Scoring increased this season in the NBA to a level last seen 50 years ago.
The teams averaged 114.7 points per game. The ninth highest number in 77 seasons and the most since the 116.7 points of 1969-70.
In total, 282,127 units were scored, surpassing the 273,573 mark of the 2018-19 campaign.
FREE SHOTS
The NBA has never had a better season at the free throw line.
A record for free throws made was set again for the third time in four years. The teams signed 78.2% of free throws, surpassing the record of 77.8 from two seasons ago.
BRIDGES CRACK
Mikal Bridges technically missed no games, but his streak of 392 straight games is still intact because he was ineligible to play while the Nets completed their acquisition of the Suns.
Even so, he played 83 games. Strange since the season is only 82 games long, but the Nets had more games to play when the trade happened.
Bridges is the first player to play 83 games since Josh Smith in 2014-15. He was also one of 10 players not to miss a game along with Houston’s Tari Eason and Kenyon Martin Jr.; Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams of Chicago; Boston’s Derrick White; Golden State’s Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole; Isaiah Hartenstein of New York; and Harrison Barnes of Sacramento.
The all-time record that may never be broken is held by Walt Bellamy, who played in 88 games in 1968-69 — 35 with New York and 53 with Detroit.
TRIPLES
For nine straight seasons—between 2012 and 2021—new 3-point records were set each year.
It seems that this era of 3-point records has come to an end.
For the second year in a row, fewer 3-pointers were made with an average of 24.7 3-pointers per game, down from 24.9 the previous season and the record 25.4 in 2020-21.
Teams made 30,359 three-pointers — one above the previous season’s record of 30,598. But on average teams tried 3% less than a year ago.
AND THE RECORD
The Warriors finished with 1,363 3-pointers as a team, the most by a team. The previous record was 1,323 for the Houston Rockets in 2018-19.
ONE OF EACH ONE
Golden State’s 56-point win over Portland on Sunday was the biggest of the season. The biggest flip before the final day of the regular season was New Orleans’ 45-point win over the Warriors on Nov. 21.
ASSISTANCE
The league announced Monday that the total attendance was 22,234,502. Exceeding the mark of 22,124,559 in 2017-19. There were 791 sold-out games, surpassing the record of 760 in 2018-19.
