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One-quarter is enough to change the course of an NBA game. Basketball, in general, is a game of fine margins. It requires a bit of everything physically and mentally.
As players get mature, they try to adapt to the smartest way of winning games. One way to do that is by exploiting certain situations or moments of a game to churn out wins for their team.
Dominating a game quarter by quarter has been a wise way of outsmarting opponents. Several players in the NBA have done that to gain an advantage for their respective teams.
Some have been highly exceptional at it, especially on the offensive end. Plenty of NBA players have had multiple 20-point quarters, which is no mean feat.
On that note, let's take a look at five players with the most 20-point quarters in NBA history since 1996, when the stats were first recorded.
#5 Damian Lillard - 21 20-point quarters
Damian Lillard is one of the most lethal long-range shooters in the NBA. He is also the most efficient player in clutch moments and can change the course of a game single-handedly.
Lillard has 21 20-point quarters in his NBA career. The Portland Trail Blazers talisman has always been the primary scoring option on all the teams he has played on. Lillard has had some big nights en route to tallying so many 20-point quarters in only seven years in the league.
The sharpshooting guard has several years left before he decides to call time on his career, so that number can be expected to go up eventually.
#4 LeBron James - 24 20-point quarters
LeBron James is one of the most intelligent players to ever play in the NBA. The LA Lakers talisman is renowned for his ability to make the right plays at the right time. One of LeBron's most underrated traits is his ability to take over the game and lead his team to wins single-handedly.
He did that a lot more during his initial years in the NBA. More often than not, he was the only top-tier player on his Cleveland Cavaliers team, which required him to deliver a lot of solo performances.
In his 18 season career so far, LeBron has managed to have 24 20-point quarters. The 'King' knows how and when to switch things up when the going gets tough for the rest of his teammates. The ability to do that has helped him make it to another top-five list.
#3 James Harden - 25 20-point quarters
James Harden is one of the best scorers to ever play in the NBA. The "Beard" was at the peak of his scoring prowess during his stint with the Houston Rockets.
Harden had the responsibility of making sure his team got over the line in every possible game. He made sure the Rockets ended up on the winning side on the back of staggering offensive performances.
Harden has had 25 20-point quarters in his career so far. His potential to win one-on-one battles and shots from all three levels made it easy for him to dominate opposing teams single-handedly.
#2 Stephen Curry - 34 20-point quarters
Not many shy away from calling Stephen Curry the greatest shooter ever in NBA history. It isn't even a bold take at this point because of how many records the two-time MVP has managed to break because of that trait.
That has also helped Curry record 34 20-point quarters throughout his career. His conversion rate from deep has played a huge role in him being so efficient over the span of just 12 minutes.
It has made Curry one of the most feared players offensively in the last decade or so. With the way he performed last season, there is very little doubt in his potential to rack up plenty of 20-point quarters over the next few seasons in the NBA.
#1 Kobe Bryant - 34 20-point quarters
The late great Kobe Bryant currently holds the record for most 20-point quarters by a player in NBA history. Bryant was very calculative with the way he played the game. He knew when to attack and when not to.
It made him the great player he is remembered as today. That also allowed Kobe to dominate his opponents with great ease. He picked his moments to be effective and help his team in the best way possible.
Bryant recorded 20 points in a quarter, 34 times in his career. He was sound with his technique and needed very little space to make shots, which enabled him to be a highly effective scorer.
