[66], The regular season began on October 19, 2021, and ended on April 10, 2022. "I'm not taking anything from the bigs," Smart told Bontemps. There are nine rotation players with above-average marks in defensive estimated plus-minus, including Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks (pit bulls against wings), De'Anthony Melton (a point-of-attack defender who can switch onto bigger players) and JJJ. [138], The Portland Trail Blazers signed a broadcasting deal with Root Sports Northwest, replacing NBC Sports Northwest as the team's game broadcasters. The metrics seem to be catching Gobert's game-changing impact better than traditional numbers can, but you don't have to trust them alone. And the biggest responsibility for many centers, the rim, is still where the game's most valuable shots go up. On March 11, 2022, LeBron James became the oldest player to have multiple 50-point games in a season, and is the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in April 2007 to have back-to-back 50-point home games. 1 all time in coaching wins", "GreGregg Popovich surpasses Don Nelson for most wins in NBA coaching history", "LeBron puts on show, drops 50 in Lakers win", "LeBron's 50-point night in Lakers' win takes Bernard King out of record book", "LeBron James becomes the only member of the 30K-10K-10K club", "LeBron James becomes first player in NBA history to notch 10,000 career points, rebounds and assists", "Karl-Anthony Towns, Trae Young, Steph Curry make NBA history with scoring outbursts", "Karl-Anthony Towns Drops Franchise-Record 60 Points in Timberwolves' Win over Spurs", "Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns goes for career-high 60 in win over Spurs", "Kyrie Irving scores career- and franchise-high 60 points as Brooklyn Nets rout Orlando Magic", "LeBron passes Malone, now No. On March 31, 2022, Giannis Antetokounmpo passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time scoring leader in Bucks franchise history. He's decent at staying in front of those smaller players, but his real strength there is recovery. The December 30 game between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets was postponed due to a COVID outbreak within the Nuggets organization. He became the fourth NBA player to record a 50-point game at the age of 37 (Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and. That ability to cover the entire floor is what's made him so important to the Celtics' league-leadingdefense. But, as guards, we do a lot more before [our man] gets to the paint. The other thing about Giannis is that this isn't some flash-in-the-pan candidacy. But he does a little bit of all of the above. Even when he's beat, he has the length and quickness to bother or block shots from behind. He made this feat in a span of 216 games, after making six three-pointers in a double-. Gobert is defending 7.0 shots at the rim per game (sixth among players who've appeared in at least 30 games) and allowing players to shoot just 50.0 percent on those shots. On January 20, 2022, LeBron James became the fifth player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 career points and 10,000 career rebounds. The versatility Smart brings as a defender has undoubtedly been a key part of Boston's top-ranked defense, but it wasn't quite enough to put him over the top here. They typically end more possessions with highlight blocks and defensive rebounds than guards do. On February 5, 2022, Luka Doni moved into the top 10 for all-time triple-doubles with 44, surpassing. Indicators: 5.6 defensive rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 1.2 steals per 75 possessions,2.4defensive estimated plus-minus. The December 19 game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Philadelphia 76ers was postponed due to the Sixers not having the required minimum eight players available. Both the Celtics and Knicks wore modern-day versions of the uniforms they wore from 1946, while the Warriors wore uniforms based on the designs they wore as the Philadelphia Warriors from 1946 to 1962. [137] Beginning with this season, TNT moved its marquee Thursday doubleheaders to Tuesday nights starting with the season opener. Each first-place vote was worth five points. Even in a crowded field with plenty of reasonable candidates, he's done enough to warrant a win. On February 15, 2022, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to win three straight road games by a margin of at least 30 points in each game. On January 15, 2022, James Harden set an NBA record for most three-point field goals missed with 4,457, overtaking the previous record set by Ray Allen. When he's on the floor to cover that backline, Utah allows 107.5 points per 100 possessions (the Phoenix Suns' No. Bleacher Report asked 11 NBA experts to vote for their top five Defensive Player of the Year candidates from this season. The Suns and Jazz wore last season's City uniforms, while the Pelicans wore a more standard City uniform as a tribute to the city of New Orleans. On March 4, 2022, the Pelicans, at that time at least ten games under .500, became the first team in NBA history to outscore their opponents by 100 points across their first four games after the All-Star Break. He's spent more time on those smaller players, but Smart has also had plenty of possessions on bigger forwards like OG Anunoby, Franz Wagner and Miles Bridges. On January 3, 2022, an indoor vaccine mandate went into effect in Philadelphia, adding the Philadelphia 76ers to the aforementioned list. With Steven Adams often playing the role of paint-clogger (as Al Horford does for Boston), Jackson is free to play something of a free safety-rim protector hybrid role. Just not enough to crack the top five below. The 202122 NBA season was the 76th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). On February 12, 2022, LeBron James passed. On February 9, 2022, the WarriorsJazz matchup televised on ESPN was the first in the network's history to have an all women production team. [65] On October 5, a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies was suspended before the fourth quarter due to a false fire alarm. Indicators:3.8 defensive rebounds, 1.9 steals, 0.3 blocks per 75 possessions,2.7defensive estimated plus-minus. Italic Team with home-court advantage, The playoffs began on April 16, 2022. I'm just happy we got a win', "Bojan Bogdanovic powers Jazz past Thunder with 11 3-pointers", "Croatia's Bojan Bogdanovi creates NBA history", "Kevin Durant Becomes 23rd Player to Reach 25K points in Nets' Loss to Celtics", "Gregg Popovich passes Don Nelson for No. The 7th place team hosted the 8th place team in the double-chance round needing to win one game to advance, with the winner clinching the 7th seed in the playoffs. Bold Series winner [12], Free agency began on August 2, 2021; for the second consecutive year, the period for free agency was pushed back from its normal starting date in July due to COVID-19 pandemic. The loser in the double-chance round hosted the elimination round game winner, with the winner clinching the 8th seed and the loser being eliminated. DeMar DeRozan Passed Michael Jordan On This List In The Chicago Bulls Win Over The New York Knicks On Sunday", "NBA roundup: Warriors edge Lakers in thrilling finish", "Nuggets fall to Celtics, spoiling Nikola Jokic's 15th triple-double", "C's Crush Sixers by 48 Points, Setting Several Records in The Process", "Josh Giddey youngest with two straight triple-doubles as Thunder drop Knicks at Madison Square Garden", "10 Observations: Bulls Win 4th Straight Behind DeRozan Masterpiece", "Bulls' DeMar DeRozan Ties Wilt Chamberlain's NBA Scoring Record", "Bulls' DeMar DeRozan makes NBA history with 35-point scoring streak not even Wilt Chamberlain could match", "Lou Williams Has The Most Games Played Off The Bench With 985", "Heat forward Duncan Robinson shatters 3-point record not even Stephen Curry did", "Heat Star Duncan Robinson Hits Milestone in Record Time", "Stephen Curry sets NBA All-Star Game record for 3-pointers made", "Stephen Curry puts on show, shatters records with All-Star 3-point barrage", "Curry wins MVP with 16 threes in a 50-point all-star performance", "Bulls' DeMar DeRozan extends historic scoring streak in win vs. Hawks", "DeRozan adds game-winner to historic scoring streak", "DeMar DeRozan's Late-Game Jumper Secures Bulls' Victory Against Hawks", "By The Numbers: Inside DeMar DeRozan's historic scoring streak for the Bulls", "Bulls' DeMar DeRozan: Streak of 30's comes to end", "Joel Embiid, James Harden And Tyrese Maxey Have Posted Incredible Numbers In Their First 3 Games: 'The New Philadelphia 76ers Big 3 Is Scary', "76ers' Tyrese Maxey is averaging video-game numbers alongside James Harden", "Pelicans seek first 5-game winning streak since 201718 season", "DeMarcus Cousins has first 30-point game since 2018", "DeMarcus Cousins Play Best Game Since 2018 in First Nuggets Start", "LeBron Drops 56 as Lakers Score Upset of Warriors", "Michael Jordan And LeBron James Are The Only Players To Score 50 Points In Three Different Decades", "LeBron James' monster game halts Lakers' skid: 'I don't give a damn about the 56. On March 5, 2022, LeBron James recorded a season-high 56-point game, which was also his Lakers career high. On December 28, 2021, LeBron James became the third player in NBA history to surpass 36,000 career points, On December 31, 2021, LeBron James became the second player in NBA history to record 40 points and zero turnovers in a game at age 35 or older (, On January 1, 2022, Stephen Curry broke his own NBA record of consecutive games making at least one three-pointer, officially reaching 158 games, On January 2, 2022, Josh Giddey became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double at 19 years and 84 days, surpassing the record set by. On February 12, 2022, DeMar DeRozan tied Michael Jordan's franchise record with the Bulls of five straight games with at least 35 points. Special thanks to the following for their votes:A. Sherrod Blakely,Andy Bailey,Dan Favale,Eric Pincus,Grant Hughes,Greg Swartz,Jake Fischer,Jonathan Wasserman,Mo Dakhil,Sean HighkinandZach Buckley. [4][5] It also announced its 75th anniversary team, honoring the greatest players in NBA history, as chosen by a panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives. [1], Only the top six seeds in each conference advanced to the main rounds of the 2022 NBA playoffs, while the next four seeds participated in a Page playoff system tournament from April 1215, 2022. The Boston Celtics and their dominant post-All-Star defense offer a forum for a bit of a philosophical debate: Which position offers the most value to an NBA defense? He's also second to Horford in Basketball Index's defensive LEBRON, first (by a long shot) in FiveThirtyEight's defensive RAPTOR and first in defensive real plus-minus. This is one part of a B/R staff series ranking the top five most deserving candidates for major NBA awards this season. What kind of an argument can a guard like Smart have within a field and award dominated by bigs? On January 20, 2022, Chris Paul had his 13th career game of recording at least 20 points, ten assists, and 0 turnovers. On March 14, 2022, there were three different 45+ point games (Karl-Anthony Towns with 60, Stephen Curry with 47, and Trae Young with 46) in one day for the first time in NBA history. The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month. ", "Dwight Howard climbs to 10th on all-time rebounding list", "Jimmy Butler Sets Miami Heat Career Triple-Doubles Record Against Lakers", "Kelly Oubre & LaMelo highlight crazy Wednesday", "By The Numbers: Hornets pour franchise-record 158 points on Pacers, sweep season series", "Westbrook scores 30 in second half but Hornets hold off Lakers push for win", "Raptors survive Jimmy Butler's triple-double to beat Heat in triple overtime", "Raptors outlast Heat in wild triple-overtime thriller; all five Toronto starters play over 50 minutes in win", "Thunder's Josh Giddey joins LeBron James, Luka Doncic in exclusive club in win over Trail Blazers", "Trent Jr.'s historic streak of 30-point NBA games traces to Dad, KG", "Gregg Popovich becomes first coach in NBA history with 1,500 wins", "Luka Doncic posted his 44th career triple-double to lead to Mavs to win over the Sixers", "Warriors vs. Jazz Broadcast to Have All-Woman Crew for 1st Time in ESPN's History", "LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most combined points in regular season and playoffs", "Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan gets 5th straight game with at least 35 points, joins Michael Jordan on team list", "What? On April 10, 2022, Joel Embiid won a historically close three-players fight with Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.9) and LeBron James (30.3), This page was last edited on 21 July 2022, at 10:12.

He is, as always, dominating the all-in-one stats from around the internet. On July 7, 2021, the NBA announced that it would commemorate its 75th anniversary throughout the 202122 season. [63] As of December 2021, 97% of NBA players are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On February 15, 2022, Josh Giddey became the youngest player in NBA history to both record a triple-double in consecutive games and record a 20-point triple-double. But what about everything that happens before a possession gets to that point? 2 on scoring list", "Giannis Antetokounmpo passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Bucks' all-time scoring leader", "Nikola Jokic becomes 1st player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in season", "Michael Malone Pushes MVP Case For Nuggets Star Nikola Joki Following NBA Record", "202122 Hollinger NBA Player Statistics All Players", "Joel Embiid becomes NBA scoring title favourite over LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as LeBron's season ends", "NBA scoring title tracker: LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo entrenched in historic race", "Scoring Title Tracker: Historically close 3-player chase narrows", "Joel Embiid wins NBA scoring title for first time, becomes first center since Shaq to claim crown", "76ers celebrate Joel Embiid's scoring title, push Kia MVP contention", "Scoring Title Tracker: Joel Embiid becomes 1st center since Shaquille O'Neal to win honors", "Cameroonian Joel Embiid wins NBA scoring title", "Joel Embiid officially becomes first center since Shaq to win scoring title", "76ers' Joel Embiid secures NBA scoring title, becomes first center to accomplish feat since Shaquille O'Neal", "76ers' Joel Embiid wins NBA scoring title", "LeBron James ends bid for historic scoring title; Lakers rule him out for rest of season to rehab ankle injury", "Lakers' LeBron James to miss final two games with ankle injury, loses out on scoring title", "Joel Embiid wins NBA scoring title ahead of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo", "Here are the NBA title favorites for 202122", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=202122_NBA_season&oldid=1099547656, Articles with dead external links from February 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), On September 28, 2021, it was announced that. As of the announcement, the mandates were affecting the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks. It's Now FTX Arena", "Thunder, Paycom Announce 15-Year Arena Naming Rights Agreement", "Phoenix Suns Arena now called Footprint Center", "Raptors approved to play games in Toronto", "NBA TV Deal ESPN ABC TNT Announce Nine Year Deal", "NBA on TNT schedule includes Bulls-Grizzlies and Bucks-Hawks MLK Jr. Day doubleheader, Tuesday fall games, 65 total games", "Trail Blazers Announce New Television Broadcast Partnership with ROOT SPORTS", "NBA drops Spalding as maker of official basketball after more than 30 years", "Wilson to become official game ball of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League", "Duncan Robinson Re-Signs With Heat on 5-Year, $90M Contract; Largest Ever for UDFA", "Mavericks sign Luka Doncic to $207 million contract extension", "Buddy Hield passes Peja Stojakovic for most made 3s in Kings franchise history", "Nets guard James Harden claims 4th on career 3s list", "Chris Paul first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and 10,000 assists", "NBA: Tyler Herro Is The First Player In Miami Heat History To Do This", "Lakers' Carmelo Anthony passes Moses Malone for 9th on all-time scoring list: 'Still here doing it' in Year 19", "Ja Morant's 40 points, 10 assists not enough in Grizzlies' loss to LeBron James, Lakers", "Joe Harris passes Jason Kidd as Nets' all-time leader in 3-pointers made", "Chris Paul passes Steve Nash for 3rd place on NBA's all-time assist list", "Doc Rivers becomes 10th coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 wins", "Nets' Kevin Durant Passes Allen Iverson for 25th on NBA's All-Time Scoring List", "Grizzlies set NBA record with 73-point victory over Thunder", "Gameday Rundown: The Milwaukee Back-To-Back", "LeBron James records 100th career triple-double in loss vs. Grizzlies", "Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry passes Ray Allen as NBA's all-time 3-point king", "Stephen Curry Becomes NBA's All-Time 3-Point Leader", "Steph Curry Proves Again Why He's The GOAT Shooter", "The Road To 3,000 3-Pointers and Beyond", "Mr. 3000: Steph becomes first to milestone 3-point mark", "Monroe record 541st NBA player used in a season", "Greg Monroe debuts for Minnesota Timberwolves, setting NBA record for number of players in a season", "Thunder's Josh Giddey posts scoreless double-double, becoming second NBA player in history to do so", "LeBron James Becomes Third Player in NBA History To Reach 36,000 Career Points", "LeBron James Becomes Youngest NBA Player Ever To Reach 36,000 Points", "LeBron James joins Michael Jordan in the legendary old man list after his banging performance against Blazers", "Warriors' Stephen Curry breaks own NBA record by hitting 3-pointer in 158th consecutive game", "Steph Curry's Streak of 157 Consecutive Games with 3-Pointer Snapped vs. Lakers", "DeRozan beats the buzzer again, giving Bulls 7 straight wins", "Thunder rookie Josh Giddey becomes youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double", "LeBron James Is Both The Youngest And The Oldest Player In NBA History To Average 25+ Points Per Game", "LeBron James Surpasses Oscar Robertson To Become 4th On The All-Time Free-Throw List", "Lakers' Russell Westbrook has first game without a turnover since 2016 in win over Kings", "Lakers: This LeBron James Stat Proves He is Beating Father Time", "LeBron James enters the NBA's top-10 all-time in steals", "Trae Young breaks Dominique Wilkins' Hawks record vs. Lakers", "Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson scores 17 points, punctuates return with 'vicious' dunk", "Lakers' LeBron James passes Oscar Robertson for seventh on NBA all-time assists list", "Joel Embiid Ties Career High With 50 Points In Just 27 Minutes Against Magic", "LeBron James reaches 10,000 career rebounds vs. Pacers", "Another milestone in LeBron James' career as he reaches 10,000 rebounds", "NBA: Chris Paul all-time leader in games 20 points, 10 assists, no losses", "Dwight Howard Lakers: What huge milestone did he achieve last night against Pacers? [64], The preseason began on October 3, 2021, and ended on October 15.

Memphis gives up 4.5 fewer points per 100 possessions when JJJ is on the floor, has a defense that ranks in the 83rd percentile when he's at power forward and one that ranks in the 92nd percentile when he's at center. In addition, their win over the Philadelphia 76ers marked the first time in the three-point era (197980) that a team made more three-pointers in a game than their opponent had total field goals. It's something ESPN's Tim Bontemps explored in a recent article. He's also shown an ability to play various pick-and-roll coverages this season, including switching onto the ball-handler. Indicators: 12.8 defensive rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 0.8 steals per 75 possessions,2.9defensive estimated plus-minus. And if you tune into any Jazz game, you'll see multiple slashers enter that funnel, notice Gobert and promptly do an about-face.

Back to our philosophical debate from the Williams slide. They're the last resort on defense. [10], The NBA also unveiled a new set of awards to honor division and conference championship winners, and the MVPs of the conference finals. [6] All NBA uniforms feature the Nike (Association, Icon, and City uniform) and Jordan Brand (Statement and Charlotte Hornets uniform) logos in a diamond embellishment, while the normal NBA logo on the back was modified to also feature diamond embellishments and the NBA mark replaced by the number 75. He has the vertical explosiveness and quick-jump ability to help in that capacity, but he's also more than comfortable helping on the outside (or even starting possessions on smaller players). On February 20, 2022, Stephen Curry set the record for most three-pointers made in an All-Star quarter (6), half (8), and game (16). For years, Giannis has been one of the best, most versatile defenders in the league and one of the few who can legitimately guard every position. Two Brooklyn Nets home games (against the Denver Nuggets on December 19 and against the Washington Wizards on December 21) were postponed after ten Nets players were placed in the NBA's COVID-19 protocols. On June 24, 2021, the Indiana Pacers rehired Rick Carlisle back as their new head coach for his second stint with the team. [8][9] The Classic edition uniform for this season would be donned by the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks, the NBA's three surviving franchises from its first season. On March 19, 2022, LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second place as the NBA all-time scoring leader. The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month. [139], COVID-19 vaccination mandates in the United States, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, "NBA announces schedule for 75th Anniversary Season", "NBA All-Star voting results 2022: Full list of starters, reserves for Eastern, Western Conference rosters", "NBA All-Star Game 2022: Score and highlights", "NBA unveils 75th anniversary season logo", "Look: NBA reveals new diamond themed logo to commemorate 75th anniversary for 202122 season", "NBA to name 75 greatest players during 75th anniversary season celebration", "NBA unveils diamond embellishments for NBA 75 jerseys", "Nike NBA City Edition uniforms unveiled in honor of the 75th anniversary season", "Every 20212022 NBA City Edition Uniform Explained", "Knicks, Celtics and Warriors unveil Nike Classic Edition uniforms", "NBA unveils new trophies for division winners named after 6 NBA legends", "NBA introduces new lineup of postseason hardware", "Former Wizard Ian Mahinmi announces retirement", "Omri Casspi, first Israeli NBA player, retires", "Amile Jefferson's Duke 'story' has a new chapter", "J.R. Smith to Enroll at North Carolina A&T and Compete for Golf Team", "Ray Allen, JR Smith and other former players we'd like to see make a return to the NBA", "Former Sixers Draft Pick Kyle Korver Joins Brooklyn Nets Staff", "J.J. Barea: 'I like coaching. A second-place vote was worth four points; that pattern continued down to fifth place, which was worth one point. Of the players listed in the top five in this slideshow, Gobert leads the way in the defensive catch-all metric listed above (defensive estimated plus-minus). [43] In the east, the Brooklyn Nets extended Kevin Durant to a four-year $198 million deal. On December 2, 2021, the Grizzlies defeated the Thunder by 73 points, 15279, which is the largest margin of victory in NBA history.

Indicators:7.2 defensive rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.2 steals per 75 possessions, 2.3 defensive estimated plus-minus. With the 2021-22 regular season wrapping up this week, it's time to fire up the take machines on individual awards. On March 11, 2022, Gregg Popovich won his 1,336th regular season game as head coach, surpassing. On January 7, 2022, LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history to record at least 25 points in ten straight games, doing so at 37 years old. The ability to cover multiple positions outside opens up switch-heavy schemes. He can stay in front of guards and wings on switches and actuallyleadsBoston in threes contested per game. And with his wide-ranging contributions on that end of the floor, it's not hard to see why. [7], The City edition for this season featured uniforms incorporating various design cues from different decades, with 27 of the 30 teams wearing these uniforms. Contesting the three, contesting pull-ups, making sure he doesn't get to his spots.".

3.8 defensive rebounds, 1.9 steals, 0.3 blocks per 75 possessions, 10.5 defensive rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per 75 possessions. On February 1, 2022, Josh Giddey became the fourth teenager in NBA history to have record 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 200 assists in his first 45 career games (LeBron James, Luka Doni, and LaMelo Ball). [75], Bold Game winner On February 12, 2022, Nikola Joki became the fifth player in NBA history to have multiple seasons recording 15 or more triple-doubles. The league-average field-goal percentage within three feet of the basket is 68.6. The December 23 game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Portland Trail Blazers was postponed due to the Nets not having the required minimum eight players available.