NBA 2020-21: 5 Players with the most assists in the season so far

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets.

#3 Nikola Jokic - 166 assists

Arguably the strongest candidate for the 2020-21 NBA season assist leader, center Nikola Jokic is having a tremendous year. Beyond his scoring and rebounding, Jokic is an extraordinary passer, and he is averaging 8.7 assists per game in the 2020-21 NBA season. His assists total (166) ranks third in the league.

Tonight marks the 400th regular-season game for Nikola Jokić. The only player who reached Jokić’s current totals of points (6,915), rebounds (3,870) and assists (2,259) through his first 400 #NBA games is Oscar Robertson (12,100 PTS/4,119 REB/4,259 AST). #MileHighBasketball
— Elias Sports Bureau (@EliasSports) January 30, 2021

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Only one center has led the league in total assists in history, and it was Wilt Chamberlain back in the 1967-68 NBA season. Jokic is the Denver Nuggets point guard, in essence, and he is a fantastic playmaker.

Jokic is fourth in the NBA in assists per game (8.7), seventh in rebounds per game (11.7), and 15th in points per game (25.7). Despite all those numbers, Jokic does not rank in the Top 20 in Usage Percentage, which makes his numbers even more impressive.

Moreover, he is leading the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating with a 30.5 grade.

#2 Luka Doncic - 172 assists

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks.

Though the Dallas Mavericks have struggled with injuries, Luka Doncic has been the team's bright spot, and he has been available for them. The Slovenian superstar is second in the NBA with 172 assists and second in assists per game (9.6).

The Mavs have an 8-11 record, but Doncic has been solid. He is averaging 27 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.6 assists per game so far (in 18 appearances).

Among the players on this list, Doncic has the highest average of points per game. He is second in Usage Percentage, given the lack of playmaking abilities around him. Despite having the ball most of the time, Doncic averages less than four turnovers per game.

Doncic's season-high in terms of assists in a game this year was 16 against the Denver Nuggets on January 25th. He also leads the league in Triple-Doubles with six.

#1 James Harden - 177 assists

James Harden has made lots of noise in the 2020-21 NBA season. His departure from the Houston Rockets and his arrival to the Brooklyn Nets were incredible storylines in the current campaign, but his level of play has been extraordinary too.

Harden, who led the NBA in scoring in the last three years and was the assists champion the year before that streak started, is now the leader in assists (177) and assists per game (11.1).

Though he is averaging less than 25 points per night for the first time since his departure from the OKC Thunder in 2012, Harden is still putting up big numbers.

He is averaging 24.5 points per game, six rebounds, and 11 assists in 16 appearances so far. His assists total with the Nets is slightly higher than the one he recorded with the Rockets, as he is surrounded by two of the league's best scorers, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.