Records are made to be broken but will the NBA see any of these records broken in the 2018-19 season?
1. Single season record for three-pointers made by a rookie (187)
A record set by Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell in 2017-18, there’s exactly one player who seems to be in prime position to break the record previous held by Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard (185 made threes) prior to Mitchell’s impressive rookie campaign: Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
Young has been billed as the next Stephen Curry thanks to his combination of three-point prowess and playmaking ability. With Young making 118 three-pointers in 32 games as a freshman at the University of Oklahoma, Mitchell’s record seems destined to fall in the 2018-19 season.
2. Most individual players with 50-point games (10)
High-octane scorers seem to have grown in number over the years in the NBA and that trend should continue this season. The league is filled with a number of elite scorers, from James Harden and Kevin Durant to Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker, there will be plenty of players capable of notching 50-points in a game.
My guesses for the players to break the 50-point barrier: Harden, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell.
3. Most combined three-point attempts in a game (94)
In March, the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls combined to take the most combined three-pointers of all-time when the Rockets launched 57 shots from deep and the Bulls hoisted up 37 three-point attempts of their own. With the way the league has full bought into the trend of perimeter-oriented attacks, the NBA will see teams take more three-point attempts than ever before.
A game between the Rockets and Golden State Warriors seems the best opportunity for fans to see this record broken.
4. Most three-pointers made off the bench (227)
Miami Heat shooting guard Wayne Ellington made the most three-pointers among all non-starters last season. However, players like Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Lou Williams (186 threes) and Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Kyle Korver (164 threes) were within striking distance of Ellington, who had never made more than 150 threes in any season prior to last year.
5. Most individual players with a triple-double (31)
Triple-doubles aren’t any easier to come by for players but the emphasis on adding versatile players led to the the NBA seeing it’s most individual players notching a triple-double in league history. That record could be broken this season with rookies like Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton, Los Angeles Clippers point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Houston Rockets point guard DeAnthony Melton all joining the league’s impressive collection of all-around talents.
6. Most consecutive seasons averaging a triple-double (2)
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook would have to average a triple-double next season to break his own record but adding a playmaker like point guard Dennis Schroder could affect the amount of assists that Westbrook amasses. Nonetheless, Westbrook’s furious style and seeming focus on hitting statistical checkpoints could nullify concerns about whether or not he’ll actually be able to average a triple-double for a third consecutive season.
7. LeBron James reaches top-10 all-time in career assists
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James only needs 316 assists to pass Andre Miller for the 10th most threes of all-time. Considering that his career-low in single season assists is 387, it’s a safe bet to say that James will pass Miller by the end of the season. What makes James reaching the top-1o in all-time assists crazy is that he’s so often tasked with being the most dominant scorer on the floor but his ability to make the game easier for others with his court vision and passing ability would make him legendary by in and of itself.
8. Stephen Curry climbs to top-3 in all-time three-point conversions
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry currently has 2,129 career three-pointers; the seventh most of all-time. If he makes 84 more three-pointers than Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Kyle Korver and 153 more three-pointers than free agent guard Jason Terry, then a spot in the top-three could be his.
It won’t be easy though. Curry has made at least 200 threes in every season since 2012-13 while Korver has made 150 threes in every season in that same time.
9. Carmelo Anthony lands in the top-15 on all-time scoring list
As heavily criticized for his scoring ability as he is nowadays, Houston Rockets forward Carmelo Anthony is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He currently sits at the 19th spot in the all-time rankings, with 25,417 career points. However, with 981 points this season, he could bump Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce out of the top-15 scorers of all-time. Although he’ll be playing a reduced role with the Rockets, he only needs to average 12.0 points per game over an 82-game season to pass Pierce.
It’s entirely plausible.
10. Chris Paul enters top-10 all-time in career steals
Houston Rockets star Chris Paul isn’t just one of the best floor generals in league history but one of the NBA’s best defenders. That’s why, with 79 steals, Paul will be able to move past Hall of Fame power forward Karl Malone for the 10th-most steals all-time. He currently has 2,008 career steals, which is the most among active players and the 12th-most of all-time.
Paul has never recorded fewer than 96 steals in any season.
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