Joel Embiid vs. Damian Lillard: Career Scoring Comparison

We break down the scoring legacies of Damian Lillard and Joel Embiid to determine who has the better numbers. Here you can compare their career totals, points per game, games of 40+ points, 50+, etc. and their year-by-year scoring averages side by side, both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

Joel Embiid and Damian Lillard have two of the highest career scoring averages in league history and here we compare all their scoring stats.

By taking a look at their career numbers for points, the first conclusion one can arrive at is that Damian Lillard scored more total points both in the regular season and Playoffs and also has a better playoff average while Joel Embiid has a better scoring average in the regular season. However, we won't stop there and we'll go into detail to analyze what these statistics are made up of, from how many games they had in each threshold (30+ points, 40+, 50+, etc.) to their season-by-season scoring averages.

Career Numbers
Who has the better scoring stats?

Points in the Regular Season

In his 9 NBA regular seasons played, Joel Embiid averages 2.6 points more than Damian Lillard in his 13 seasons (27.7 points against 25.1). On the other hand Damian Lillard scored a total of 10,075 points more than Joel Embiid (22,598 vs. 12,523).

Points Per Game

Seasons
Joel Embiid 27.7
+2.6
9
Damian Lillard 25.1
13

Total Points

Seasons
Joel Embiid 12,523
9
Damian Lillard 22,598
+10,075
13

Scoring Titles

Joel Embiid 2
Scoring leaderScoring leader
+2
Damian Lillard 0

Points in the Playoffs

In the NBA postseason Damian Lillard has a better career point average than Joel Embiid (+0.3 points per game) and he also scored more points (+246).

Points Per Game

Playoffs
Joel Embiid 24.9
7
Damian Lillard 25.2
+0.3
10

Total Points

Playoffs
Joel Embiid 1,469
7
Damian Lillard 1,715
+246
10

Points by Thresholds

Regular Season

70+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 1
Damian Lillard 1

60+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 1
Damian Lillard 5
+4

50+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 8
Damian Lillard 15
+7

40+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 48
Damian Lillard 60
+12

30+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 194
Damian Lillard 265
+71

20+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 362
Damian Lillard 650
+288

10+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 443
Damian Lillard 882
+439

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Joel Embiid 451
Damian Lillard 900
+449

0 Point Games (games without points)

Joel Embiid 1
+1
Damian Lillard 0

Playoffs

50+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 1
Damian Lillard 2
+1

40+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 2
Damian Lillard 4
+2

30+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 21
Damian Lillard 23
+2

20+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 42
Damian Lillard 46
+4

10+ Point Games

Joel Embiid 58
Damian Lillard 66
+8

1+ Point Games (games with points)

Joel Embiid 59
Damian Lillard 67
+8

0 Point Games (games without points)

Joel Embiid 0
Damian Lillard 1
+1

Career Shooting Stats Comparison

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Regular Season

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Joel Embiid 27.7 9.1 18.2 50.1 1.2 3.5 33.9 8.3 10.0 82.8 9 452
difference:+2.6+1.0+0.2+6.3+1.9+4.9+3.2+2.5+3.5+7.1+4+448
Damian Lillard 25.1 8.1 18.4 43.9 3.1 8.4 37.1 5.8 6.5 89.9 13 900

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Joel Embiid 12,523 4,117 8,212 50.1 532 1,568 33.9 3,757 4,538 82.8 9 452
difference:+10,075+3,149+8,356+6.3+2,272+5,988+3.2+1,505+1,315+7.1+4+448
Damian Lillard 22,598 7,266 16,568 43.9 2,804 7,556 37.1 5,262 5,853 89.9 13 900

Playoffs

Stats Per Game

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Joel Embiid 24.9 7.9 17.2 45.9 1.1 3.8 28.9 8.0 9.7 82.8 7 59
difference:+0.3+0.1+2.3+5.1+2.2+5.1+7.9+2.0+2.9+6.5+3+9
Damian Lillard 25.2 8.0 19.5 40.9 3.3 8.9 36.8 6.0 6.8 89.3 10 68

Total Stats

Pts FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A% Yrs Gms
Joel Embiid 1,469 466 1,015 45.9 65 225 28.9 472 570 82.8 7 59
difference:+246+75+309+5.1+157+378+7.9+61+110+6.5+3+9
Damian Lillard 1,715 541 1,324 40.9 222 603 36.8 411 460 89.3 10 68

Year by Year Points Average Comparison

Scoring leader= NBA Scoring Leader

Regular Season

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 20.2
+1.2
201731
Damian Lillard 19.0
201382

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 22.9
+2.2
201863
Damian Lillard 20.7
201482

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 27.5
+6.5
201964
Damian Lillard 21.0
201582

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 23.0
202051
Damian Lillard 25.1
+2.1
201675

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 28.5
+1.5
202151
Damian Lillard 27.0
201775

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid Scoring leader30.6
+3.7
202268
Damian Lillard 26.9
201873

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid Scoring leader33.1
+7.3
202366
Damian Lillard 25.8
201980

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 34.7
+4.7
202439
Damian Lillard 30.0
202066

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 23.8
202519
Damian Lillard 28.8
+5.0
202167

Damian Lillard's additional seasons:

* Damian Lillard played 4 seasons more than Joel Embiid in the NBA.

In those years—his seasons 10 to 13, from 2022 to 2025—he averaged 26.5 points in a total of 218 regular season games. During that period, his highest average was 32.2 ppg and his lowest 24.

Playoffs

Rookie Season

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid -
DNP
20170
Damian Lillard -
DNP
20130

Season 2

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 21.4
20188
Damian Lillard 22.9
+1.5
201411

Season 3

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 20.2
201911
Damian Lillard 21.6
+1.4
20155

Season 4

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 30.0
+3.5
20204
Damian Lillard 26.5
201611

Season 5

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 28.1
+0.3
202111
Damian Lillard 27.8
20174

Season 6

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 23.6
+5.1
202210
Damian Lillard 18.5
20184

Season 7

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 23.7
20239
Damian Lillard 26.9
+3.2
201916

Season 8

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid 33.0
+8.7
20246
Damian Lillard 24.3
20204

Season 9

Points per gameYearGames
Joel Embiid -
DNP
20250
Damian Lillard 34.3
+34.3
20216

Damian Lillard's additional Playoffs:

* During his 4 additional NBA seasons, Damian Lillard played in two Playoffs. In those postseasons he averaged 20.9 points in a total of 7 games. His highest playoff average during that period was 31.3 ppg and his lowest 7.