NBA History: 5 Greatest individual performances of the last decade

With just a few days of 2019 remaining, now is the perfect time to reflect on the past decade of NBA action.

Over the last 10 years, there has been no shortage of memorable moments, and while the likes of James Harden and Luka Doncic are now putting up huge numbers on a nightly basis, there are a number of individual performances over the past decade that have left a lasting impact.

So, as we head towards 2020, here we will take a look at the five greatest performances of the last decade.

#5 Klay Thompson - 2016 Western Conference Finals (Game 6): 41/4/0 on 14/31 shooting

Klay Thompson's shooting was enough to eliminate the OKC Thunder

The Golden State Warriors entered the 2016 Western Conference Finals coming off the best regular season in NBA history, but Steve Kerr's team found themselves 3-1 down following a series of excellent performances from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Warriors took Game 5 with a gutsy performance, but the Thunder were dominant for much of Game 6 and led 94–87 with less than six minutes left. However, a huge individual performance from Klay Thompson proved enough for the Warriors to level the series, before going on to advance to the 2016 Finals.

After scoring 19 points in the first half, Thompson exploded in the second half as he dropped a further 26. Thompson finished the game with a playoff-record 11 three-pointers and he missed just seven of his 18 attempts - with his final 3-pointer handed the Warriors a 104-101 lead with just 90 seconds remaining.

The All-Star also helped lock down Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant in the closing stages, and it is difficult to think of a more clutch performance from the past decade.

#4 Carmelo Anthony - 2013/14 Regular Season: 62/13/0 on 23-35 shooting

Carmelo Anthony dropped 62 points on the Bobcats during his best performance in a NY jersey

Carmelo Anthony's skillset has been left behind by the NBA in recent years, although during the 2013/14 season, Melo was still among the best players in the league. The All-Star had finished the previous campaign leading the league in points per game, and during a regular-season game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Anthony delivered the signature performance of his Hall-of-Fame career.

Anthony reached 62 points on 23-for-35 shooting, and the Knicks star also connected with 6 of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc.

While he failed to register an assist, Melo grabbed 13 rebounds during a dominant performance. At the time, Anthony's 62 points were the most scored since Kobe Bryant's 65 eight years earlier, and Melo's total could have been even higher had he not been subbed out with more than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

#3 James Harden - 2017/18 Regular Season: 60/11/10 on 19/30 shooting

James Harden broke a number of records during a memorable performance against the Magic

James Harden has shattered a number of records over the past five years and the shooting guard's best performance to date came during the 2017-18 season as he dropped a 60-point triple-double on the Orlando Magic.

During Houston's 114-107 win, Harden recorded 60 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and 4 steals as he set the franchise record for points scored in a game.

Despite being known for his tendency to shoot three-pointers at a historic pace, much of Harden's scoring came inside the arc as he connected with 14 of his 16 attempts, and he finished 19-of-30 from the field.

Harden also connected with 17 of his 18 attempts from the free-throw line, and his historic night helped him to secure his first MVP award the following summer.

#2 Kevin Durant - 2018 NBA finals (Game 3): 43/13/7 on 15/23 shooting

Kevin Durant outscored Golden State's four other starters during a memorable performance

Over the past decade, Kevin Durant has enjoyed a number of memorable performances for both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, and he saved his best performance for Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals.

Durant dropped a game-high 43 points, while also finishing with 13 rebounds and seven assists - and his point tally was higher than the combined total of 41 points managed by Golden State's other starters in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and JaVale McGee.

Durant needed just 23 shots to reach his total, and when his huge 3-pointer put the Warriors 106-102 up with just 49 seconds left, Golden State had effectively wrapped up the series to claim the title for the second consecutive season.

#1 LeBron James - 2012 Eastern Conference Finals (Game 6): 45/15/5 on 19/26 shooting

LeBron James produced the biggest performance of his career as the Heat faced elimination

The 2011-12 season marked the second year of the Miami Heat's 'Big Three' era of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, although after finishing the season with a 46-20 record, the Heat found themselves 3-2 down to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

James had received a huge amount of criticism for joining a stacked Heat team in the summer of 2010 and another failure to land a title would have come as a huge blow to the superstar's legacy.

However, the then 25-year-old delivered the best game of his career, in Boston, as he recorded 45 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, while also shooting 73% from the floor.

James' masterful performance was even more vital as Wade and Bosh combined for just 24 points, and the Heat went on to win Game 7 before defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.