The race to the 2021-22 scoring title is shaping out to be one of historic proportions.
Between LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, the league’s leading scorers are currently separated by less than 0.5 points per game, meaning the title is essentially anyone’s to win.
MORE: Is LeBron James the greatest scorer of all-time?
As such, the player that holds the title of the league’s leading scorer can change on a nightly basis, with the title likely not getting decided until the final night of the regular season, which falls on Sunday, April 10.
From now until the end of the season, we’ve got you covered with nightly updates on the race to the 2021-22 scoring title, as well as some historical context to put this year’s race into perspective.
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2021-22 NBA scoring leaders
| Player | PPG | Games Remaining | |
| 1 | LeBron James | 30.0 | 9 |
| 2 | Joel Embiid | 29.8 | 10 |
| 3 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 29.7 | 10 |
| 4 | Kevin Durant* | 29.6 | 9 |
Can Kevin Durant win the 2021-22 NBA scoring title?
TSN’s Scott Rafferty outlined Durant’s unique circumstance: “Durant is operating under different rules than James, Embiid and Antetokounmpo because he’s not going to appear in 58 games (70 percent of his team’s games), which is the minimum to qualify for the league leaders.”
As detailed by the NBA, the only exception to the above rule is if “the player would have led the league in the category had he played the required number of games with his current category total.”
Simply put, Durant could still win the scoring title if his total points for the 2021-22 season divided by 58 equal out to an average higher than that of James, Embiid and Antetokounmpo.
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Remaining schedules
LeBron James, Lakers remaining schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| March 27 | at Pelicans | 7 p.m. |
| March 29 | at Mavericks | 7:30 p.m. |
| March 31 | at Jazz | 10 p.m. |
| April 1 | vs. Pelicans | 10:30 p.m. |
| April 3 | vs. Nuggets | 3:30 p.m. |
| April 5 | at Suns | 10:30 p.m. |
| April 7 | at Warriors | 10 p.m. |
| April 8 | vs. Thunder | 10:30 p.m. |
| April 10 | at Nuggets | TBD |
Joel Embiid, 76ers remaining schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| March 25 | at Clippers | 10:30 p.m. |
| March 27 | at Suns | 6 p.m. |
| March 29 | vs. Bucks | 7 p.m. |
| March 31 | at Pistons | 7 p.m. |
| April 2 | vs. Hornets | 12:30 p.m. |
| April 3 | at Cavaliers | 6 p.m. |
| April 5 | at Pacers | 7 p.m. |
| April 7 | at Raptors | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 9 | vs. Pacers | TBD |
| April 10 | vs. Pistons | TBD |
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks remaining schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| March 24 | vs. Wizards | 8 p.m. |
| March 26 | at Grizzlies | 8 p.m. |
| March 29 | at 76ers | 7 p.m. |
| March 31 | at Nets | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 1 | vs. Clippers | 8 p.m. |
| April 3 | vs. Mavericks | 1 p.m. |
| April 5 | at Bulls | 8 p.m. |
| April 7 | vs. Celtics | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 8 | at Pistons | 7 p.m. |
| April 10 | at Cavaliers | TBD |
Kevin Durant, Nets remaining schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| March 26 | at Heat | 8 p.m. |
| March 27 | vs. Hornets | 7:30 p.m. |
| March 29 | vs. Pistons | 7:30 p.m. |
| March 31 | vs. Bucks | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 2 | at Hawks | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 5 | vs. Rockets | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 6 | at Knicks | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 8 | vs. Cavaliers | 7:30 p.m. |
| April 10 | vs. Pacers | TBD |
Closest scoring title races in NBA history
- Over the NBA’s 75-year history, the scoring title has been decided by fewer than 0.5 points just six times. Shaquille O’Neal was the runner-up in half of those instances.
- Two of the most notable races for the scoring title involve the Spurs.
- On the final night of the 1993-94 season, David Robinson clinched the scoring title by scoring a career-best 71 points against the Clippers while Shaquille O’Neal scored 32 against the Nets. Robinson edged O’Neal by .44 points per game for the scoring title.
- While David Thompson scored 73 points on the final night of the 1977-78 regular season, George Gervin was able to maintain distance by scoring 63 points in the regular-season finale to win the scoring title by .07 points per game.
| Season | 1st | 2nd |
| 2011-12 | Kevin Durant, Thunder (28.03) | Kobe Bryant, Lakers (27.86) |
| 2009-10 | Kevin Durant, Thunder (30.15) | LeBron James, Cavaliers (29.71) |
| 1998-99 | Allen Iverson, 76ers (26.75) | Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers (26.31) |
| 1997-98 | Michael Jordan, Bulls (28.74) | Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers (28.32) |
| 1993-94 | David Robinson, Spurs (29.79) | Shaquille O’Neal, Magic (29.35) |
| 1977-78 | George Gervin, Spurs (27.22) | David Thompson, Nuggets (27.15) |