With most Yahoo! Fantasy leagues completed and champions crowned, we look back at the top statistical performers this fantasy season:
*All statistics as of April 6*
Points – Stephen Curry
Get ready to see a lot of Stephen Curry in this article. The reigning MVP stepped up his game to another stratosphere in 2015-16 with career highs in points, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, 3-pointers made, steals and rebounds. He’s the only player in the league averaging 30 or more points, and he would be the first player to average 30-plus points for an entire season since Kevin Durant in 2013-14. He delivered three games of 50-plus points, 12 of 40-plus and 38 of 30-plus in 75 games so far this season. He scored less than 10 points only once and less than 20 just 12 times. And he did it all while shooting an absurd 50.2 percent from the field. It was an incredible regular season for the Warriors’ star and if you had him on your fantasy team, points were rarely an issue.
Honorable mentions: James Harden (28.7 per game; 2,208 total), Kevin Durant (28.1; 1,964), LeBron James (25.0; 1,853)
Assists – Rajon Rondo
The veteran point guard bounced back in 2015-16 from a disappointing finish to last season in Dallas. Rondo is averaging a career-high 11.7 assists after struggling for just 7.9 in Boston and Dallas last year. He tallied two 20-assist games, 19 with 15-plus and hit nine assists in all but 16 games so far this season. His free throw percentage (58 percent), low point totals (11.9 per game) and turnovers (3.9 per game) left a lot to be desired. But his high assist production was more than enough for fantasy owners who snagged Rondo in the late rounds (he was drafted on average with the 100th pick). In comparison, the three honorable mentions for assists (see below) were all drafted on average in the top 15 picks.
Honorable mentions: Russell Westbrook (10.4 per game; 810 total), John Wall (10.2; 789), Chris Paul (9.9; 706)
Rebounds – Andre Drummond
After four seasons in the league, it’s easy to forget Andre Drummond is only 22 years old. The dominant center continued to improve in Detroit this season with a career-high 14.9 rebounds per game, including 4.9 off the offensive glass. He’s grabbed 137 more rebounds than second place, DeAndre Jordan, and has a league-leading 66 double-doubles in 79 games. In fact, Drummond surpassed Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas (65 double-doubles) for the most double-doubles in a season in Detroit Pistons franchise history. Like Rondo, Drummond isn’t devoid of flaws. He shot a career-low 35.5 percent from the free throw line on a career-high 7.3 attempts and blocked shots at a career-low rate of 1.4 per game. But the rebounds are why you draft Drummond, and boy did he deliver in 2015-16.
Honorable mentions: DeAndre Jordan (13.9 per game; 1,026 total), Hassan Whiteside (11.8; 804), Karl-Anthony Towns (10.5; 819)
Blocks – Hassan Whiteside
The Block Party continued on for another season in Miami with Hassan Whiteside patrolling the paint at a league-best rate. Whiteside is averaging an incredible 3.8 blocks off the bench for Miami in 29.1 minutes a night. This mark is obviously a career-high for the young Whiteside, and he will be the first player to average more than 3.5 blocks for an entire season since Serge Ibaka in 2011-12. Whiteside is averaging 1.5 blocks more than his next closest challenger, DeAndre Jordan, and has 81 more blocks than Jordan in seven less games. Whiteside was the only player in the league to block 10 or more shots in a game, and he did it three times. It was another dominant fantasy season for the 26-year-old Whiteside, who will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Honorable mentions: DeAndre Jordan (2.3 per game; 170 total), Serge Ibaka (1.9; 145), Pau Gasol (2.0; 141)
Steals – Stephen Curry
The lights-out shooter flashed his defensive skills throughout 2015-16 to average a career-high 2.2 steals. He tallied four or more steals in eight games and went without a steal only five times. Ricky Rubio, Kyle Lowry, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook were all very close to Curry with an average of 2.1 steals. With 162 steals through 78 games, Curry sits only one steal behind the NBA high he set in 80 games during 2014-15. All signs point towards Curry eclipsing that mark during the Warriors’ final four games of the season.
Honorable mentions: Russell Westbrook (2.1 per game; 161 total), Kyle Lowry (2.1; 153), Chris Paul (2.1; 149)
3-Point – Stephen Curry
More Curry! The Warriors point guard is on track to break the NBA single-season 3-point record, which he set in 2012-13 and again in 2014-15, by more than 100 3-pointers this season. He has 382 entering Thursday’s game against San Antonio and needs just four more to put him 100 3-pointers above his 2014-15 record of 286. He’s shooting 45.6 percent from deep on 11.2 attempts per game and hit 10 or more 3-pointers in three games, including 12 against the Thunder in February to tie the NBA’s single-game record. Curry’s Splash Brother Klay Thompson is the only other player in the same realm as Curry, and he trails the reigning MVP by more than 100 3-pointers. The next closest player, Damian Lillard, trails by 160 3s. Curry was unstoppable all fantasy season and is the reason many fantasy owners will have a championship trophy on their mantle this summer.
Honorable mentions: Klay Thompson (3.5 per game; 266 total), Damian Lillard (3.1; 220), Kyle Lowry (2.7; 203)
***
Be sure to check back next week as we hand out the fantasy yearly awards, including MVP, steal of the year, bust of the year and more!
Follow @NBAFantasy on Twitter for analysis, tips and advice throughout the 2015-16 NBA season!
