Individual Nets continue to put up big numbers, comparable to the league’s elite, as they head into the second trimester of the NBA season.
After 28 games, Devin Harris is one of only three players in the NBA to currently average at least 24.0 points and 6.0 assists per game. The other two are named Dwyane Wade and Lebron James. Wade is averaging 29.0 and 7.0; James 27.6 and 6.3, while Harris is at 24.0 and 6.8.
Harris has dropped a bit in road scoring. After being the top scorer away from home for most of December, he now has the league’s fourth highest scoring average in road games while Vince Carter is ranked fifth.
Again, the company is elite, with James, Kobe Bryant and Wade just ahead of the Nets' duo. Harris is averaging 26.7 ppg in 11 road games, Carter is right behind at 26.3 in 13.
Harris also holds the league’s highest point increase from 2007-08 to now (minimum 50 games played last season). The player with the highest point increase has traditionally won the league’s Most Improved Player award.
Harris has gone from 14.8 to 24.0, a 9.2 ppg increase. Marquis Daniels of the Pacers has gone from 8.2 to 16.0, a 7.8 increase and John Salmons of the Kings has improved from 12.5 to 19.9.
Harris and Carter continue to battle Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry for top scoring due. Nowitzki and Terry currently hold a 0.1 ppg lead, 47.1 to 47.0, over Harris and Carter. The two Nets are also the highest scoring back court in the league, averaging almost 10 points better than Wade and Mario Chalmers. Harris currently ranks sixth in the league in scoring at 24.0, Carter ninth at 23.0.
Harris and Carter are also among the league leaders in clutch shooting as well. Harris is third in fourth quarter scoring at 7.5 ppg, just behind James at 8.2 and Wade 8.0. Harris is also second in free throw attempts in the fourth quarter, just behind Dwight Howard and eighth in assists, at 1.7. Overall, he ranks first in free throws made, ahead of Wade, Chris Bosh, James and Paul Pierce and third in free throws attempted. In crunchtime--described as fourth quarter or overtime, less than five minutes left, neither team ahead by more than five points--Carter ranks sixth and Harris ninth. On a per 48 minute basis, Carter puts up 48.2 points in the clutch, Harris 45.6. They each have a buzzer beater win, Carter over Toronto, Harris over Indiana, both on the road.
Brook Lopez is also among the league leader in blocks. He's averaging 1.96 bpg, fifth in the league and first among rookies.