2021 All-Star

NBA All-Star 2021 Numbers to Know: Team LeBron

Here are 5 key stats to know about each member of Team LeBron ahead of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game.

Check out these top plays from players selected to Team LeBron

The fourth NBA All-Star Draft was held on Thursday night with LeBron James being a team captain with the first overall pick – courtesy of being the league’s top overall vote-getter – selecting first.

After squaring off with Team Curry in 2018 and Team Giannis in 2019 and 2020, now Team LeBron will take on Team Durant as Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant finished with the most votes in the Eastern Conference. He will miss the game due to injury, selecting a squad that he will not be able to play with.

With the All-Star Draft in the books and the teams set for Sunday’s All-Star Game, we’ll take a closer look at each team with a deep dive into the numbers. We begin with Team LeBron.

Note: All stats are through games played on March 4; all players are presented in alphabetical order, separated only into starters and reserves.

Starters

Giannis Antetokounmpo | F | Milwaukee Bucks

• Ranks second in the league in field goals made inside the restricted area (273), shooting 78.7% in restricted area — is fourth-highest among the 110 players with at least 100 shot attempts in that zone.

• One of two players (along with All-Star teammate Nikola Jokic) to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists this season. Giannis was the only player to average those marks each of the past two seasons … and won Kia MVP honors both times.

• One of two players (along with Anthony Davis, who will miss All-Star due to injury) to average at least 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game

• Leads the NBA in fast break points (5.3 per game) and ranks second in the league in points in the paint (17.4 ppg).

• Owns the highest scoring average in NBA All-Star history, among players with a minimum of 60 points scored; Giannis has averaged 27.3 ppg over four All-Star appearances (109 total points).


Stephen Curry | G | Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry has been reminding the league why he's a two-time Kia MVP.

• Posted an NBA season-high and personal career-high 62 points on January 3 vs. Portland. Curry is the only player with multiple 50-point games and multiple games with 10-plus 3PM this season.

• Leads the NBA in 3-pointers made (169); Curry last led the league in the 2016-17 season (324), which was his fifth straight year leading the NBA: 2015-16 (NBA-record 402 3PM), 2014-15 (286), 2013-14 (261) and 2012-13 (272).

• Of the 77 players with at least 100 pull-up field goal attempts, Curry’s 57.6% effective field goal percentage ranks third behind CJ McCollum and James Harden.

• Leads the NBA in first-quarter scoring (9.3 ppg).

• Plays at the fourth-fastest pace (105.40) of any player in the top 200 in minutes played; it is the top mark of any All-Star and any player not on the Wizards.

Luka Doncic | G-F | Dallas Mavericks

• The only player to rank in the top seven in both points per game (7th, 28.6 ppg) and assists per game (4th, 9.0 apg). Team LeBron teammates Nikola Jokic and Damian Lillard both rank in the top 10 in both categories.

• Ranks second in the NBA in drives (23.1 per game); ranks first in both scoring off drives (13.8 ppg) and assists off drives (2.8 apg)

• Ranks fourth in points created by assists (23.8 ppg); four of his All-Star teammates on Team LeBron also rank in the top 10: Chris Paul (5th, 22.2), Lillard (6th, 21.8), Jokic (7th, 21.3), Simmons (9th, 20.4).

• Leads the league in both time of possession (9.5 minutes per game) and usage rate (34.9%).

• Leads the NBA in field goal attempts coming after seven or more dribbles (10.4 per game); Doncic is shooting 56.5% on those shots, including 40% from 3-point range

LeBron James | F | Los Angeles Lakers (Captain)

LeBron James has impressed year in, year out at NBA All-Star weekend.

• In his 18th season, LeBron is averaging at least 25 points per game for the 17th consecutive season — the most of any player in NBA history; next closest are Michael Jordan and Karl Malone at 11 apiece.

One of four players this season averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists – along with fellow All-Stars James Harden, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. This would be the 11th time LeBron has averaged at least 25-7-7 in his career; Oscar Robertson (6) and Russell Westbrook (4) are the only other players with more than two such seasons.

• Ranks fifth the NBA in clutch scoring (74 points on 30-61 FGs, 11-28 3Ps, 3-6 FTs) with 15 assists. The Lakers are plus-52 in 78 clutch minutes with LeBron on court. LeBron is for third in clutch field goals made, second in clutch 3-pointers made and fourth in clutch assists.

• The only player in NBA history to rank in the top 10 in both career points (3rd at 35,171) and career assists (8th at 9,626).

• Leads the league in defensive win shares (0.177) and ranks fourth in defensive efficiency (102.9).

Nikola Jokic | C | Denver Nuggets

• Leads the NBA in double-doubles (32) and ranks second in triple-doubles (9). Recently became the ninth player in NBA history to reach 50 career triple-doubles – and only the second center to do so joining Wilt Chamberlain. Jokic reached 50 triple-doubles in 416 games compared to Wilt’s 703 (note: blocks were not an official stat during Wilt’s time)

• Per the Elias Sports Bureau, only Oscar Robertson (111 games) and Magic Johnson (279) reached 50 triple-doubles faster than Nikola Jokic did (416).

• Currently averaging 27.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 8.6 apg – the only player to ever average 27-11-8 over a full NBA season is Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.

• Ranks second in the league in passes made (77.0), 14th in potential assists (13.7 per game) and seventh in assists (8.6 per game). Jokic’s teammates shoot 51.7% from them field and 41.5% from 3-point range on passes from Jokic. By comparison, the Nuggets shoots 47.1% from the field and 37.9% on 3-pointers on passes from players other than Jokic.

• Tied for second with four 40-point games this season and is one of six players to record a 50-point game this season (and part of the only teammate duo to do so with Jamal Murray).

Reserves

LeBron James and Kevin Durant make their draft picks for the All-Star reserves.

Jaylen Brown | G-F | Boston Celtics

• Brown has increased his scoring from 20.3 ppg in 2019-20 to 24.7 ppg this season. In addition to his scoring, he has also set career-best marks in FG% (49.5%), 3P% (38.8), FT% (77.2%), assists (3.9 apg) and blocks (0.5 bpg).

• Of the 180 players with at least 1,000 touches, Brown ranks fifth with 0.444 points per touch.

• Ranks fifth in fast break points (4.1 per game) and second in transition points (6.5) as he averages 1.22 points per transition possession, per Synergy.

• Has 18 games with 25 points or more in 33 games this season. In his first four seasons combined (279 total games), he had 20 such games.

• Ranks 14th in 2-point field goals made (6.9 per game) among all players and fifth among guards.

Paul George | F | LA Clippers

• Ranks seventh in the NBA (and tops among all All-Stars) in 3-point percentage as he is shooting a career-best 45.0% from beyond the arc this season (topping his previous high of 41.2%, from last season).

• Shooting 31-for-48 (64.6%) on corner 3s — highest percentage among147 players with at least 25 attempts.

• Leads the league in points off turnovers (4.8 per game).

• The Clippers have been 13.1 points per 100 possession better with George on court (12.2 net rating in 904 minutes, 3rd-highest net rating in league) than when he’s off (minus-0.9 net rating in 920 minutes).

• Among the 44 players with at least 50 isolation plays this season, George ranks seventh in efficiency, scoring 1.15 points per possession. He has scored 83 isolation points, with an effective field goal percentage of 61.8%, which ranks fourth among this group of iso players.

Rudy Gobert | C | Utah Jazz

Rudy Gobert's defensive presence has him shining again among the league's brightest stars.

• Ranks eighth in rim protection, allowing opponents to shoot 52.1% at the rim against him; and second in the league in blocked shots (career-high 2.7 per game) and contested shots (15.0 per game)

• Leads the NBA in raw plus/minus (+319), a mark that is 42 points higher than any other player and 63 points better than any non-Jazz teammate.

• Ranks third in the league in defensive win shares (0.150) behind teammate Mike Conley (0.160) and LeBron James (0.177).

• Ranks second in the league in rebounding (13.1 rpg), second in defensive boards (9.8) and seventh in offensive rebounds (3.3).

• Has two 20-20 games this season, second most to Andre Drummond’s three; All-Star teammates Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis each have one apiece.

Damian Lillard | G | Portland Trail Blazers

• Ranks second in the league in clutch scoring (104 total points) and is shooting 63.3% from the field, 58.3% from there and 100% (28-28) from the free throw line. His 84.8% clutch true shooting percentage is 8.7 percentage points higher than any other player with at least 20 clutch shots.

• Leads the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring (8.0 ppg).

• Has made a league-high 22 3-pointers from beyond 30 feet this season; He is shooting 22-63 (34.9%) on those deep 3-pointers.

Damian Lillard Best Plays this Season

Damian Lillard has made sure the league knows what time it is.

• Has attempted a league-high 381 pull-up jumpers this season including a league-high 284 from 3-point range (61 more than second-ranked Stephen Curry). Lillard’s 50.6 effective field goal percentage on pull-ups ranks 10th out of the 28 players with at least 200 attempts.

• Ranks second in the league in scoring on isolation plays (5.4 ppg), and tied for third in scoring on pick-and-roll ball handler plays (14.1 ppg) — both per Synergy.

Chris Paul | G | Phoenix Suns

• Paul is averaging 8.8 assists per game, which is on pace to be his highest average since 9.2 apg in 2016-17. He would be only the fourth player in league history to average at least 8.8 assists at age 35 or older — joining LeBron James last season, Steve Nash (3x) and Jason Kidd in 2009-10.

• Dished out 19 assists in a win over New Orleans on February 19; he is tied with Kyle Lowry (March 4 at Boston) and Draymond Green (Feb. 26 vs. Charlotte) for the most assists in a game this season.

• Ranks second in percentage of points on mid-range shots (32.4%). Paul is shooting 88-169 (52.1%) on mid-range shots this season.

• Ranks eighth in the NBA in assist/turnover ratio (3.70); he has 300 assists and just 81 turnovers so far this season.

• After leading the NBA in clutch points last season in OKC (150), Chris Paul ranks eighth at the All-Star break in his first season in Phoenix. He has 68 clutch points and is shooting 47.9% from the field, 35.7% on 3-pointers and 85% from the free throw line in clutch situations.

Domantas Sabonis | F-C | Indiana Pacers

• Tied for second in the league in double-doubles (25) and one of four players to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists this season; each is an All-Star (Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Julius Randle and Nikola Jokic).

• Leads the NBA in screen assists (7.0 per game), leading to a league-high 16.3 ppg on those plays for the Pacers.

• Leads the NBA in passes made (78.0 per game); Team LeBron teammates Nikola Jokic (77.1) and Ben Simmons (68.6) rank second and third, respectively.

• Averages the fourth-most distance covered per game (2.74 miles) and the most of any player on defense (1.29 miles per game).

• Ranks seventh in the league in scoring as the roll man in pick and roll plays (4.4 ppg) and 10th in scoring on post up plays (3.9 ppg) – both per Synergy.

Ben Simmons | G-F | Philadelphia 76ers

Check the best of Ben Simmons' unconventional game this season.

(Editor’s note: Ben Simmons will not play in the All-Star Game after he was in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.)

• Ranks second in the league in deflections (3.9 per game), third in loose balls recovered (1.4 per game) and eighth in the league in steals (1.6 per game).

• Ranks 11th in the league in field goal percentage (57.8%) — the top mark for any player listed at guard.

• As one of the league’s most versatile defenders, he spends 51.4% of his defensive matchup time defending guards (holding them to 42.5% shooting) and 42.6% of his time defending forwards (holding them to 38% shooting).

• Ranks third in passes made (68.6 per game), 11th in assists (7.6 per game) and ninth in points created by assists (20.4). Simmons distributes his assists fairly evenly among his teammates — Tobias Harris (1.8 per game), Joel Embiid (1.6), Danny Green (1.2) and Seth Curry (1.0) all receive at least one assist from Simmons each game.

Ranks fifth in the NBA in fast break points (4.0 per game) and 12th in points in the paint (12.1 per game). He is one of four players to rank in the top 12 in both categories along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Collin Sexton.

Latest