Luka Dončić has among the most impressive NYE performances in recent history.
The 2024 calendar year is finally wrapping up. Even though there’s a lot of basketball to be played in the 2024-25 season, it’s never a bad time to reflect at the end of the calendar year.
December 31 might not be as big of a date on the NBA calendar as Christmas Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but it’s still a prominent date in the schedule. There have been some epic performances on the final day of the calendar year recently, and we’ll take a trip down memory lane to check out five of the best NYE performances since 2014-2015.
Harden is the only name that appears twice in this list, and this goes to show two things: how impressive his career has been, and his knack for delivering on the biggest stage. During his prolific tenure with the Houston Rockets, Harden had one of the best performances on NYE during the 2017-18 campaign, when he torched the Lakers for 40 points, 11 assists, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks across 41 minutes in an epic 148-142 double-overtime win.
One of the most prolific players in NBA history from a statistical perspective also finds his way into this prestigious list, as Westbrook claims the fourth spot. Westbrook, who had recently turned 27 years old at the time of this game, carried the Thunder to a 110-106 victory over the Suns with an impressive two-way performance. Westbrook closed out the 2015 year in style by delivering 36 points, 12 assists, five steals, a rebound and a block across 34 minutes.
Considering all the accolades he’s notched throughout his illustrious career, it’s almost expected to see James cracking these lists. Perhaps surprisingly, he makes the Top 3 on our list, but as a member of the Lakers, not the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers. Playing just one day after his 37th birthday, James posted an incredible statline in a 139-106 demolition of the Blazers. James celebrated his birthday in style by recording 43 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in only a mere 29 minutes.
Dončić has had his share of memorable outings, but his 50-burger against San Antonio on New Year’s Eve 2022 stands out among the best. The star guard lifted the Mavericks to a huge 126-125 rivalry win over the Spurs in what has been one of the best New Year’s Eve’s games in recent years. Dončić’s final stat line will go down in history as well. The Slovenian star finished with 51 points, six rebounds, nine assists, four steals, and a block across 37 minutes.
Harden opened this list and will also close it out, as the current Clippers star is responsible for the best individual performance in a New Year’s Eve game in the history of The Association. Playing for the Rockets in the 2016-17 campaign and at home against the Knicks, “The Beard” finished with a spectacular 53-point, 17-assist, 16-rebound triple-double. Harden also committed eight turnovers, but who’s going to remember that when his triple-double sparked a 129-122 win? Plus, the 53-point haul remains an all-time high for points scored on New Year’s Eve in league history.
