Top 10 individual performances from the 2019-20 NBA regular season
The 2019-20 NBA season has definitely been one to remember on many different levels. Tremendous regular-season play, coupled with intense NBA Bubble action in Orlando, has kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Seeing LeBron James and Anthony Davis battle Jimmy Butler's historic individual performances in the 2020 NBA Finals has been stunning. In this article, we will take a look at the top ten individual performances from the 2019-20 NBA regular season.
Top 10 individual performances from the 2019-20 NBA regular season
Before the suspension of the regular season on 11 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA campaign had given us unique emotions during the 60-plus games played by each team. Some individual performances during the regular-season play were stunning, and in this list, we are about to rank ten of those and determine which one was the best.
The order will be determined by the Game Score achieved by each player in a determined game. Game Score is a formula created by John Hollinger to give a grade to an NBA player's performance based on a group of stats on a given game.
All stats according to Basketball-Reference.
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#10 Kyrie Irving vs Chicago Bulls - 31 January 2020 - Game Score: 45.90
Kyrie Irving's first year with the Brooklyn Nets was not what the franchise and the player expected. Injuries played a huge part in Irving not being able to show his true potential in Brooklyn, but on 31 January 2020, he gave the Chicago Bulls a glimpse of his talent and skills.
In the 20 games he played for the Nets, this one was the best by far. Irving torched the Bulls with 19 of 23 shooting from the field and seven 3s in nine attempts as his 54 points were key in his team's 15-point win over the Bulls. Irving shot 82% from the field, 77% from three and 90% from the free-throw line in a tremendous performance.
Irving was emotional after the game as one of his mentors, Kobe Bryant, had tragically lost his life five days before this performance. Unfortunately for Irving, he injured his right shoulder in the next game and missed the entire NBA season.
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#9 James Harden vs Orlando Magic - 13 December 2019 - Game Score: 46.20
As we go down this list, you will notice a name that finds a mention on multiple occasions. The stats-machine that James Harden is was in full display on 13 December 2019 when the Houston Rockets met the Orlando Magic in the Amway Center.
It was a typical Harden game, at least the regular-season Harden. He dominated from the field, three and free-throw lines and also created many chances for his teammates to score while also playing good defense.
His 19 shots made on 31 attempts were impressive, but 10 out of 15 from the three-point line were extraordinary. Harden's stat line for the night was 54 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three blocks. Two days before the 23-point win over Orlando, Harden had a 55-point game in a six-point triumph at Cleveland that featured 10 three-point field goals too.