NBA scoring title tracker: LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo entrenched in historic race

Gilbert McGregor

NBA scoring title tracker: LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo entrenched in historic race image

The race to the 2021-22 scoring title has shaped out to be one of historic proportions.

Between LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league's leading scorers have been locked in a battle for the scoring crown, separated by less than 0.5 points per game, meaning the scoring title had been essentially anyone's to win. 

MORE: Is LeBron James the greatest scorer of all-time?

As such, the player that holds the title of the league's leading scorer can change on a nightly basis, with the title likely not getting decided until the final night of the regular season, which falls on Sunday, April 10.

With James being ruled out for the season, it's now down to Antetokounmpo and Embiid to fight it out. 

From now until the end of the season, we've got you covered with nightly updates on the race to the 2021-22 scoring title, as well as some historical context to put this year's race into perspective.

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2021-22 NBA scoring leaders

  Player PPG Games Remaining
1 Joel Embiid 30.57 1
2 Giannis Antetokounmpo 29.88 1

Can Kevin Durant win the 2021-22 NBA scoring title?

TSN's Scott Rafferty outlined Durant's unique circumstance: "Durant is operating under different rules than James, Embiid and Antetokounmpo because he's not going to appear in 58 games (70 percent of his team's games), which is the minimum to qualify for the league leaders."

As detailed by the NBA, the only exception to the above rule is if "the player would have led the league in the category had he played the required number of games with his current category total."

Simply put, Durant could still win the scoring title if his total points for the 2021-22 season divided by 58 equal out to an average higher than that of James, Embiid and Antetokounmpo.

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Remaining schedules

Joel Embiid, 76ers remaining schedule

Date Opponent Time (ET)
April 10 vs. Pistons 7 p.m.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks remaining schedule

Date Opponent Time (ET)
April 10 at Cavaliers 3:30 p.m.

Closest scoring title races in NBA history

  • Over the NBA's 75-year history, the scoring title has been decided by fewer than 0.5 points just six times. Shaquille O'Neal was the runner-up in half of those instances.
  • Two of the most notable races for the scoring title involve the Spurs.
    • On the final night of the 1993-94 season, David Robinson clinched the scoring title by scoring a career-best 71 points against the Clippers while Shaquille O'Neal scored 32 against the Nets. Robinson edged O'Neal by .44 points per game for the scoring title.
    • While David Thompson scored 73 points on the final night of the 1977-78 regular season, George Gervin was able to maintain distance by scoring 63 points in the regular-season finale to win the scoring title by .07 points per game. 
Season 1st 2nd
2011-12 Kevin Durant, Thunder (28.03) Kobe Bryant, Lakers (27.86)
2009-10 Kevin Durant, Thunder (30.15) LeBron James, Cavaliers (29.71)
1998-99 Allen Iverson, 76ers (26.75) Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers (26.31)
1997-98 Michael Jordan, Bulls (28.74) Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers (28.32)
1993-94 David Robinson, Spurs (29.79) Shaquille O'Neal, Magic (29.35)
1977-78 George Gervin, Spurs (27.22) David Thompson, Nuggets (27.15)

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.