fifth. Hs is third on Points per Game (30.5), sixth in Assists (8.1), and is in the top ten in PER (26.8), Box Plus/Minus (7.8), VORP (1.3) and Win Shares (2.1).
6. (TIE) Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 55 Cup Points: 15 Games, 3.67 Cup Points per Game, 27.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 22.4 PER, 2.2 WS.
Tatum begins the year the way he ended the last one: a MVP contender on a power team. He has already a nabbed a Player of the Week Award, is seventh in PPG (27.9) and is poised to take the Celtics on his back to a title.
6. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 55 Cup Points: 14 Games, 3.93 Cup Points per Game, 29.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 23.6 PER, 1.7 WS.
The Warriors are an aging team, but Father Time has not yet found Curry, who is the best beyond-the-arc shooter of all-time. He is sixth in PPG (29.4) and is leading the league in 3-Point Field Goals (73).
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 54 Cup Points: 14 Games, 3.86 Cup Points per Game, 29.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 27.8 PER, 1.6 WS.
The two-time MVP has never had a better supporting cast than he does now, and he is responding by doing what he always does: dominate. Antetokounmpo, however has slightly less metrics than previous years, but the arrival of Damian Lillard means he does not have to always carry the load. This will cost him a Cup Point or two but the selfless European is totally fine with that.
9. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, 51 Cup Points: 15 Games, 3.40 Cup Points per Game, 25.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 6.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 25.9 PER, 2.1 WS.
James set the all-time scoring record last year, and he continues to defy time by playing at an elite lvvel.
19 (TIE). Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, 48 Cup Points: 14 Games, 3.64 Cup Points per Game, 26.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 20.0 PER, 1.4 WS.
Edwards took the necessary step in his basketball evolution last season, and he continues to progress this year. The young T-Wolves star is tenth in PPG and is poised to have his first 25-plus PPG year.
10 (TIE). Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings, 48 Cup Points: 14 Games, 20.2 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 7.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 23.3 PER, 2.1 WS.
Sabonis was an All-NBA Selection for the first time last year, and he is currently posting similar numbers this year. He is second in Rebounds per Game (12.4)
Our next update will be up on next Fridat.
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