Record-Breaking Stats and New Trends in NBA 2024-25: Must-Know Numbers from the First 10 Days!

The NBA 2024-25 season has just kicked off, but the numbers already paint a vibrant picture of the teams’ performance. These statistics not only help fans understand what’s happening on the court but also reveal trends and challenges teams will face this season. Here are the top 10 noteworthy stats everyone should know about this season so far.

1. Three-Point Shooting Boom at 41.8% The NBA is witnessing an unprecedented growth in three-point shooting, reaching a historic 41.8% rate. This reveals a shift in strategy among teams, with three teams (Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic) attempting over half of their shots from beyond the arc. Leading the pack, the Celtics take 54.8% of their shots from three-point range, far above the league average.

2. The Impact of Nikola Jokić on the Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets face significant offensive challenges without Nikola Jokić on the court. The team only scores 72 points in 97 possessions—equivalent to 74.2 points per 100 possessions—when their star center is off the floor. This highlights Jokić’s importance to Denver’s lineup.

3. Lakers Improve Shot Opportunities under Coach JJ Redick Under new coach JJ Redick, the Lakers have significantly increased their shot opportunities, boasting a shot differential of +2.5 over opponents—the 9th best in the league. This is a massive improvement from last season when they ranked last. However, the team still faces a considerable challenge with three-point shooting.

4. The Brunson-Towns Duo Maximizes Efficiency for the Knicks The combination of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson enables the Knicks to score 1.69 points per possession off a direct screen. This is the highest efficiency rate in the league for player duos running pick-and-roll plays, indicating a bright spot for the Knicks this season.

5. Free-Throw Rates Surge This season sees the highest free-throw rate in 11 years, with teams averaging 28.1 free throws per 100 field goal attempts. This is a stark shift from last season, which had a record low rate. The main cause is an increase in defensive fouls as players attempt to prevent opponents from getting close to the rim.

6. Victor Wembanyama’s Challenges in the Paint Despite being one of the tallest players in the league, Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama only has a 39% field goal success rate in the paint, ranking 65th out of 96 players with at least 50 field goal attempts. This is a challenge for the young star, as he needs to improve his scoring near the basket.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers’ Strong Start The Cavaliers are one of the few teams to start the season 5-0 with an average point differential of at least 18 points per game. Most teams achieving this feat in the past have reached the Finals, with four of them even winning the NBA Championship. This is a positive sign for Cleveland in their journey to dominate the season.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder’s Impressive Defense The Thunder have made a strong impression, allowing just 91.3 points per 100 possessions, the best defensive record in the league so far. Chet Holmgren and his teammates have effectively protected the basket, helping the Thunder control games with solid defense.

9. Milwaukee Bucks Struggle with Four Double-Digit Losses The Bucks are the only team with four double-digit losses in their first five games, which is concerning for fans. Only 16% of teams experiencing this in the past made it to the playoffs, and the Bucks need to improve quickly to avoid further setbacks.

10. Chicago Bulls’ Surge in Pace and Assist Rate The Bulls have stood out by significantly increasing their pace and assist rate. The team jumped from 28th to 1st in pace, and from 28th to 5th in assist rate—an impressive transformation in optimizing their gameplay.

The NBA 2024-25 season is just beginning, but these numbers have already highlighted some remarkable trends and key changes in gameplay.