Houston Rockets guard James Harden currently leads the NBA in points per game with a 27.7 average. Should Harden finish the season as the league’s top scorer, he would be the first Houston Rockets player to win a scoring title. But he would not, however, be the first player from that franchise to win a scoring title.
The Houston Rockets came into existence in the NBA in 1971-72 after three years of the franchise being in San Diego as the San Diego Rockets. In the 1968-69 season, San Diego’s second year in the league, Rockets player Elvin Hayes led the NBA in scoring that season with a 28.4 ppg. It was the last (and only) time a player from the Rockets franchise has won a scoring title.
Looking at the current list of players in the Top 10 for scoring, there are a few other players who could give their franchise their first individual scoring title in a long time (if ever). Center Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, is currently third in the league in scoring. A scoring title by Davis would be the first by a Pelican player since the franchise came into the league in 2003. Golden State’s Steph Curry is a Top 10 scorer with a 22.8 ppg. The Warriors franchise last scoring title was in 1967 when Rick Barry led the San Francisco warriors (and the league) with a 35.6 average.
Here’s a look at the last time each NBA had a player lead the league in scoring.
Teams that have never had a player win the scoring title (franchise’s first year in the NBA)
Boston (1947) Washington (1962) Phoenix (1969) Portland (1971) Brooklyn (1977) Indiana (1977) Dallas (1981) Charlotte (1989) Minnesota (1990) Memphis (1996) Toronto (1996) New Orleans (2003)
Teams that had a player win the NBA scoring title (last title year)
Detroit (1958) Golden State (1967, as San Francisco Warriors) Houston (1969, as San Diego Rockets) Milwaukee (1972) Sacramento (1973 as K.C.-Omaha Kings) L.A. Clippers (1976 as Buffalo Braves) Denver (1983) Utah (1984) Atlanta (1986) San Antonio (1994) Chicago (1998) Orlando (2004) Philadelphia (2005) L.A. Lakers (2007) Cleveland (2008) Miami (2009) New York Knicks (2013) Oklahoma City (2014)
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