Ranking the Most Impressive Individual NBA Games This Season

Who has put up the best individual performances in the NBA this season? These rankings will answer that question, so long as you're only curious about the 100 best that the NBA has to offer.

To come up with the rankings, I turned to a purely objective method. Using ESPN's game score statistic, I've identified them. This game score statistic is calculated purely from the box score with the following formula:

PTS + REB + 1.4*AST + STL + 1.4*BLK -.7*TO + FGM + .5*FGM -.8*(FGA-FGM) + .25*FTM - .8*(FTA-FTM)

Nothing else was taken into account so as not to incorporate any subjectivity or bias into the equation. 

Read on for the 100 best individual games of the 2011-2012 NBA season. 

No. 100-No. 92

99 (tie). 57.2 game score by Tony Parker in 100-90 win over Philadelphia 76ers

37 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers

99 (tie). 57.2 game score by Carmelo Anthony in 106-104 win over Boston Celtics

37 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 5 turnovers

99 (tie). 57.2 game score by Dwight Howard in 92-88 win over Toronto Raptors

36 points, 13 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

99 (tie). 57.2 game score by Chris Paul in 87-83 win over Detroit Pistons

19 points, 9 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers

97 (tie). 57.4 game score by Al Jefferson in 109-100 win over Charlotte Bobcats

25 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers

97 (tie). 57.4 game score by Dwight Howard in 107-102 loss to Los Angeles Clippers

33 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers

95 (tie). 57.5 game score by Jarrett Jack in 94-90 loss to Utah Jazz

27 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

95 (tie). 57.5 game score by Kobe Bryant in 106-101 win over Minnesota Timberwolves

35 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

92 (tie). 57.6 game score by Tyreke Evans in 96-93 loss to Utah Jazz

31 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

92 (tie). 57.6 game score by Kobe Bryant in 90-87 win over Utah Jazz

40 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers

92 (tie). 57.6 game score by Stephen Curry in 104-103 loss to Memphis Grizzlies

36 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

No. 91-No. 81

90 (tie). 57.7 game score by JaVale McGee in 103-90 loss to Philadelphia 76ers

23 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 5 blocks, 2 turnovers

90 (tie). 57.7 game score by J.J. Barea in 149-140 loss to Oklahoma City Thunder

25 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

88 (tie). 57.8 game score by Rajon Rondo in 115-111 win over New York Knicks

18 points, 17 rebounds, 20 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 turnovers

88 (tie). 57.8 game score by Antawn Jamison in 113-112 loss to Milwaukee Bucks

34 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

87. 58.0 game score by Kevin Love in 100-98 loss to New York Knicks

32 points, 21 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers

86. 58.1 game score by Andrew Bynum in 88-85 loss to Detroit Pistons

30 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers

85. 58.2 game score by LeBron James in 115-107 loss to Boston Celtics

36 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

84. 58.4 game score by Josh Smith in 108-101 loss to Milwaukee Bucks

30 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

81 (tie). 58.5 game score by LeBron James in 113-92 win over Philadelphia 76ers

28 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers

81 (tie). 58.5 game score by Tony Parker in 113-106 win over Toronto Raptors

34 points, 3 rebounds, 14 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

81 (tie). 58.5 game score by Kevin Love in 97-93 win over Golden State Warriors

36 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

No. 80-No. 71

79 (tie). 58.6 game score by Ersan Ilyasova in 92-85 win over New Jersey Nets

29 points, 25 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover

79 (tie). 58.6 game score by Al Jefferson in 104-98 win over Golden State Warriors

30 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 5 blocks, 2 turnovers 

77 (tie). 58.7 game score by DeMarcus Cousins in 111-108 loss to Golden State Warriors

28 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 2 turnovers

77 (tie). 58.7 game score by Al Jefferson in 105-90 win over Detroit Pistons

33 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers

76. 58.9 game score by Andrew Bynum in 113-108 win over Los Angeles Clippers

36 points, 8 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 0 turnovers

75. 59.0 game score by Chris Bosh in 116-109 win over Atlanta Hawks

33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 7 turnovers

74. 59.1 game score by Blake Griffin in 107-105 win over Utah Jazz

31 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 1 turnover

72 (tie). 59.2 game score by LaMarcus Aldridge in 110-99 win over Washington Wizards

30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers

72 (tie). 59.2 game score by Kevin Durant in 112-100 win over Los Angeles Clippers

36 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers

71. 59.3 game score by Brandon Jennings in 105-99 win over New Jersey Nets

34 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

No. 70-No. 61

70. 59.5 game score by Dirk Nowitzki in 112-95 win over Denver Nuggets

33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

67 (tie). 59.6 game score by LeBron James in 114-96 win over Milwaukee Bucks

35 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

67 (tie). 59.6 game score by Steve Nash in 120-103 win over New Orleans Hornets

30 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover

67 (tie). 59.6 game score by Carmelo Anthony in 112-104 loss to Indiana Pacers

39 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

65 (tie). 59.7 game score by Josh Smith in 95-90 loss to Philadelphia 76ers

34 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

65 (tie). 59.7 game score by DeMarcus Cousins in 113-106 loss to Houston Rockets

38 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 5 turnovers

64. 59.8 game score by Dwyane Wade in 120-108 win over Sacramento Kings

30 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

63. 59.9 game score by Paul Pierce in 102-95 win over Charlotte Bobcats

36 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers

61 (tie). 60.0 game score by Chris Paul in 103-95 win over Denver Nuggets

36 points, 1 rebound, 9 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

61 (tie). 60.0 game score by Kevin Love in 107-92 loss to Houston Rockets

39 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

No. 60-No. 51

60. 60.1 game score by Anthony Morrow in 108-105 loss to Minnesota Timberwolves

42 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

58 (tie). 60.2 game score by Rajon Rondo in 106-104 loss to New York Knicks

31 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists, 5 steals, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

58 (tie). 60.2 game score by Stephen Curry in 101-93 win over Portland Trail Blazers

32 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover

55 (tie). 60.5 game score by Stephen Curry in 119-101 win over Utah Jazz

29 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

55 (tie). 60.5 game score by Kevin Durant in 115-110 win over Minnesota Timberwolves

43 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

55 (tie). 60.5 game score by LeBron James in 105-97 loss to Milwaukee Bucks

40 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 7 turnovers

53 (tie). 60.7 game score by LaMarcus Aldridge in 94-84 win over Toronto Raptors

33 points, 23 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 6 turnovers

53 (tie). 60.7 game score by Dwight Howard in 107-94 win over Indiana Pacers

30 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

51 (tie). 60.8 game score by Paul George in 98-87 win over Dallas Mavericks

30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

51 (tie). 60.8 game score by Kevin Love in 111-98 win over Houston Rockets 

33 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers

50. 60.9 Game Score by Chris Paul

Date: April 14, 2012

Against: Golden State Warriors

Result: 112-104 win

Stats: 28 points, 4 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 12-of-17 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs

Chris Paul scored 12 points in the fourth quarter of this game to help the Los Angeles Clippers pull away from the pesky Golden State Warriors.

It was just another great performance for CP3 in a season filled with them as the Clippers inched closer towards clinching the first playoff berth in what feels like forever for the beleaguered franchise.

49. 61.2 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: April 16, 2012

Against: New Jersey Nets

Result: 101-98 win

Stats: 37 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 11-of-19 FGs, 14-of-15 FTs

Doesn't it just seem like LeBron James is going to make his way onto these rankings each and every time he steps onto the court?

Thanks to his well-rounded and efficient performance in a surprisingly close victory over the New Jersey Nets, he did exactly that last night.

48. 61.4 Game Score by Carmelo Anthony

Date: April 8, 2012

Against: Chicago Bulls

Result: 100-99 win

Stats: 43 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-31 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs

Carmelo Anthony was the hero for the New York Knicks on April 8. There is no doubt about that.

To get his season-high 43 points, Melo knocked down the game-tying three-pointer near the end of the fourth quarter and then hit the go-ahead three with 8.2 seconds left in overtime, giving him the team's final five points.

I'll confirm what he said after knocking down that final shot by echoing it here: Madison Square Garden was definitely Melo's house during this game.

45 (tie). 61.8 Game Score by Kobe Bryant

Date: Jan. 14, 2012

Against: Los Angeles Clippers

Result: 102-94 loss

Stats: 42 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 14-of-28 FGs, 12-of-14 FTs

Back in January, Kobe Bryant managed to score 42 points against the Los Angeles Clippers and extend his streak to four straight games with 40 or more points. 

This time, though, it wasn't enough to beat the in-town "rivals," and a five-game streak of victories came to a screeching halt.

45 (tie). 61.8 Game Score by Kevin Durant

Date: Feb. 3, 2012

Against: Memphis Grizzlies

Result: 101-94 win

Stats: 36 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 14-of-24 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs

With less than a minute left to play, the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder were tied at 94.

Then Kevin Durant hit a three-pointer on a pull-up jumper in Rudy Gay's face with 53 seconds left on the clock and scored the final seven points of the game, giving him 36 on the night.

45 (tie). 61.8 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: April 3, 2012

Against: Philadelphia 76ers

Result: 99-93 win

Stats: 41 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-25 FGs, 10-of-13 FTs

LeBron James carried the Miami Heat to a 99-93 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. I would say he also literally carried the 76ers, but this picture is unfortunately from an earlier contest between the two teams.

James' scoring total was aided both by the absence of Dwyane Wade from the Heat lineup and the in-game injury of Andre Iguodala. After Iguodala stopped guarding James, he scored 21 points and helped the Heat clinch a spot in the playoffs.

44. 61.9 Game Score by Dirk Nowitzki

Date: April 16, 2012

Against: Utah Jazz

Result: 123-121 loss

Stats: 40 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-26 FGs, 12-of-12 FTs

I can guarantee Dirk Nowitzki is not taking any solace in his 40-point performance after losing a heartbreaking triple-overtime contest against the Utah Jazz.

His last-second shot to send the game to double-overtime won't matter either in his mind.

43. 62.4 Game Score by Monta Ellis

Date: April 11, 2012

Against: New York Knicks

Result: 111-107 loss

Stats: 35 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 14-of-25 FGs, 4-of-5 FTs

With this game, Monta Ellis became the only player to qualify for the top 50 with two teams. You'll find the Golden State Warriors performance much later on.

Despite Ellis' double-double, the Milwaukee Bucks couldn't quite overcome a 32-point performance from Carmelo Anthony and a big shot near the end by J.R. Smith.

42. 62.5 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: Dec. 28, 2011

Against: Charlotte Bobcats

Result: 96-95 win

Stats: 35 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-23 FGs, 9-of-9 FTs

Dwyane Wade may have banked in a 10-footer to win this early-season game against the Charlotte Bobcats, but it was his teammate who stood out for the first three quarters, 11 minutes and 57.1 seconds of the game.

The Bobcats ran out to a surprising lead, but it was James who carried the team back during the third and fourth quarters with a game-high 35 points and a well-rounded performance.

41. 62.6 Game Score by Kobe Bryant

Date: Feb. 17, 2012

Against: Phoenix Suns

Result: 111-99 win

Stats: 36 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 14-of-25 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs

After sending an autographed pair of his sneakers up to the luxury box that contained Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, Kobe Bryant exploded for 36 points.

Get used to seeing Bryant light it up against the Phoenix Suns.

39 (tie). 62.7 Game Score by Dwight Howard

Date: Feb. 8, 2012

Against: Miami Heat

Result: 102-89 win

Stats: 25 points, 24 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 9-of-14 FGs, 7-of-10 FTs

Amazingly enough, this was the sixth game in which Dwight Howard scored more than 20 points and pulled down at least 20 rebounds.

His monstrous double-double helped the Magic grab a ridiculous 17 offensive rebounds and topple the Miami Heat in the middle of a six-game road trip.

39 (tie). 62.7 Game Score by Al Jefferson

Date: Feb. 17, 2012

Against: Washington Wizards

Result: 114-100 win

Stats: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-23 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs

Al Jefferson rode a huge second quarter to a 26-point first half before cooling off in the second. Adding a great defensive output and limiting his turnovers to a goose egg, Jefferson helped make the game so out of reach that he didn't have to score a lot in the second half.

Then again, it was against the Washington Wizards...

38. 62.9 Game Score by Kevin Love

Date: March 5, 2012

Against: Los Angeles Clippers

Result: 95-94 win

Stats: 39 points, 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-25 FGs, 8-of-11 FTs

"This is my time right now."

Those are the words that Kevin Love uttered after dominating for a second straight game and carrying his team to victory over the Los Angeles Clippers by scoring 39 points, grabbing every rebound in sight and hitting the game-winning shot.

37. 63.1 Game Score by Paul Pierce

Date: Jan. 22, 2012

Against: Washington Wizards

Result: 100-94 win

Stats: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 10-of-15 FGs, 12-of-15 FTs

Without Rajon Rondo playing a single minute and with Ray Allen leaving during the first half with an injured ankle, the Boston Celtics needed someone to step up.

Paul Pierce did, nearly recording a double-double and dropping 34 points to help the C's avoid an embarrassing loss to the Washington Wizards.

Doc Rivers sung his praises after the game, saying, "At the end of the day, your big players have to step up and play well for you to win, especially games when you have guys out. And Paul did everything."

36. 63.3 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: Dec. 25, 2011

Against: Dallas Mavericks

Result: 105-94 win

Stats: 37 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 11-of-19 FGs, 15-of-19 FTs

This game wasn't anywhere near as close as the score indicates, thanks to a 29-8 fourth quarter in the Dallas Mavericks' favor once the contest was well out of hand.

We knew from this first day of the season that LeBron James was going to have one hell of a year.

35. 63.4 Game Score by Chris Paul

Date: Feb. 1, 2012

Against: Utah Jazz

Result: 107-105 win

Stats: 34 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-24 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs

The Los Angeles Clippers hadn't won a game in Utah in 16 tries, dating all the way back to 2003, when Chris Paul was still just a freshman at Wake Forest.

That changed when CP3 scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and became the first Clipper to record at least 34 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals in a game since the 1985-1986 season.

34. 63.5 Game Score by Carmelo Anthony

Date: April 15, 2012

Against: Miami Heat

Result: 93-85 loss

Stats: 42 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 14-of-27 FGs, 12-of-15 FTs

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James proved to be a bit too much to overcome during this recent game, but Carmelo Anthony continued his hot shooting and gave it everything he had in this upset bid.

Melo scored 26 of his points in isolation, a truly impressive number against a Miami Heat defense that makes doing so quite tough.

32 (tie). 63.6 Game Score by Kris Humphries

Date: March 12, 2012

Against: Milwaukee Bucks

Result: 105-99 loss

Stats: 31 points, 18 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 11-of-15 FGs, 9-of-12 FTs

In scoring a career-high 31 points and pulling down 18 rebounds, Kris Humphries became just the fifth New Jersey Net to match or exceed those numbers since the 1985-1986 season.

Mike Gminski was the first to do so, and Buck Williams quickly followed in his footsteps. Then Sam Bowie and Derrick Coleman joined the club in the early 1990s, and no one had done it since.

32 (tie). 63.6 Game Score by Greg Monroe

Date: Jan. 12, 2012

Against: Milwaukee Bucks

Result: 102-93 loss

Stats: 32 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 12-of-16 FGs, 8-of-8 FTs

If you had to single out one game during Greg Monroe's season-long coming-out party, this would be it.

During this early-season loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Monroe played well in every facet of the game. After the contest, the second-year big man said, "I just took what they gave me. I was just able to knock down some open jump shots and get to the rim. I was just reading how they were playing me, trying to make plays and be patient."

That patience showed, as he missed only four shots period, regardless of where he took them from.

30 (tie). 63.7 Game Score by Al Jefferson

Date: April 16, 2012

Against: Dallas Mavericks

Result: 123-121 win

Stats: 28 points, 26 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 14-of-25 FGs, 0-of-0 FTs

Well, Al Jefferson managed to become the only player in these rankings to make it without even attempting a single shot from the charity stripe.

His huge 28-point, 26-rebound game against the Dallas Mavericks made all the difference in this epic triple-overtime victory for the Utah Jazz.

30 (tie). 63.7 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: April 4, 2012

Against: Oklahoma City Thunder

Result: 98-93 win

Stats: 34 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 10-of-20 FGs, 11-of-13 FTs

We may end up looking back on this game as the one that sealed the 2012 NBA MVP award for LeBron James.

While Kevin Durant negated his 30 points with a career-high nine turnovers, James put up yet another efficient and well-rounded performance. In accounting for 58 of his team's 98 points (34 points scored plus 24 off his assists), James created a higher percentage of his team's points than in any other game this season.

He picked a great time to shine.

29. 63.8 Game Score by Rajon Rondo

Date: Feb. 12, 2012

Against: Chicago Bulls

Result: 95-91 win

Stats: 32 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 11-of-22 FGs, 10-of-13 FTs

Out of all of Rajon Rondo's triple-doubles this season, this was the best because of his relative efficiency shooting the ball.

The Boston Celtics needed to win this contest against the Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls after an embarrassing loss to the Toronto Raptors, and they needed every bit of Rondo's output.

28. 64.0 Game Score by Derrick Rose

Date: Dec. 30, 2011

Against: Los Angeles Clippers

Result: 114-101 win

Stats: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 16 assists, 1 block, 0 steals, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 8-of-14 FGs, 10-of-11 FTs

It's quite a shame that injuries have limited Derrick Rose to just this one appearance in the top 50.

Rose picked up where he left off and showed the Los Angeles Clippers during this early contest that they weren't quite the team they thought they were. With his 29 points and 16 assists, Rose played well enough that he heard a few MVP chants while he was shooting free throws, even though the game was played in the Staples Center.

27. 64.6 Game Score by Deron Williams

Date: Jan. 13, 2012

Against: Phoenix Suns

Result: 110-103 win

Stats: 35 points, 2 rebounds, 14 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 11-of-18 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs

Just imagine what this line would have looked like if Steve Nash were in the lineup and playing "defense."

Everyone, including Deron Williams himself, was singing the praises of the New Jersey Nets point guard after this fantastic performance.

26. 64.8 Game Score by John Wall

Date: Jan. 16, 2012

Against: Houston Rockets

Result: 114-106 loss

Stats: 38 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-22 FGs, 12-of-16 FTs

It's a shame that JaVale McGee had to be JaVale McGee and overshadow this career-high, 38-point night from the sophomore floor general for the Washington Wizards.

McGee picked this stage to throw himself an alley-oop off the backboard, even though his team was losing by quite a bit.

25. 64.9 Game Score by DeMarcus Cousins

Date: April 3, 2012

Against: Phoenix Suns

Result: 109-100 loss

Stats: 41 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-25 FGs, 9-of-14 FTs

DeMarcus Cousins' career-high 41 points weren't enough to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Phoenix Suns on April 3—not when Steve Nash put up a double-double of his own with 18 points and 12 assists.

With the exception of pushing his head coach out of a job, Cousins has been enjoying a great second season in the Association. This was the highlight from a statistical standpoint.

24. 65.0 Game Score by Russell Westbrook

Date: Feb. 19, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 124-118 win

Stats: 40 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-29 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs

From a stat nerd's perspective, this was an incredible game.

Kevin Durant scored a career-high 51 points (you'll see that later on), Serge Ibaka recorded a triple-double (including 11 blocks) and Russell Westbrook scored 40 points himself.

Westbrook put it best himself when he said, "Tonight was a nice, epic game."

23. 65.3 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: Jan. 4, 2012

Against: Indiana Pacers

Result: 118-83 win

Stats: 33 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 12-of-21 FGs, 9-of-11 FTs

Playing with a sprained ankle at the end of the game and without Dwyane Wade for the entirety of the contest, LeBron James spearheaded this absolute blowout of the Indiana Pacers. 

Just because his 33 points weren't enough, James also recorded 13 assists and nearly added enough rebounds for a triple-double.

22. 65.5 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: Dec. 30, 2011

Against: Minnesota Timberwolves

Result: 103-101 win

Stats: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-26 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs

If you're tired of seeing LeBron James' name here, get used to seeing it because he'll be appearing a few more times.

The Miami Heat won this nail-biter against the Minnesota Timberwolves when James threw an alley-oop in-bounds pass to a cutting Dwyane Wade with just 4.6 seconds left. The birthday boy really showed up to play with 15 points in the first quarter and 34 throughout the game.

21. 65.8 Game Score by Josh Smith

Date: Feb. 15, 2012

Against: Phoenix Suns

Result: 101-99 win

Stats: 30 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 12-of-23 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs

This was definitely the closest anyone in these rankings came to recording the ever-elusive five-by-five. Josh Smith was just one steal and two blocks away from joining that exclusive club.

With Joe Johnson injured, Smoove took over against the Phoenix Suns. In the last 25 years, only Charles Barkley and LeBron James have ever matched or exceeded each of those counting statistics you see up above in a single game.

20. 66.0 Game Score by Kevin Love

Date: March 28, 2012

Against: Charlotte Bobcats

Result: 88-83 win

Stats: 40 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 14-of-31 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs

By scoring 40 points against the Charlotte Bobcats on the last day of March, his third-highest output of those 28 days, Kevin Love finished the month with a scoring average of 31.3 points per game.

That set a new franchise record for the Minnesota Timberwolves, beating out Kevin Garnett, who has the next four entries on the list.

19. 66.2 Game Score by Josh Smith

Date: March 13, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 118-117 loss

Stats: 33 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 13-of-23 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs

Zaza Pachulia missed a layup with 2.2 seconds left thanks to the defense of Danilo Gallinari, which unfortunately put a damper on Josh Smith's best game of the year.

Shooting efficiently from the field and playing his traditionally solid defense, Smith proved that the ever-swirling trade rumors weren't affecting him on this night.

18. 66.3 Game Score by Stephen Curry

Date: Feb. 9, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 109-101 win

Stats: 36 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 13-of-17 FGs, 4-of-7 FTs

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this performance wasn't Stephen Curry's 13-of-17 shooting from the field or 6-of-9 shooting from downtown, but rather the fact that he was actually healthy and on the court.

Mark Jackson had nothing but good things to say about Curry's game on this particular night: "Just a spectacular night. When you look at that stat line it's a thing of beauty."

17. 66.4 Game Score by Kevin Durant

Date: April 6, 2012

Against: Indiana Pacers

Result: 103-98 loss

Stats: 44 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-24 FGs, 11-of-13 FTs

This was probably the most impressive win of the season for the Indiana Pacers, who faced an absolute onslaught from Kevin Durant and came out with a five-point victory.

Durant pretty much couldn't miss and finished with 44 points, but it just wasn't enough.

16. 67.4 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: March 2, 2012

Against: Utah Jazz

Result: 99-98 loss

Stats: 35 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 steals, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-24 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs

For some reason, all anyone cares about from this game was the fact that LeBron James passed the ball to an open Udonis Haslem at the end of the game and the big man missed a jumper.

They completely overlook the fact that James was completely dominant. He never turned the ball over. He made two-thirds of his shots (both from the field and the foul stripe). He helped the Heat get in position to win the game thanks to his efforts during a fourth-quarter rally.

James scored 17 points in the fourth quarter on 8-of-9 shooting, yet people need to focus on his decision to pass. I still believe it was a good decision.

14 (tie). 67.5 Game Score by Tony Parker

Date: Feb. 4, 2012

Against: Oklahoma City Thunder

Result: 107-96 win

Stats: 42 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-29 FGs, 10-of-12 FTs

Tony Parker's nine assists on the night moved him past Avery Johnson, making him the all-time leading assist man for the San Antonio Spurs. He also managed to break the 40-point barrier thanks to passes from his teammates and his ability to create for himself.

There was a point when Parker was garnering some MVP consideration, and it was largely thanks to performances like this.

14 (tie). 67.5 Game Score by Kevin Love

Date: March 3, 2012

Against: Portland Trail Blazers

Result: 122-110 win

Stats: 42 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-27 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs

The Minnesota Timberwolves hadn't defeated the Portland Trail Blazers since 2007 and hadn't won in Portland since 2005, when Kevin Love was just a sophomore in high school.

Love changed that with his incredibly versatile game. He recorded a double-double, scored 42 points and knocked down five three-pointers when he wasn't banging around down low.

13. 67.6 Game Score by Andrew Bynum

Date: March 13, 2012

Against: Memphis Grizzlies

Result: 116-111 win

Stats: 37 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-18 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs

Andrew Bynum has emerged as the league's second-best center and actually deserves to be in the conversation with Dwight Howard when discussing the best big men in the business.

This was the cherry on top of his magnificent season. Scoring 37 points while missing only three shots from the field is truly impressive, especially when you add 16 rebounds to the cause.

No player has been that efficient from the field while scoring at least 37 points and pulling down 16 rebounds since Alonzo Mourning in 2000.

11 (tie). 68.1 Game Score by Chris Paul

Date: March 9, 2012

Against: San Antonio Spurs

Result: 120-108 win

Stats: 36 points, 4 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover

Shooting Performance: 12-of-20 FGs, 9-of-9 FTs

With Tony Parker watching from the bench, the Los Angeles Clippers point guard staked his claim as the best point guard in the NBA.

Thanks to his unexpected seven three-pointers, Mo Williams got a lot of the credit for this victory, but Chris Paul still outscored him while adding 11 assists to the cause.

11 (tie). 68.1 Game Score by Russell Westbrook

Date: March 23, 2012

Against: Minnesota Timberwolves

Result: 149-140 win

Stats: 45 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 17-of-28 FGs, 9-of-9 FTs

Amazingly enough, this was only the third-best performance from this epic double-overtime game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Russell Westbrook utilized the extra time well, scoring a career-high 45 points and teaming up with Kevin Durant to become the first pair of teammates to each have 40 or more points in the same game twice during a single season.

10. 68.6 Game Score by Kobe Bryant

Date: Jan. 10, 2012

Against: Phoenix Suns

Result: 99-83 win 

Stats: 48 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 18-of-31 FGs, 12-of-13 FTs

Despite his aching wrist, Kobe Bryant submitted this performance and barely managed to sneak into the top 10 games of the season.

Bryant was eager to put the criticisms aside after a putrid shooting performance against the Denver Nuggets, so he came out blazing with 17 points in the first quarter. He finished with 48 on the night but needed 31 shots to do so.

If you're trying to figure out what makes Kobe tick, he uttered a truly telling quote after the game as well: "Not bad for the seventh-best player in the league."

9. 68.8 Game Score by Ben Gordon

Date: March 21, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 116-115 loss

Stats: 45 points, 0 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-22 FGs, 10-of-11 FTs

Ben Gordon's inclusion at No. 9 was the single most surprising entry to me in these rankings. Isn't he supposed to be washed-up?

But for one night, Gordon recaptured his old magic and went 9-of-9 from downtown. It wasn't quite enough to get the win for the Detroit Pistons, but it was enough to tie a record for most three-pointers made without a miss.

8. 69.7 Game Score by Kevin Love

Date: March 25, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 117-100 win

Stats: 30 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 11-of-19 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs

After the game, George Karl said, "I think we used to call him kind of a poor man's Larry Bird. I think you can take 'poor man's' off that comparison now. His ability to rebound is incredible and his offensive tools and skills are growing."

Now THAT is a compliment.

Among players who debuted after the NBA merger in 1976, only Charles Barkley (19), Shaquille O'Neal (18), Hakeem Olajuwon (15) and Patrick Ewing (eight) have recorded more 30-point, 20-rebound games than Kevin Love (seven).

7. 71.3 Game Score by Monta Ellis

Date: Feb. 7, 2012

Against: Oklahoma City Thunder

Result: 119-116 loss

Stats: 48 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 18-of-29 FGs, 9-of-10 FTs

Now here's the Golden State Warriors entry I promised for the current member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Monta Ellis had his stroke on Feb. 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, even if his shooting explosion wasn't enough to push the Dubs over the heavily-favored Thunder.

The shooting guard put up 30 points in the first half and didn't slow down too much.

6. 71.5 Game Score by LeBron James

Date: March 1, 2012

Against: Portland Trail Blazers

Result: 107-93 win

Stats: 38 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 13-of-22 FGs, 10-of-12 FTs

The Miami Heat picked up their ninth straight win at this point in the season thanks to a season-best performance from LeBron James.

Missing Chris Bosh because of a death in the family, James picked up all the slack. He was efficient and heavily used on offense, crashed the boards, found open teammates, was an absolute pest on defense and never turned the ball over.

Since individual turnovers were first tracked in 1977-1978, this was the first time a player has recorded at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals with no giveaways.

5. 72.6 Game Score by Dwight Howard

Date: Jan. 12, 2012

Against: Golden State Warriors

Result: 117-109 win

Stats: 45 points, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 12-of-21 FGs, 21-of-39 FTs

Stan Van Gundy said it perfectly when he jokingly (I assume) said, "I'm looking at them like, 'We're not going to run a play. He's going to foul him. What are we going to bother with diagramming a play? Make the free throw, play some defense.'"

Mark Jackson's hack-a-Dwight strategy backfired when Dwight Howard knocked down 21 of his NBA-record 39 free-throw attempts. That said, D12 did miss more free throws than any player in NBA history not named Wilt Chamberlain.

Thanks to his work from the charity stripe, Howard recorded his first 40-point, 20-rebound game, becoming the only active player in the league to do so.

4. 74.4 Game Score by Kevin Durant

Date: March 23, 2012

Against: Minnesota Timberwolves

Result: 149-140 win

Stats: 40 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 15-of-26 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs

Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in this epic double-overtime game and we're at No. 4 in the rankings, Kevin Durant still didn't have the best performance in this game.

That's saying something since he recorded a monstrous double-double, scored 40 points and shot efficiently while limiting the turnovers.

3. 75.1 Game Score by Kevin Love

Date: March 23, 2012

Against: Oklahoma City Thunder

Result: 149-140 loss 

Stats: 51 points, 14 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-27 FGs, 12-of-16 FTs

Now we finally come to the best performance in that game, even if it came by a player who wound up on the wrong side.

Kevin Love scored a career-high 51 points thanks to his seven three-pointers and great shooting from everywhere else.

Unfortunately for the Minnesota Timberwolves, though, he fell apart in the second overtime period.

2. 78.4 Game Score by Kevin Durant

Date: Feb. 19, 2012

Against: Denver Nuggets

Result: 124-118 win

Stats: 51 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 0 blocks, 5 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 19-of-28 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs

This time, the career-high 51 points was enough to get a win and a higher spot in the rankings.

Kevin Durant went 19-of-28 from the field in his high-scoring game, outshining Russell Westbrook's 40 points and Serge Ibaka's triple-double in this overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets.

1. 84.6 Game Score by Deron Williams

Date: March 4, 2012

Against: Charlotte Bobcats

Result: 104-101 win

Stats: 57 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 5 turnovers

Shooting Performance: 16-of-29 FGs, 21-of-21 FTs

And the top individual performance of the 2011-2012 season belongs to...drum roll—well, actually we don't need a drum roll since you've seen the picture—Deron Williams!

The point guard knocked down all 21 of his free-throw attempts and shot lights-out from the field while doing everything else you can do in the box score. He found open teammates seven times (it would have been more if his teammates could shoot), grabbed six boards and even contributed a steal and a block to the cause.

Too bad the New Jersey Nets franchise record for points doesn't count because it was against an NCAA team.

Most Appearances by Player

Average spot in the rankings will serve as a tiebreaker. 

1. LeBron James, 13 (No. 6, No. 16, No. 22, No. 23, No. 30, No. 36, No. 42, No. 45, No. 49, No. 55, No. 67, No. 81, No. 85)

2. Kevin Love, 9 (No. 3, No. 8, No. 14, No. 20, No. 38, No. 41, No. 61, No. 81, No. 87)

3. Kevin Durant, 6 (No. 2, No. 4, No. 17, No. 45, No. 55, No. 72)

4. Chris Paul, 5 (No. 11, No. 35, No. 50, No. 61, No. 99) 

5. Kobe Bryant, 5 (No. 10, No. 41, No. 45, No. 92, No. 95) 

6. Dwight Howard, 5 (No. 5, No. 39, No. 53, No. 97, No. 99) 

7. Al Jefferson, 5 (No. 30, No. 39, No. 77, No. 79, No. 97) 

8. Josh Smith, 4 (No. 19, No. 21, No. 65, No. 84) 

9. Stephen Curry, 4 (No. 18, No. 55, No. 58, No. 92) 

10. Carmelo Anthony, 4 (No. 34, No. 48, No. 67, No. 99) 

11. Andrew Bynum, 3 (No. 13, No. 76, No 86) 

12. DeMarcus Cousins, 3 (No. 25, No. 65, No. 77) 

13. Rajon Rondo, 3 (No. 29, No. 58, No. 88)

14. Tony Parker, 3 (No. 14, No. 82, No. 99) 

15. Deron Williams, 2 (No. 1, No. 27)

16. Russell Westbrook, 2 (No. 11, No. 24)

17. Monta Ellis, 2 (No. 7, No. 43)

18. Paul Pierce, 2 (No. 37, No. 63)

19. Dirk Nowitzki, 2 (No. 44, No. 70)

20. LaMarcus Aldridge, 2 (No. 53, No. 72)

21. Ben Gordon, 1 (No. 9)

22. John Wall, 1 (No. 26)

23. Derrick Rose, 1 (No. 28)

24. Greg Monroe, 1 (No. 32)

25. Kris Humphries, 1 (No. 32)

26. Paul George, 1 (No. 51)

27. Anthony Morrow, 1 (No. 60)

28. Dwyane Wade, 1 (No. 64)

29. Steve Nash, 1 (No. 67)

30. Brandon Jennings, 1 (No. 71)

31. Blake Griffin, 1 (No. 74)

32. Chris Bosh, 1 (No. 75)

33. Ersan Ilyasova, 1 (No. 79)

34. Antawn Jamison, 1 (No. 88)

35. J.J. Barea, 1 (No. 90)

36. JaVale McGee, 1 (No. 90)

37. Tyreke Evans, 1 (No. 92)

38. Jarrett Jack, 1 (No. 95)