'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
LeBron James is the undisputed King of the NBA. While it may seem like an easy task to select his ten greatest performances in the regular season, it is not so because he is an all-time great whose career is replete with numerous such instances.
At 18, James entered the NBA in the 2003-04 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After 17 years, he has evolved into one of the best players to have graced the NBA. Last season, he led the LA Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship while also claiming the NBA Finals MVP honor.
LeBron James' 10 greatest NBA regular-season games
Trending
LeBron James has produced a plethora of fine performances in the NBA, both during the regular season and in the playoffs. But in this article, we will focus on his performances in the NBA regular season only.
In 1265 games in the NBA regular season, LeBron James has averaged 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game on 50% shooting from the field.
So, without further ado, let's have a look at his ten greatest NBA regular-season games.
#10 Sacramento Kings - 2003-04 NBA season
LeBron James made his NBA debut on 29 October 2003 while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Sacramento Kings.
LeBron James made a huge impact in the much-awaited game and showed that his potential was off the charts. At the ARCO Arena, James started the game with 12 points on 6-10 shooting from the field in the first quarter.
He scored 13 points in the second while also making six of his ten shots from the field. Though the Cavs eventually lost to the experienced Kings, LeBron James was amazing on his first NBA night.
He finished the game with 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals while making 12 of his 20 shots from the field. He had the highest Usage Rate of any starter (from both teams) and had just two turnovers.
It was indeed a superb performance from LeBron James, who was just 18 years at that time.
#9 Boston Celtics - 2007-08 NBA season
With Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arriving in Boston for the 2007-08 season, the Boston Celtics were one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference during that campaign.
Coached by Doc Rivers, they started the year with 11 wins in 12 games. It was a must-see game when the Celtics went to Cleveland for their first match against LeBron James.
James had a big night against a team that would become one of his main opponents in the years to come. He scored 38 points, assisted his teammates 13 times and had just three turnovers. He also had two steals and two blocks. LeBron James' offensive rating (126) was the highest of the game among starters of both teams.
While the King shot 11 of 25 from the field, he made 14 of his 15 free throws and led Cleveland to a five-point win in overtime. That loss was Boston's only OT loss in the entire season, and it came at the hands of a certain LeBron James.
#8 New York Knicks - 2007-08 NBA season
LeBron James had a big night at Madison Square Garden on 5 March 2008 against the New York Knicks.
James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 14-point win over the Knicks after making 16 of the team's field goals on the night. He scored 50 points and had 10 assists, eight rebounds and four steals.
LeBron James also made seven of his 13 attempts from the three, tying his career-high for three-pointers made in his career at the time. His offensive rating for the game was a whopping 157.
#7 Milwaukee Bucks - 2005-06 NBA season
On 10 December 2005, LeBron James achieved the second 50-point game of his NBA career (he has 12 in the regular season now).
Against the Milwaukee Bucks, James's stats read 52 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and five threes on 65% shooting (19-29).
Despite LeBron James' big night, the Cavs fell to the Bucks by five points. James had eight teammates who played at least 11 minutes on the night. While he made 19 shots out of 29, the rest of the team made only 18 out of 39.
Only one of LeBron's teammates on that night made more than three field goals.
#6 Toronto Raptors - 2004-05 NBA season
LeBron James' first 50-point game of his career took place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on 20 March 2005.
On that night against the Toronto Raptors, James had his first game with at least six three-pointers made (6-12 for the game).
He scored 56 points on 50% shooting, doing so with ten rebounds, five assists, two steals,and 14-15 from the FT line, but despite his heroics, the Cavaliers fell short against the Raptors.
Of course, the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers bench scored just one point was not ideal. Nevertheless, LeBron James (18-36) made more field goals than the rest of his team's starting lineup combined (17-41).
#5 Washington Wizards - 2017-18 NBA season
LeBron James' performance on 3 November 2017 against the Washington Wizards, one of the most recent games in this list, was simply stunning.
With the Cavs coming off of four straight losses after a 3-5 start to the season, LE Bron James came up big against the Wizards to give Cleveland a much-needed win away from home.
James scored 57 points on 67% shooting and made all his nine free-throw attempts. His 11 rebounds and seven assists were huge for the Cavs too.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead. With the Wizards trying to find their way back into the game, LeBron James scored 19 points in the deciding corner to seal the win for the Cavaliers.
In the second half, Cleveland scored 56 points, with LeBron James contributing 33 of them. He also scored or assisted 17 of the Cavs' 21 baskets in the second half of that game.
#4 Portland Trail Blazers - 2010-11 NBA season
During his 2010-11 season, when he joined the Miami Heat, LeBron James had one of his greatest regular-season games.
Against the Portland Trail Blazers on 9 January 2011, James led the Heat to a tremendous away win by produing a solid 44-point game. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out six assists.
LeBron James scored 22 points between the fourth quarter and OT to lead the Heat to a seven-point win. He made his last eight shots (from the 0:05.9 mark in the third quarter until the end of the game).
#3 Milwaukee Bucks - 2008-09 NBA season
LeBron James had one of his greatest shooting nights from the perimeter in Milwaukee on 20 February 2009.
He made a career-high eight three-pointers against the Bucks in a 111-103 win. LeBron James scored 55 points on 16-29 (55%) shooting from the field and made 15 of his 22 free throws.
James' 55-point game led the Cavs to their 42nd win of the season (in 53 games). It was his second 50-point game that month and his second in six games.
#2 New York Knicks - 2008-09 NBA season
On his way to his first NBA Most Valuable Player award, LeBron James had one of his greatest regular-season games against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
On 4 February 2009, James scored 52 points on 51% shooting (17-33) while also grabbing nine rebounds and assisting his teammates 11 times.
James scored or assisted 28 of his team's 37 field goals. He also had a 16-19 night from the free-throw line, his 16 free-throws tying his season-high mark.
Earlier, in the game, it seemed as if James had achieved the first 50-point triple-double in the NBA in 34 years, but the league corrected a mistake in the stats and took away one rebound from The King's initial tally.
#1 Charlotte Bobcats - 2013-14 NBA season
LeBron James usually goes off from the three-point line or mid-range in most of his highest-scoring games. Against the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) on 3 March 2014, The King went off on a 61-point rampage, doing so on 67% shooting and 80% from the three (8-10).
It remains LeBron James' only 60-point game of his career. It was a terrific night to watch James exhibiting his amazing scoring prowess.
James also grabbed seven rebounds and recorded four assists on the night, putting up a monstrous 161 offensive rating. He also had a game-high of +16 Plus/Minus for the night.
It was also the Heat's franchise record for most points scored by a player in a single game. James did all that while wearing a mask to protect his broken nose.
Also read: NBA Draft 2020: Questions about Anthony Edwards' fitness could cost him being the No. 1 pick while Tyrese Haliburton's stock continues to rise.
