Is the era of the 50-60+ point scorers over in the NBA?

[senorroboto2k5]

Seeing Gilbert Arenas move on from the Wizards had me thinking - there aren't any me-first scorers in the NBA anymore. Is there anyone left that would "consistently" drop 50 and 60 point games in the NBA?
I'm not saying one 55+ game isn't possible. Kobe, Lebron, and a bunch of others still have that capability, and I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened. Guys like Amare, Jennings, Rudy Gay are always looking to score and one can come from them.

But the NBA seems to have moved on from the era where superstars seem to be gunning for those huge point totals every night. Kobe's not doing it anymore, there's no Iverson or T-Mac in their primes, and Lebron is in a situation where he isn't looking to do it.

The newest breed of young stars aren't so self-centered either. Durant is a big scorer but he has MUCH more of a team mentality than Kobe or T-Mac had a few years ago. Howard, Rose, and D-Will all don't have that mentality.

The players either don't have the mentality to post huge numbers every night (Kobe, Lebron) or don't have the ability (Amare, Jennings).

I think the era of seeing a player like Iverson or Kobe come up with 60+ points every other week is over. Lebron might drop 55 next week but it would be much more of an exception than it would've been two or three years ago.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Seeing Gilbert Arenas move on from the Wizards had me thinking - there aren't any me-first scorers in the NBA anymore. Is there anyone left that would "consistently" drop 50 and 60 point games in the NBA?
I'm not saying one 55+ game isn't possible. Kobe, Lebron, and a bunch of others still have that capability, and I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened. Guys like Amare, Jennings, Rudy Gay are always looking to score and one can come from them.

But the NBA seems to have moved on from the era where superstars seem to be gunning for those huge point totals every night. Kobe's not doing it anymore, there's no Iverson or T-Mac in their primes, and Lebron is in a situation where he isn't looking to do it.

The newest breed of young stars aren't so self-centered either. Durant is a big scorer but he has MUCH more of a team mentality than Kobe or T-Mac had a few years ago. Howard, Rose, and D-Will all don't have that mentality.

The players either don't have the mentality to post huge numbers every night (Kobe, Lebron) or don't have the ability (Amare, Jennings).

I think the era of seeing a player like Iverson or Kobe come up with 60+ points every other week is over. Lebron might drop 55 next week but it would be much more of an exception than it would've been two or three years ago.

 

[bijald0331]

There was an era?

 

[bijald0331]

There was an era?

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Now that all of the great players in the league have moved away from that mentality, I would say something like an era since it's come to an end. At least somewhat

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Now that all of the great players in the league have moved away from that mentality, I would say something like an era since it's come to an end. At least somewhat

 

[extraordinary swag]

Monta Ellis might the only guy right now I could see going for it in today's NBA

I remember Kobe's 40+ point streak like it was yesterday though, he was gunning for it every night. That's more impressive than one 60 point game IMO

 

[extraordinary swag]

Monta Ellis might the only guy right now I could see going for it in today's NBA

I remember Kobe's 40+ point streak like it was yesterday though, he was gunning for it every night. That's more impressive than one 60 point game IMO

 

[doyung9]

If it happens, it's a fluke thing.

Naturally, you'd think the most likely guys to do it, Durant, Kobe, LeBron, Wade, well they're all in situations that make it unlikely now.

Durant, like you said, seems to be very team-oriented, so unless he comes out the gates scorching one game, with like 34 at half AND it being a close game, probably isn't going to happen.

LeBron and Wade being on the same team kind of explains itself, and if Kobe's rolling like that, usually he's sitting by the 4th.

Got to remember, Mike's (sorry, best example, he's done it so many times and they're easier to remember) 50+ games usually came in very competitive environments when he was the lone scorer. Not the case for these guys. You never saw Mike putting up 58 when the Bulls had a 20 point lead.

Same with Kobe. He was going bonkers back when he had no one but Smush and Luke Walton to pass the ball to.

 

[doyung9]

If it happens, it's a fluke thing.

Naturally, you'd think the most likely guys to do it, Durant, Kobe, LeBron, Wade, well they're all in situations that make it unlikely now.

Durant, like you said, seems to be very team-oriented, so unless he comes out the gates scorching one game, with like 34 at half AND it being a close game, probably isn't going to happen.

LeBron and Wade being on the same team kind of explains itself, and if Kobe's rolling like that, usually he's sitting by the 4th.

Got to remember, Mike's (sorry, best example, he's done it so many times and they're easier to remember) 50+ games usually came in very competitive environments when he was the lone scorer. Not the case for these guys. You never saw Mike putting up 58 when the Bulls had a 20 point lead.

Same with Kobe. He was going bonkers back when he had no one but Smush and Luke Walton to pass the ball to.

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by ExtRaOrDinaRy SwAg

Monta Ellis might the only guy right now I could see going for it in today's NBA

Brandon Jennings had 55 last year.

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by ExtRaOrDinaRy SwAg

Monta Ellis might the only guy right now I could see going for it in today's NBA

Brandon Jennings had 55 last year.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Monta is a good observation.

And I guess I meant just completely me-first scorers who can put up big numbers, where 60+ is a possibility. Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo and those guys are me-first scorers but I don't see them posting a HUGE game.
And not a fluke, like Jennings seemed to be. He's a good scorer and has sort of the me-mentality, but still isn't good enough where I wouldn't be surprised to see 50, 60 points every few games.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Monta is a good observation.

And I guess I meant just completely me-first scorers who can put up big numbers, where 60+ is a possibility. Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo and those guys are me-first scorers but I don't see them posting a HUGE game.
And not a fluke, like Jennings seemed to be. He's a good scorer and has sort of the me-mentality, but still isn't good enough where I wouldn't be surprised to see 50, 60 points every few games.

 

[nycknicks105]

I get what you're saying OP, but I think someone dropping 60+ points in an NBA is still very much a possibility. You don't need a superstar per se to drop 60 points. You can have an "all-star" type player do it.  The best examples I can come up with are Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Those guys usually are score first players.

I do agree with you that a lot of players these days are more team orientated, but there will always be someone looking to score 60+ points.

 

[nycknicks105]

I get what you're saying OP, but I think someone dropping 60+ points in an NBA is still very much a possibility. You don't need a superstar per se to drop 60 points. You can have an "all-star" type player do it.  The best examples I can come up with are Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Those guys usually are score first players.

I do agree with you that a lot of players these days are more team orientated, but there will always be someone looking to score 60+ points.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Originally Posted by nycknicks105

I get what you're saying OP, but I think someone dropping 60+ points in an NBA is still very much a possibility. You don't need a superstar per se to drop 60 points. You can have an "all-star" type player do it.

I do agree with you that a lot of players these days are more team orientated, but there will always be someone looking to score 60+ points.

It's always a possibility with talented players in the NBA, but no one's doing it like Kobe, Iverson, T-Mac, etc. did for all those years, and Mike before them. Either the stars or team oriented these days, or they just don't have the ability to do it "consistently" in terms of how often Kobe and AI did.
Jennings is definitely a guy who would explode for 50-60+ points every few weeks and look like the 2006 Kobe - if he could. He's not there yet, but he would have that mentality if he had the ability.

I guess what I'm saying is either players no longer have that mentality every night or the ones that do (Jennings, Nick Young, Rudy Gay) don't really have the ability.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Originally Posted by nycknicks105

I get what you're saying OP, but I think someone dropping 60+ points in an NBA is still very much a possibility. You don't need a superstar per se to drop 60 points. You can have an "all-star" type player do it.

I do agree with you that a lot of players these days are more team orientated, but there will always be someone looking to score 60+ points.

It's always a possibility with talented players in the NBA, but no one's doing it like Kobe, Iverson, T-Mac, etc. did for all those years, and Mike before them. Either the stars or team oriented these days, or they just don't have the ability to do it "consistently" in terms of how often Kobe and AI did.
Jennings is definitely a guy who would explode for 50-60+ points every few weeks and look like the 2006 Kobe - if he could. He's not there yet, but he would have that mentality if he had the ability.

I guess what I'm saying is either players no longer have that mentality every night or the ones that do (Jennings, Nick Young, Rudy Gay) don't really have the ability.

 

[koolbarbone]

Yeah, because guys like Amare love to pass the ball.

 

[koolbarbone]

Yeah, because guys like Amare love to pass the ball.

 

[doyung9]

Originally Posted by koolbarbone

Yeah, because guys like Amare love to pass the ball.

Very difficult for a big man to score 60+ because once they get heated like Amare, they'll just start double teaming and take the ball out of his hands every play.

 

[doyung9]

Originally Posted by koolbarbone

Yeah, because guys like Amare love to pass the ball.

Very difficult for a big man to score 60+ because once they get heated like Amare, they'll just start double teaming and take the ball out of his hands every play.

 

[airjordan jb23]

There's definitly a couple players I can see doing it still... Its a rare thing, but I think it'll continue to happen. Once a player gets going like that, the "team game" goes out of the window for a little bit. 1 game won't mean they're selfish... But if a player gets going, sometimes teammates know when to step aside.

 

[airjordan jb23]

There's definitly a couple players I can see doing it still... Its a rare thing, but I think it'll continue to happen. Once a player gets going like that, the "team game" goes out of the window for a little bit. 1 game won't mean they're selfish... But if a player gets going, sometimes teammates know when to step aside.

 

[you big dummy]

Brandon Jennings had a 55 point game last season.

It really depends on the right player catching fire at the right time, and being in a situation where their team requires them to take the majority of their shots and play the majority of the game.