The Stats Behind the Game is MY favourite part…
The NBA is a league shaped by storylines, personalities, and unforgettable moments, but beneath every narrative lies a foundation that never lies: the numbers. Some players shape the game with highlights, others with leadership, and others still with skill. But there is a special category of star who changes basketball through pure statistical dominance.
This full analytical breakdown was created in collaboration with Statsaholic (@okcxnba), one of the sharpest stat-focused basketball minds online, whose ability to capture a player’s impact through numbers inspired the foundation of this entire article and the stats behind the numbers, and not just stats, the story behind those!
Follow him here: https://x.com/okcxnba
Today, we break down the numbers that define five of the league’s most uniquely impactful players: Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Josh Giddey, and Steven Adams.
1. Nikola Jokic and the Art of Touches
Statsaholic lays the groundwork with this statement:
“Jokic is arguably the greatest offensive player ever… he’s been leading the league in touches since 2019 and is on pace to lead the league for 8 straight seasons.”
Touches. It’s the most underrated statistic in basketball. Not shots, not minutes, touches, the number of times a team’s possessions run through a single player. No one in NBA history, not Magic Johnson, not Nash, not LeBron, has dominated offensive orchestration the way Nikola Jokic has.
Since 2019, Jokic has been the center of Denver’s universe, and not symbolically. Literally. He touches the ball more than anyone in the entire NBA, and he’s maintained that distinction for nearly a decade straight.
This volume of offensive involvement isn’t simply usage; it’s trust. Two all-time great offenses have been built around a 7-foot point center, and the Nuggets’ efficiency reflects his control. He finds cutters, shooters, mismatches, and angles no one else sees.
Without Jokic’s touches, Denver is just a team. With them, they are an offensive machine.
2. Stephen Curry’s Dangerous Pull-Up
Curry’s impact isn’t just shooting, it’s fear. It’s geometry. It’s the way defenses break their own rules to stay attached to him.
Statsaholic highlights this perfectly:
“Since 2014, he’s finished top 15 in pull-up points, with his 2016 season being the best — a record 850 points coming from pull-up jump shots.”
850 pull-up points is a statistic that shouldn’t exist. It’s a number that belongs in a video game set to rookie difficulty.
The pull-up jumper has become the defining shot of modern basketball, and Curry is why. Teams now build their entire defensive schemes around containing the pull-up three. Yet Curry continues to rank among the elite every single season, forcing defenders 30 feet from the rim and creating space for his teammates solely with his presence.
His 2016 campaign is still the gold standard, the single greatest shooting season ever recorded. And the numbers confirm it.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: The New Transition King
We often talk about Giannis’ sheer physical dominance, but Statsaholic brings something else into focus:
“Since 2019, Giannis has led the league in transition points… he’s never had a season since then where he averaged less than 7 per game.”
This matters because the title of transition GOAT belonged to LeBron for over a decade. No one matched his open-floor power, his downhill decision-making, or his physical force.
Until Giannis.
The transition game is an art form that blends mobility, anticipation, and raw athleticism. But Giannis has taken that art form and supercharged it. He attacks downhill with the force of a truck and the footwork of a wing. His ability to convert transition opportunities at size is truly unmatched.
That 7-points-per-game baseline since 2019? That’s not normal. That’s all-time elite. The league has never seen a player sustain transition dominance at this scale.
4. Josh Giddey and the Value of Vision
Sometimes, impact isn’t loud. Sometimes it’s not measured in dunks or stepbacks, sometimes it’s pace, flow, and structure.
Statsaholic points out:
“Since his addition to Chicago in 2025, the Bulls have been top 2 in transition points per game, proving Giddey’s value as a playmaker not only on the inbounds, but in transition as well.”
Playmaking is more than assists. It’s about igniting your team. Giddey doesn’t just pass, he creates an entire style of play. The Bulls’ rise in transition efficiency is no coincidence. His ability to grab a rebound, instantly recognize the floor, and push tempo turns Chicago into a fast-moving, opportunistic offense.
His vision is generational. His instincts are rare. And his impact is measurable.
It’s the perfect reminder that not all stars score, some stars make scoring easier.
5. Steven Adams: The Quiet Engine of Extra Possessions
There are players who get headlines. And then there are players who win possessions.
Statsaholic ends with this gem:
“Steven Adams… has been an incredible rebounder his entire career. The Rockets have led the league in rebounds since he joined in 2025. Adams is averaging a career high 5.1 offensive rebounds.”
Five offensive rebounds per game is a monstrous number.
There are dominant rebounders, and then there is Steven Adams, a walking second chance. Houston’s rise in rebounding dominance lines up directly with his arrival. Adams thrives in the areas casual fans overlook: screens, positioning, box outs, physicality, and momentum-shifting offensive boards.
He doesn’t need the ball to impact winning. He simply creates more basketball.
In a sport where possessions determine outcomes, Adams gives his team something priceless: just one more chance.
Final Thoughts
This article wouldn’t exist without the contributions and statistical insight of Statsaholic (@okcxnba). His breakdowns reveal the deeper layers of the league, not just what players do, but how they do it and why it matters.
Follow him for more elite breakdowns: https://x.com/okcxnba
The numbers don’t lie. And the numbers tell us we’re witnessing one of the most data-defined eras in NBA history, and some of the most unique stars ever.
