Today marks the final day in the year 2024. There has been some superb performances by NBA players during the calendar year. Here is the best NBA single-game statistical performance in the major categories from January 1, 2024 until December 30, 2024. There is still one day remaining, will any of these be topped on New Year’s Eve?
Best Single-Game Performances In Major NBA Categories In 2024
Points – Luka Doncic (73 on January 26)
In what was a high-scoring affair, the Dallas Mavericks prevailed with a 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on January 26. Atlanta clearly had no answer (not that many teams do) for Luka Doncic. He dropped 73 points in Dallas’ win on an impressive 25-33 from the field, 8-13 from beyond the arc, and 15-16 from the free-throw line. Doncic scored 18 points in the first quarter, 23 in the second, 16 in the third, and 16 in the fourth.
The 73 points that Doncic scored is tied for the fourth-most in a single game in league history. Only Wilt Chamberlain, who had games of 100 and 78 points, and Kobe Bryant, who scored 81 in a game, had more.
Runner-up: Joel Embiid – 70 points on 1/22/24
Rebounds – Jusuf Nurkic (31 on March 3)
Last season, Jusuf Nurkic averaged 11.0 boards in his 76 appearances, good for ninth-most in the league. His most-prolific game on the glass though came on March 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While his Phoenix Suns lost the game by a score of 118-110, Nurkic was a man possessed when it came to swallowing up rebounds. He finished with 31 for the game, with 13 of them coming on the offensive end.
Runners-up: Domantas Sabonis and Andre Drummond – 26 rebounds on 1/29/24 and 2/28/24 respectively
Assists – Trae Young (22 on November 27)
A three-time All-Star, Trae Young is in the midst of his third-straight season averaging double figures in assists. He is averaging 12.1 through 31 games in 2024-25. If Young can stay over 12 dimes per contest, he would be the first to do so since John Stockton in 1994-95.
The seven-year veteran posted a career-high of 22 assists on November 27. His Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers on that day by the score of 135-124. The game was Young’s third of his career where he recorded at least 20.
Runner-up: Elfrid Payton – 21 on 11/25/24
Steals – Dyson Daniels (8 on December 23), Kelly Oubre Jr. (8 on December 30)
If you’ve followed the Atlanta Hawks at all this season, it shouldn’t surprise you to see Dyson Daniels here. The third-year pro is leading the league this season averaging 3.1 steals per outing. Nobody has averaged at least three steals per game since Alvin Robertson did in 1990-91. He had eight steals in Atlanta’s 117-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 23.
It is more surprising to see Kelly Oubre Jr. on here. The 10-year veteran finished with a career-best eight steals on the second-to-last day of 2024, a 125-103 Philadelphia 76ers win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He is now averaging 1.4 steals per game, tied for his career-high.
Blocks – Victor Wembanyama (10 on both February 12 and December 21)
The first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Victor Wembanyama has been the league’s current best shot blocker from the get-go. The 7-foot-3 center led the league last season averaging 3.6 per outing. This season, he is again leading with 4.0.
In his 48th career game on February 12, Wembanyama finished with a triple-double of 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks. His San Antonio Spurs beat the Toronto Raptors easily by the score of 122-99. He blocked 10 shots again on December 21 in a 114-94 San Antonio win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Wembanyama also had two games in 2024 where he rejected nine shots. The only other player to have nine blocks in a game in 2024 was Brook Lopez.
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