Ranking the 25 Best Single-Game Performances of the NBA Season to Date

It's time to face the facts. As NBA fans, we're spoiled beyond belief. On any given night this season, we've been fortunate enough to see the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant light it up—and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Whether it be young point guards, aging big men or wings in their prime, there's been no shortage of extraordinary performances throughout the Association's 2012-13 campaign.

With the playoffs rapidly approaching, it's time to celebrate the greatest single-game performances we've seen thus far.

Honorable Mention: Anderson Varejao vs. Brooklyn

Final Line: 35 points (16-of-21 shooting), 18 rebounds, three assists, two steals

From the start of the season, Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao appeared to be on a mission. He was rebounding with reckless abandon, posting double-doubles with ease.

Many saw an All-Star nod in his future, while Defensive Player of the Year consideration didn't seem to be an unrealistic expectation.

Unfortunately, Varejao wound up suffering a nasty ankle injury and a subsequent blood clot in his lung that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season.

Prior to his injury, Varejao was averaging 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. Had he sustained that rebounding pace, Varejao would have been the league leader in boards.

In a showdown with the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 13, Varejao poured in a career-high 35 points on 76 percent shooting while doing his usual dirty work on the glass.

Honorable Mention. Joakim Noah Dominates in Detroit

Final Line: 30 points (12-of-19 shooting), 23 rebounds, six assists, two steals, two blocks

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah has put together a brilliant season.

Noah has helped shoulder the offensive burden in the absence of point guard Derrick Rose, averaging a career-high 12.2 points per game.

The University of Florida product has also been his usual stellar self on the defensive end, and he finds himself in the running for the league's Defensive Player of the Year award (although Marc Gasol and his game-winning blocks may have something to say about that).

On Dec. 7, Noah brought his best on both the offensive and defensive ends against the Detroit Pistons. And boy were the Bulls thankful he did.

The Bulls escaped with a four-point victory at the Palace, and Noah's 30 points on 63 percent shooting were a big reason why.

Honorable Mention: Kobe Comes Up Clutch in Dallas

Final Line: 38 points (13-of-21 shooting, 4-of-5 from three), 12 rebounds, seven assists

Should the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately qualify for the postseason, they'll look back on Feb. 24 as a turning point.

After defeating the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers would go on to win six of their next eight, propelling themselves back into the playoff conversation.

Kobe Bryant was unflappable in crunch time, hitting big shot after big shot, whether it was over rookie Jae Crowder or veterans Vince Carter and Shawn Marion.

In a nationally televised contest, Bryant showed vintage form, hitting more than 60 percent of his shots while nearly compiling a triple-double.

25. Westbrook Nearly Triple-Doubles Against New York

Final Line: 37 points (15-of-27 shooting, 2-of-4 from three), 11 rebounds, eight assists

The primary knocks on Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook have been that he's prone to turnovers and inefficient on the offensive end.

On April 7, Westbrook showed just how potent he can be when he's playing efficiently.

Not only did he dole out eight dimes, but Westbrook also committed just one turnover in a loss against the New York Knicks. On the season, Westbrook is averaging 3.4 turnovers per game, his fewest since the 2009-10 season.

It should be noted that although Westbrook is often criticized for not playing like a true point guard, he's posted an assist percentage of 38.8 this season (per Basketball-Reference), a mark that ranks 10th in the NBA.

24. Tim Duncan Posts Massive Line in Loss to Denver

Final Line: 31 points (11-of-25 shooting), 18 rebounds, six assists, five blocks, two steals

Tim Duncan is one of just four players averaging more than 17 points and 10 rebounds per game this season, according to Basketball-Reference. The other three players who have matched Duncan's statistical output (Al Horford, David Lee and Kevin Love) have an average age of 26 years old.

Duncan is 36. The man is still a walking double-double.

It's hard not to marvel at the season Duncan has put together, as he's staked a legitimate claim to be named to either the first or second All-NBA team.

One of Duncan's exemplary performances this season occurred on Dec. 18 against the Denver Nuggets.

Duncan powered his way to 31 points on 44 percent shooting, while he fell three steals short of compiling a five-by-five.

23. Paul Pierce Triple-Doubles in Triple OT

Final Line: 27 points (7-of-20 shooting, 5-of-9 from three), 14 rebounds, 14 assists

Paul Pierce had the benefit of playing a shade over 54 minutes in the Boston Celtics' victory over the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 10, but that shouldn't belittle what a fantastic performance it was.

While Pierce struggled to find his shot inside the arc, he was lethal from beyond, connecting on 55.6 percent of his looks from deep, including a game-tying three with just over five seconds to go in the game's second overtime.

However, what wound up being more impressive than Pierce's shooting was his distribution.

On the day, Pierce recorded 14 assists, with the most crucial coming on a drive-and-kick in the third overtime when four defenders were caught ball-watching as Pierce entered the paint.

Recognizing the situation, Pierce calmly delivered a pass to Jason Terry, who spotted up and nailed the game's decisive bucket.

22. Chris Paul Guides Clippers in Battle for LA

Final Line: 30 points (11-of-25 shooting, 1-of-4 from three), 13 assists, six rebounds, two steals

Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers owned the Los Angeles Lakers this season. The Clippers emerged victorious in all four meetings, posting an average margin of victory of just over 13.

For Paul, his most impressive performance came in a contest against the Lakers shortly after the New Year.

Coincidentally, the matchup between the Lakers and Clippers on Jan. 4 was the closest of the four, as the Clippers clawed their way to a five-point victory.

According to Basketball-Reference, Paul's 30 points in this game are the second most he's scored this season and the most he's scored in a win.

21. Carmelo Continues Hot Streak Against Milwaukee

Final Line: 41 points (17-of-28 shooting, 3-of-7 from three), 14 rebounds, one assist

April has been kind to Carmelo Anthony. The New York Knicks forward compiled 40 points or more in three straight games to start the month, with one of his signature performances coming against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 5.  

Trailing the Bucks 45-36 at halftime, the Knicks came out with guns blazing in the third quarter and dropped 42 points, doubling Milwaukee's point total in that span.

Anthony was responsible for 18 of those 42 points in the third (as seen above) and shot a wildly efficient 60.7 percent from the field on the night.

With Anthony and Kevin Durant virtually tied in the race for the league's scoring title (via The Oklahoman), it wouldn't be a surprise to see Anthony light up the Garden like he did against Milwaukee a few more times before the season comes to a close. 

20. Kevin Durant Records First Career Triple-Double

Final Line: 25 points (8-of-16 shooting, 3-of-5 from three), 13 rebounds, 10 assists

It doesn't seem possible, but it took Kevin Durant until the start of his sixth pro season to record a triple-double.

What Durant's Nov. 18 performance against the Golden State Warriors proved was that he's capable of playing second fiddle to Russell Westbrook when necessary.

While Westbrook posted 30 points on 22 shots against the Warriors, Durant was patient, connecting on 50 percent of his looks from the field en route to a solid output of 25 points.

Although he's having a fantastic season, Westbrook is often too unpredictable, and his aggressive nature can sometimes phase Durant out of the offense.

Against the Warriors, it was nice to see Durant contribute in other ways on the offensive end.

19. Zach Randolph's Beauty vs. Phoenix

Final Line: 38 points (15-of-22 shooting), 22 rebounds, three blocks

There's a reason Zach Randolph was on his second All-Star team in 2013.

Although Randolph's game isn't sexy in the eyes of casual observers, he's established himself as a serious force down on the blocks.

According to Basketball-Reference, Randolph is one of just four players averaging more than 15 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.

In a Dec. 4 matchup with the Phoenix Suns, Randolph helped bolster those averages, posting an insane line of 38 points and 22 rebounds in a 10-point win.

The 38 points were impressive, but it was the 68 percent shooting that really propelled Randolph's performance against the Suns to the next level.

18. Harden Dazzles Against Portland

Final Line: 35 points (13-of-16 shooting, 4-of-5 from three), 11 assists, seven rebounds

James Harden's transformation into a superstar during his first season in Houston has been phenomenal. 

Harden's efficiency has been off the charts, as he's tailored his game around aggressive drives and plenty of threes.

According to Hoopdata, Harden has attempted 5.8 shots per game at the rim, 2.4 more than he did in 2011-12 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He's also attempted 1.4 more threes per game than he did one year ago and is currently tied for third in the NBA in three-point attempts per game, according to ESPN.

On Feb. 8 against the Portland Trail Blazers, Harden had efficiency on his mind, as he hit on 81 percent of his shots from the field and 80 percent of his looks from beyond the arc.

Harden's performance against Portland was a stern reminder that the Rockets guard is firmly in the running for the league's Most Improved Player award.

The question is, will voters see his improvement as a result of a minutes boost, or will they take into consideration the way he's adjusted his game to make it more efficient?

17. Dirk Carries Dallas over Chicago

Final Line: 35 points (14-of-17 shooting, 5-of-6 from three), seven rebounds, one assist

Oh, how sweet it was to see a vintage Dirk Nowitzki performance against the Chicago Bulls back on March 30.  

With his patented turnaround jumper falling, defenders Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler were no match for the 2011 NBA Finals MVP.  

The highlight of Dirk's near-perfect day came when he drilled the game-winning three after Deng made a poor decision to switch to a driving Vince Carter.  

Trailing the Utah Jazz by two-and-a-half games in the Western Conference standings, the Dallas Mavericks may need a few more of those performances from Nowitzki to qualify for the playoffs.

16. Nicolas Batum's 5x5

Final Line: 11 points (4-of-11 shooting, 3-of-9 from three), 10 assists, five rebounds, five steals, five blocks

Mid-December NBA games are not usually considered the pinnacle of sporting entertainment, particularly when they're showdowns between the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Hornets.

Fortunately, Blazers forward Nicolas Batum broke out on Dec. 16, posting a rare five-by-five stat line.

As CBS Sports' Zach Harper mentioned the night of Batum's historic outing, the five-by-five club is quite exclusive:

"

It's been done a total of 15 times now in the last 27 years. Batum joins Hakeem Olajuwon (six times), Andrei Kirilenko (three times), David Robinson (once), Vlade Divac (once), Marcus Camby (once), Derrick Coleman (once) and Jamal Tinsley (once) to record a 5x5 in this era. The last one occurred on January 3, 2006 by Andrei Kirilenko against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"

Although it wasn't a flashy performance, Batum's workmanlike effort earned the Blazers a scrappy 95-94 victory over the Hornets.

15. Kyrie Irving Puts Up Big Numbers at the Garden

Final Line: 41 points (15-of-25 shooting, 5-of-8 from three), five assists, five rebounds

Shortly after breaking a bone in his jaw, Kyrie Irving took the court at Madison Square Garden for a Dec. 15 showdown with the New York Knicks.

Instead of donning the prototypical clear facemask we've grown accustomed to seeing on players with broken facial bones, Irving donned an unusual black one.

That mask did Irving some good, as he dropped a career-high 41 points on the night, shooting 60 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Unfortunately for Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Anderson Varejao was unable to connect on a game-tying free-throw attempt with one second left that could have sent the game to overtime.

Nonetheless, Irving's performance at the Garden was a preview of what fans should expect to see from the 21-year-old for the next decade or so.

14. Jeff Green Has Career Night Against Miami

Final Line: 43 points (14-of-21 shooting, 5-of-7 from three), seven rebounds, four blocks

All season long, Boston Celtics fans have been pleading to see more out of Jeff Green. On March 18, in a nationally televised contest against the Miami Heat, Green delivered.

Throughout the first half, Green got to the cup at will, flashing his elite finishing capabilities around the rim. 

Green also displayed a steady three-point stroke against the Heat, knocking down deep balls from both the wing and the corner.

In a defining sequence in the second quarter, Green blocked a Shane Battier corner three and then knocked down one of his own on the other end.

Although the Celtics wound up falling to the Heat by a score of 105-103, Green's emergence proved that the franchise's future remains bright.

13. LeBron Leads Comeback, Sinks Celtics

Final Line: 37 points (16-of-29 shooting, 1-of-4 from three), 12 assists, seven rebounds

One lesson learned during the Miami Heat's 27-game winning streak: No lead is safe when you're playing against LeBron James.

Not only did James thoroughly embarrass Jason Terry with a dunk for the ages, but he also hit a game-winning shot over Jeff Green, the man who upstaged him over the contest's first 30 minutes.

Of the come-from-behind victories the Heat compiled over the months of February and March, the team's triumph over the Celtics may have been the most significant.

The Celtics have been the Heat's only true rival in the Eastern Conference over the past three years, with Doc Rivers proving to be capable of crafting game plans to slow down James and Co.

As he torched the Celtics in the game's closing minutes, James proved that it will take a near-perfect effort over 48 minutes to prevent him from capturing championship ring No. 2.

12. Deron Williams Lights Up Barclays

Final Line: 42 points (15-of-24 shooting, 11-of-16 from three), five assists, three rebounds

It would be fair to say that point guards have had their fair share of success from beyond the arc in New York this season.

Not long after Stephen Curry put on a show for the ages at Madison Square Garden (more on that later), Deron Williams took center stage at Barclays Center.

On March 8, Williams came out firing against the Washington Wizards, hitting nine three-pointers in the first half.

Overall, Williams converted on a staggering 11 threes but was unable to break the NBA record of 12 makes from beyond the arc in a single game.

11. Kevin Durant Puts Up 52, Takes Down Dallas in Overtime

Final Line: 52 points (13-of-31 shooting, 5-of-9 from three), nine rebounds, one assist

Not all 50-point games are created equal.

Kevin Durant's performance against the Dallas Mavericks shortly after the New Year was impressive, but it must be emphasized that he scored 40 percent of his points that night from the charity stripe.

Durant shot a perfect 21-of-21 from the free-throw line on Jan. 18, showing why he's likely to enter the esteemed 50-40-90 club at season's end.

Durant's 55.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc was stellar as well, but his 13-of-31 shooting from the field was underwhelming.

Although it wasn't pretty, Durant's calculated dismantling of the Mavericks (including the overtime game-winner) resulted in a new career high in the scoring column.

10. John Wall Surprises Against Memphis

Final Line: 47 points (13-of-22 shooting, 2-of-4 from three), eight assists, seven rebounds

We must consider several factors when examining John Wall's 47-point explosion against the Memphis Grizzlies.

First, the Grizzlies are one of the stingiest (if not the stingiest) defensive teams in the NBA. According to Basketball-Reference, prior to Wall's outburst, the most points the Grizzlies had allowed a single player to score this season was 35 (J.R. Smith).

Wall topped Smith's mark by 12 points, leading the Wizards to a 107-94 win at the Verizon Center.

What also made Wall's performance special was that it showed just how great he could be if his jump shot starts to fall on a consistent basis. He opened the game with a flurry of jumpers and didn't slow down one bit.

If Wall can develop an outside jumper to go with his elite finishing ability around the basket, he'll quickly become one of the most dominant point guards in the NBA.

9. LeBron Triple-Doubles Against Toronto

Final Line: 31 points (12-of-23 shooting, 1-of-5 from three), 11 assists, 10 rebounds

When thinking of LeBron James' multitude of impressive performances this season, his triple-double against the Toronto Raptors may not be the first that comes to mind.

However, if you examine that game in the context of the entire season, it looks quite impressive.

According to Basketball-Reference, James is the only player this season to record a triple-double when scoring more than 30 points.

In a game in which the Heat escaped with a 123-116 victory, James' stellar performance wound up being the difference.

8. Kobe Leads Lakers to Comeback Win over New Orleans

Final Line: 42 points (14-of-21 shooting, 3-of-7 from three), 12 assists, seven rebounds

It's been a bumpy ride for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012-13, and on March 6, it appeared as if Kobe Bryant's bunch was headed for another letdown.

With the Lakers down 25 points at one point, Kobe's scoring and distributing abilities were nearly perfect, as he led L.A. to a crucial 108-102 comeback victory on the road.

In addition to dropping a game-high 42 points in 42 minutes of action, Bryant nearly triple-doubled but fell three rebounds shy of doing so.

Bryant has been lauded for adapting his game to make it more conducive to playing with a cast of superstars, and against the New Orleans Hornets, we saw both the score-first and pass-first Kobe combine for one epic performance.

7. Joakim Noah's Dismantling of Philadelphia

Final Line: 23 points (8-of-12 shooting), 21 rebounds, 11 blocks, three steals

"Pure dominance" would be the simplest way to describe Joakim Noah's performance against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 28.  

According to Basketball-Reference, Noah's rare triple-double was one of just five like it recorded since the 1985-86 season.

In that time span, Hakeem Olajuwon (twice), Shaquille O'Neal and Shawn Bradley are the only players who have matched Noah's impressive feat of posting a final line consisting of 20 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks.

What made his performance all the more impressive was that, among the four players who have posted similar lines, Noah recorded the highest field-goal percentage, posting a mark of 66.7 percent shooting.

6. LeBron's Nearly Perfect Night

Final Line: 31 points (13-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds, eight assists

Efficiency: That's what LeBron James has been about since the Miami Heat's 2011-12 championship run, and it's what has him in the driver's seat for the league's MVP award.

James' refined game was on display against the Charlotte Bobcats on Feb. 4, as he missed just one shot the entire night.

Making a living in the paint, James converted on 12 of 13 shots from close range and made his only attempt from mid-range, according to NBA.com.

LeBron's manhandling of the Bobcats marked the Heat's second consecutive victory during a win streak that would eventually balloon to 27 straight.

5. Kobe Pushes Lakers over Raptors

Final Line: 41 points (11-of-22 shooting, 5-of-10 from three), 12 assists, six rebounds, two steals

Kobe Bryant has had to play the role of hero a bit more than he'd prefer in 2012-13.

The Los Angeles Lakers have fallen asleep during many a first half, relying on their ageless wonder to make significant contributions in the game's closing stages.

Luckily, Bryant has been up to the task.

Against the Toronto Raptors on March 8, the Lakers trailed by 15 points but rallied once again. Bryant converted on a near-impossible sequence of shots, scoring the team's final nine points (on three treys) in regulation.

Kobe would go on to seal the deal as he flushed the ball with authority, giving the Lakers a 117-115 lead with just over 10 seconds to go in overtime.

4. Carmelo Drops 50 on a Short-Handed Miami Squad

Final Line: 50 points (18-of-26 shooting, 7-of-10 from three), two rebounds, two assists

Say what you will about Carmelo Anthony's 50-point thrashing of the Miami Heat, but it was spectacular regardless of the team Erik Spoelstra put on the floor that April 2 night.

'Melo shot an absurd 69.2 percent from the field and an even better 70 percent from three en route to his only 50-point game of the season to date.

With a stroke as lethal as any in the NBA, Anthony showed why the Knicks should be a feared squad come playoff time.

Anthony's brilliance led the Knicks to what was their ninth straight victory at the time.

3. LeBron Paces Heat Past Kings in Double Overtime

Final Line: 40 points (14-of-23 shooting, 1-of-2 from three), 16 assists, eight rebounds

A rousing performance by LeBron James on Feb. 26 kept the Miami Heat's win streak alive, as they scrapped their way to a 141-129 victory in double overtime.

James led the charge with 40 points (Dwyane Wade wasn't far behind, with 39 of his own) and posted a career-high 16 assists in the win.

According to Basketball-Reference, James posted a true shooting percentage of 70.7 for the game and an effective field-goal percentage of 63.

Take into account that James accounted for 49.8 percent of the team's assists while on the floor that night (per Basketball-Reference), and you can see why this was one of the most complete performances by any player this season.

2. James Harden Goes off on OKC

Final Line: 46 points (14-of-19 shooting, 7-of-8 from three), seven rebounds, six assists

Revenge was on James Harden's mind when he took the court on Feb. 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Playing against the team that dealt him prior to the season, Harden posted a career-high 46 points on 73.7 percent shooting from the field and 87.5 shooting from beyond the arc.

To make his performance even sweeter, the Rockets downed the Thunder by a score of 122-119 in a classic Western Conference shootout.

Harden also shot from the charity stripe 12 times that night, hitting on 11 of his freebies.

1. Stephen Curry Drops 54 in Spectacle at the Garden

Final Line: 54 points (18-of-28 shooting, 11-of-13 from three), seven assists, six rebounds

As things currently stand, Stephen Curry is just one of three players who has topped the 50-point mark in a single game this season.

Curry poured in a season-high 54 points against the New York Knicks on Feb. 27 in a performance that can only be described as mesmerizing.

Watching the Golden State guard operate on that Wednesday night was hypnotizing, as Curry showed no hesitation driving to the rim or pulling up for transition threes.

What made Curry's performance all the more impressive was his recognition of the Knicks' defensive schemes.

Although the Warriors would wind up losing, Curry's ability to read double- and triple-teams was superb, as he found cutters slashing to the basket on several possessions in crunch time.

For a performance of this caliber, Madison Square Garden felt like the only arena worthy of Curry's greatness that night.