NBA 2018-19: The best individual performances of the season so far

A subtle adjustment was made to the NBA's official rules heading into this season; Rule 7, Section 4, Part D explains the change. In the plainest and simplest of terms, the rule outlines that the shot clock will now reset to 14 seconds instead of the full 24 seconds after an offensive rebound from a shot which has touched the rim.

It was a highly publicised rule change, and even casual NBA fans are mostly aware of it, but the subtlety is not in the rule itself, but rather the effect the rule has had on games.

With shot clocks resetting to 14 seconds instead of 24, teams are taking more shots per game. The number of possessions a team uses per game, which is an advanced stat called pace, is at an all-time high this season as a result of the new rule. 22 teams currently have a pace over 100, compared to just five teams who surpassed that number last season.

The New Orleans Pelicans led the league in pace last season with 101.6 possessions per game, a number which would rank them 11th in the league this season; The Atlanta Hawks lead the league in pace with 106.89 possessions per game. This year is the first year since the 1988-89 season in which the league-wide average pace surpasses 100.

Increased pace means more possessions per game, and more possessions mean bigger and more polarising stat lines. Just 20 games into the season we have already seen some career-defining performances from multiple all-stars. Every single day we are treated with stat lines which look like they are straight out of NBA 2K19 and kept on our toes for the next one.

With so many iconic performances already, which player has had the best individual performance and put on the best show for the fans? Here are the ten best performances from a season packed with must-see action.

10) Headband James Harden - 54 points in a loss to the Wizards

After finally claiming his first MVP award last season, Harden has seemed like an afterthought this season despite otherworldly performances on a nightly basis. It's not unusual for a player to win MVP and be held to a higher standard the following season. Russell Westbrook is a prime example, he won the award by averaging a triple-double and hardly got a vote when he achieved the same feat the following year.

Voter fatigue is real, and media fatigue throughout the season is too, which is what Harden is suffering currently. He will only find himself among the narrative for this season if he starts surpassing last year's efforts, rather than just matching them.

Despite the lack of media hype, Harden has flown under the radar to lead the league in scoring with a career-high 30.6 per game. His average took a boost earlier in the week when he scored 54 points in Washington all while wearing a headband, which isn't a regular occurrence for Harden. In fact, it may have been his first time wearing a headband in a game as a Houston Rocket.

He finished the game with 54 points, eight rebounds, 13 assists, three steals, and seven threes. This game would certainly be ranked higher on the list if not for the fact that the Rockets ended up losing the game in overtime and Harden had eleven turnovers.

Turnovers are inevitable with Harden due to his high usage rate, and he played 47 minutes in this game all without Chris Paul, but eleven is still too many for this game to be ranked any higher.

Game score is an advanced stat which is exactly what its title suggests - it uses a formula to give a player's game an overall score. The formula basically adds a certain amount of points for each point, rebound, assist or any other stat and also subtracts points for missed shots, turnovers and fouls; it works similarly to a fantasy score.

Harden's 54-point performance earned him a game score of 39.9, which is the sixth-highest score by a player this season, and the twelfth-highest score of Harden's career.

Inconceivably, Harden did not wear his headband the Houston's following game against the Mavericks.

9) KD anchors the comeback - 25 fourth-quarter points in a win over the Knicks

They should have devoured the Knicks, but even the Warriors have bad games every now and then. 27 October was one of those bad games until Durant caught fire in the second half to humiliate New York at Madison Square Garden.

Statistically, there have been a collection of better performances this season, but this game goes beyond the counting stats. Durant simply owned the fourth quarter and flattened a crowd who could smell the unlikeliest of victories just around the corner.

New York jumped out to an eight-point lead late in the third quarter and held a six-point lead early in the fourth before Durant made his mark on the game. After scoring a respectable 16 points on 7-11 shooting in the first three quarters, Durant took over in the fourth and added 25 points on 10-13 shooting to finish the game with 41 points on a highly efficient 17-24 shooting.

His performance was desperately needed for the Warriors as the rest of the team were having a hard time scoring and keeping up the pace with the Knicks.

The Warriors ended up winning the game by 28 points, and they outscored New York in the fourth by 31 points. Durant single-handedly outscored the Knicks in the fourth with his 25 points, as the Knicks only managed 16.

Durant's big night ranks as only the 18th highest scoring game by a player this year and the 22nd highest game score, but the dominant fourth quarter by KD to fuel his team to an unlikely blowout win was a thing of beauty.

8) LeBron's first half-century as a Laker - 51 points against Miami

King James travelled to Miami to take on his former team on 18 November and he did not disappoint his former fans; LeBron finished the game with 51 points, eight rebounds and six threes. Scoring 51 is always sweet, even for LeBron who has achieved the single-game milestone 13 times including once in the NBA Finals, but doing so against his former team must have been even sweeter.

Heat and Laker fans both knew he was in for a big game when he scored 16 points in the first quarter and swished one jump shot after another. James tallied nine points in the final eight minutes of the game which including five in the last 45 seconds to surpass the 50-point milestone for the first time as a Laker. LeBron is now the tenth Laker to score 50 points in a game, and the first since Kobe Bryant's 60-point farewell game.

James' game score checked in at 40.1, the fifth-highest score by a player this season. Remarkably, 40.1 isn't even James' highest game score this season. That's because this game was four days after yet another classic LeBron James performance which comes in at number seven.

7) LeBron's showtime era begins in LA - 44 points at home against the Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers v Los Angeles Lakers

The LeBron James era officially began in Los Angeles several weeks earlier, and this wasn't LeBron's first big game as a Laker, but this is the game that he truly reminded Laker fans that they are cheering for the best player in the world on a nightly basis; this was LeBron's first showtime game.

Brandon Ingram's missed three on the last possession of the game left James one assist short of a triple-double - a feat Laker fans desperately wanted judging by the crowd noise - but that didn't take anything away from James' best game as a Laker so far. He finished with 44 points, ten rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and shot otherworldly percentages from all over the floor. James scored 28 of his 44 points in the second half to secure a comeback win.

The crowning achievement of this game from The King came in the third quarter when a three-point play propelled him past Wilt Chamberlain for fifth on the NBA's all-time leading scorer list. The Staples Center crowd hadn't been this electric since Kobe's farewell game, and it truly symbolized the arrival of the LeBron James era as they got louder with every fadeaway jump shot, no-look pass, deep three-pointer and rim-rattling dunk.

6) Blake Griffin's career-high - 50 points in a thrilling OT win

Joel Embiid dominated Andre Drummond and let the war spill onto social media after his dominant performance over the opposing centre, but even he had to admit that this night belonged to Blake Griffin.

Griffin totalled 50 points for the first time in his career in the overtime win over the 76ers on 23 October; he finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five threes as he single-handedly willed the Pistons to a win in one of the games of the season.

Perhaps the most remarkable part of this performance was simply the context and timeline of Griffin's career.

Blake's LA Clippers career lasted seven and a half years, which was enough time for him to consolidate himself as the greatest player the unfortunate franchise has ever seen. The former number one overall draft pick was destined for greatness since day one, and he mostly delivered for the Clippers, but injuries eventually ate away at him and robbed him of the athleticism on which he centred his game.

We may have never seen the best of Griffin's 'lob-city' Clippers with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, which was one of the best highlight reel teams of all time. Griffin's years with the Clippers gifted us with endless highlights, but the team - especially Griffin - couldn't stay healthy

All good things must come to an end, and a fast-declining Griffin was traded to the Pistons in the middle of the 2017-18 season.

Griffin was seen as a future hall-of-famer when he was young, and the only thing that could get in the way of that did get in the way - injuries. To see Griffin set his career-high scoring output and achieve his first ever 50-point game for the Pistons was weird - he was meant to be a Clipper for life, and he isn't the all-NBA world-beater he once was - but it was also magnificent to see a man who was written off by the NBA world prove everybody wrong.

5) Nikola Jokic's (almost) perfect night - 35 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 100 percent from the field

Jokic isn't the most appreciated or hyped superstar, but on 20 October he produced a game most players will never get close to replicating.

The Serbian big man stuffed the stat sheet in every way imaginable; he finished with 35 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals, one block, zero turnovers, 11/11 FGs, 3/3 3FGs, and 10/11 FTs. That's right, the only blemish on Jokic's entire stat line is a single missed free throw.

Shooting a perfect percentage and not turning the ball over isn't a complete statistical anomaly, it does happen from time to time, but usually, when it happens the player has shot 2/2 in eight minutes or something like that. Jokic managed to stay perfect from the field while expanding his range beyond the three-point arc, recording a triple-double, and not turning the ball over once in 31 minutes.

For reference, there have been many instances in the entire history of the NBA in which a player has recorded a triple-double with zero turnovers. But Jokic is clearly the highest scorer and the only player to shoot 100% or anything even close to it. I could go on and on about the statistical impossibilities of this game, but you get the idea.

After Jokic's historic night, he now owns the equal sixth-best game score since 1983-84, when the stat was first kept. He is tied in sixth with Michael Jordan, and only James Harden (three times), Isiah Thomas and David Robinson have eclipsed his score of 45.8. Pretty good company for the 23-year old.

4) Steph's 51-point barrage - 51 points without playing a minute in the fourth quarter

Washington Wizards v Golden State Warriors

NBA fans are no strangers to incredible three-quarter performances by Curry. Before the Warriors were villains, they were the league's darlings mostly because of Curry and his scoring barrages.

Since 2015, Curry has had 15 games in which he has scored 40+ points in 36 minutes or fewer. Before Kevin Durant's arrival, Curry would regularly sit out fourth quarters of blowout wins with massive scoring totals already next to his name. With Durant on board, the scoring load is shared more and though he still sits out fourth quarters a lot, Curry's scoring stampedes aren't as frequent as they once were.

When Curry gets hot, he does so in a flash, and this performance against Washington may have been his finest three-quarter performance yet.

Curry finished the third quarter with 51 points on 15/24 shooting with an 11/16 clip from beyond the arc to bury the Wizards. Sadly, as is the case with most of Curry's best heat check games, he didn't play a minute in the fourth quarter and we didn't get to see how high he could have gone.

When Curry is cooking, the Warriors almost always win big and he rarely plays in the fourth. This will go down as one of Curry's biggest 'what-if' games, but even in three quarters, he managed to make it one of his greatest.

3) Derrick Rose's emotional personal best - 50 points for the first time in his career

If Blake Griffin setting a career-high in scoring as a member of the Pistons isn't weird enough for you, how about Derrick Rose scoring 50 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves?

Rose became the youngest MVP in league history and the only Chicago Bull not named Michael Jordan to win the award. If injuries had never restricted Rose, then the last six years almost certainly would have been filled with MVPs and championships for him. Sport isn't that kind, however, and Rose's last six years have been nothing but an injury narrative and a 'what if' story.

Rose set his new career-high 50 points on 19/31 shooting along with four rebounds and six assists in a win over the Jazz.

Seeing a glimpse of the potential Derrick Rose once possessed left a feeling of pure elation among basketball fans. Rose was always public and transparent with his progress and open with his struggles when he faced years of constant injury rehab and being forced to just watch games rather than play.

The emotion in Rose's face, the smiles on his teammates, and the outpouring of love and support on social media showed just how important this performance was; it was more than just a big game, it was a never-give-up story.

This may not quite be the best performance of the year, but it may end up being the most unforgettable as it is a hallmark moment in the career of an MVP.

2) Cardiac Kemba Walker - 60 stunning points in a loss

Walker had the biggest scoring outburst of the year

Kemba Walker joined a highly exclusive group of NBA players against Philadelphia on 17 November when he put up 60 points in a loss. His 60 points accounted for over half of the team's total score as they lost the game 119-122 in overtime.

Walker is now one of just 26 players to have ever scored 60 points in an NBA game. LeBron James, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony, Klay Thompson and Devin Booker are the only other active players who have hit the milestone.

He shot 21/34 from the field which included six threes for his 60 points and added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Walker is enjoying the best season of his career and has routinely dragged his team to victory. Despite having a supporting cast led by Jeremy Lamb, Malik Monk, Cody Zeller and an ageing Nic Batum, Walker has been able to keep the Hornets firmly in playoff contention thanks to performances like this one.

1) Klay sets another record - 52 points, 14 threes, 27 minutes played

Thompson had an incredible night at Chicago

Heading into 29 October game against the Bulls in Chicago, Klay Thompson had been shooting the ball uncharacteristically bad. He hit a woeful five of his first 36 three-point attempts through the first seven games for the season and hadn't recorded multiple threes in a single game, but he changed his fortunes with a legendary performance on this night.

Klay finished his night towards the end of the third quarter with 52 points on a record-breaking 14 made threes. He went to the locker room at the end of the first half with ten threes and seriously looked on pace to approach 20 before Steve Kerr decided to ruin the fun and bench him. He even added insult to injury for Chicago by wearing a headband to hit his last two threes due to a head knock earlier in the quarter.

This is far from the first time he has added his name to the record books, it's just another impossible achievement that consolidates him as the greatest heat-check player of all time.

The craziest stat from this performance is that it is only Klay's third-best career heat check game; his 37-point quarter ranks first, 60 points in 29 minutes with only 11 dribbles is second, this is third, and his eleven threes in game six of the Western Conference Finals to stay alive against the Thunder is fourth.

One of the splash brothers will probably break this record at some point before they retire - they seem to keep besting each other like that - but it's going to be a long time before anyone hits this mark again, let alone hits it before the end of the third quarter.