Top NBA Scoring Leaders 2020-21 Season: Who Dominated the Court?

As I sat down to analyze the top NBA scoring leaders from the 2020-21 season, I couldn't help but reflect on how basketball narratives transcend borders and platforms. Just last week, I stumbled upon an intriguing YouTube interview featuring Ricardo Ratliffe—or as Korean basketball fans know him, Ra Gun-ah—conducted by former Korean basketball star Ha Hyun-min. Ha's channel, boasting about 457,000 subscribers, represents exactly how basketball discourse has evolved beyond the court into digital spaces where global stories intersect. This intersection feels particularly relevant when examining the scoring titans who dominated the 2020-21 NBA season, a campaign that unfolded under extraordinary circumstances yet produced some of the most explosive offensive performances I've witnessed in recent years.

Stephen Curry's comeback narrative absolutely captivated me throughout that season. After playing just five games in the previous season due to injury, Curry returned with what I consider one of the most spectacular shooting displays in modern basketball history. He put up 32.0 points per game—let me emphasize that number because it's staggering for a guard in his thirties coming off a serious injury. I remember watching his 62-point explosion against Portland in January and thinking nobody could possibly catch fire like that, yet he kept delivering these magical performances night after night. His true shooting percentage of 65.5% while attempting nearly 12 threes per game redefined what efficiency looks like for high-volume scorers. What impressed me most wasn't just the statistics but how he achieved them—the degree of difficulty on those shots, the constant movement without the ball, and the defensive attention he commanded every single possession. Teams would literally run double-teams at him from half-court, yet he still found ways to punish defenses in ways that made me shake my head in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Bradley Beal's scoring consistency throughout that season often flew under the radar in national conversations, which I found somewhat puzzling. Averaging 31.3 points per game while dealing with Washington's roster fluctuations demonstrated a scoring versatility that I believe doesn't get enough credit. His ability to create his own shot from all three levels—attacking the rim, pulling up from mid-range, and connecting from beyond the arc—made him nearly impossible to guard in isolation situations. I particularly admired how he evolved his game to maintain efficiency despite being the undisputed focal point of opposing defenses night after night. The Wizards might not have been championship contenders, but watching Beal put up 40-point games with remarkable regularity provided some of the most compelling individual storylines of that season.

Damian Lillard's clutch performances that season cemented his status as one of the most fearless scorers I've ever watched. His 28.8 points per game don't fully capture the moments when he simply took over games in the fourth quarter. I'll never forget his 50-point masterpiece against New Orleans in March, where he seemed to hit contested three-pointer after contested three-pointer in crucial moments. What separates Lillard from other elite scorers, in my view, is his unlimited range and willingness to take—and make—shots that would be considered low-percentage for anyone else. His confidence in those moments borders on supernatural, and it's precisely why Portland consistently overperformed relative to their roster talent during that campaign.

The international flavor among scoring leaders particularly stood out to me that season, which brings me back to that Ha Hyun-min interview with Ratliffe. Watching that conversation made me appreciate how basketball has become this global conversation where achievements in one league can resonate across continents. Giannis Antetokounmpo averaging 28.1 points while maintaining his dominant interior presence, Luka Dončić putting up 27.7 points with his methodical, cerebral approach to breaking down defenses—these international stars have reshaped how we think about scoring efficiency and versatility. The way Ha transitioned from his decorated career in Korea to facilitating these global basketball conversations on digital platforms mirrors how the game itself has evolved beyond geographic boundaries.

Joel Embiid's interior dominance that season represented what I consider a masterclass in post scoring for the modern era. His 28.5 points per game came with such commanding presence in the paint that teams often had to commit two or three defenders just to slow him down. The footwork, the soft touch around the basket, the ability to draw fouls—Embiid displayed the complete package of what a dominant big man can accomplish in today's game. What impressed me most was how he adapted his game to maximize efficiency, shooting 51.3% from the field while being the primary focus of Philadelphia's offense. In an era where perimeter scoring often dominates conversations, Embiid reminded us all that traditional low-post dominance still has its place among elite scoring strategies.

Zion Williamson's explosive second season gave us glimpses of what could become one of the most unique scoring profiles in NBA history. Averaging 27.0 points on 61.1% shooting from the field is virtually unheard of for a perimeter-oriented player, yet Williamson achieved this through a combination of raw power and surprising finesse around the basket. His ability to finish through contact, combined with his improving handle and playmaking, created matchup nightmares every night. I found myself particularly drawn to how he leveraged his physical gifts while developing nuanced aspects of his game—the spin moves, the Euro steps, the soft touch finishes that complemented his thunderous dunks.

Reflecting on that season's scoring landscape, what strikes me most is how these individual achievements reflect broader trends in basketball's evolution. The game has become more global, more digitally accessible, and more analytically driven than ever before. The way we consume basketball content—whether through traditional broadcasts or platforms like Ha Hyun-min's YouTube channel that connects different basketball cultures—shapes how we perceive and appreciate these scoring explosions. The 2020-21 season gave us historic individual performances that pushed the boundaries of what we thought possible in offensive basketball, while the digital landscape ensured these moments reached audiences across the world in real-time, creating a global conversation that continues to evolve how we understand and celebrate basketball excellence.