MIES (Switzerland) - Nikola Jokic's amazing triple-double against Minnesota was no April Fool's joke.
The Joker, on April 1, had a career-high 61 points, which also represented the most points in the NBA this season.
Was it the best overall individual performance?
Here are the top 10 individual displays, based on stats, we consider to be the best in 2024-25.
10 - De'Aaron Fox, November 15 - 60 points
He hasn't been a King since a trade that sent him to San Antonio on February 3, yet the game that set him apart this season was played when he was still in a Sacramento jersey. The fantastic Mr. Fox exploded for a career high 60 points against Minnesota. He was 6 of 10 from deep and 10 of 11 from the line yet couldn't lead the Kings past Minnesota, who won, 130-126.
9 - Luka Doncic, December 15 - 45 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds
Luka Doncic notched his 80th career triple-double with a season-high 45 points, 13 assists, and 11 boards. He was scorching hot early, hitting 9 of his first 11 shots and finishing 16-for-23 from the field. Doncic led Dallas to a 143-133 win over Golden State in a high-scoring shootout at Chase Center. By halftime, he already had 28 points, setting the tone in a game that featured an NBA-record 48 threes.
8 - Victor Wembanyama, December 21 - 30 points, 7 rebounds, 10 blocks
The Frenchman was a one-man swat team in San Antonio's 114-94 win over Portland, rejecting the most shots in a game this season for any player. The player that is second with 9 blocks in a game this season? Well, that would be Victor Wembanyama, too, in clash with the Los Angeles Clippers. Wembanyama had a 10-block game in his Rookie of the Year season, too, against Toronto.
7 - Giannis Antetokounmpo, November 13 - 59 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks
Just months after his MVP performance at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus, which led Greece into the Summer Games for the first time since 2008, Antetokounmpo fired the Bucks to a 127-114 early season victory over Detroit. He showed an exquisite touch at the free-throw line, making 16 of 17 (94 percent).
6 - Domantas Sabonis, January 10 - 23 points, 28 rebounds
Lithuania's finest took it to the Boston Celtics with one of his best games as a pro, hauling down a career-high 28 rebounds in a 114-97 win in Bean Town. Sabonis played 39 minutes. He had such a good game that he also buried 3 of 4 shots from behind the arc.
5 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, March 3 - 51 points, 7 assists
SGA needed 36 minutes to whip up his March magic in Oklahoma City's 137-128 win over the Houston Rockets. The Canada superstar was 5 of 9 from 3-point range, 18 of 30 from the floor overall and 10 of 10 at the free throw line. Gilgeous-Alexander looked very MVP like for the team with the best record (64-12 as of April 4) in the NBA.
4 - Stephen Curry, April 2 - 52 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals
Curry spiced up Golden State's attack like only he can with a double-double in a 134-125 victory over Memphis. He was extra spicey, in fact, burying 12 of 20 shots from long range against a Memphis Grizzlies team that's trying to retain one of the top six places in the Western Conference to avoid the play-in. Curry, who had one of the greatest two-game performances in Olympic history in wins over Serbia (Semi-Finals) and France (Final) in Paris last summer, played 37 minutes against Memphis, thus averaging 1.41 points per minute.
3 - Nikola Jokic, April 2 - 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists
True, the Denver Nuggets fell 140-139 to Minnesota after two overtimes on April 2, yet Jokic's output must be celebrated as one of the great moments of the campaign. It was the most points scored by a player this season in the NBA, a career high for the three-time NBA MVP and quite simply additional evidence that the Serbian is going to be in the "Greatest Player of All Time" conversation once his career is over (if he's not already!). A chunk of that scoring haul came from Jokic's 6 of 11 effort from 3-point range.
2 - Giannis Antetokounmpo, April 3 - 35 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists
Antetokounmpo of Greece and the Milwaukee Bucks remains freakishly excellent and dominant. The points and rebounds were impressive but maybe not as much as the 20 dimes in the Bucks' 126-113 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on April 3! " This performance was historic. Giannis became the first player in NBA history to have 35 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists (his career high). The two-time NBA MVP poured in 30 or more points for the sixth straight game.
1 - Nikola Jokic, March 5 - 31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists
This performance in a 149-141 overtime win over Phoenix gave new meaning to the world triple-double! Take 21 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists away and Jokic would still have had a triple-double! The 22 assists are the most by any player in the NBA this season. Jokick also scored the most points in a game this season, on April 2 (which also makes this top 10).
Who do you think did it best?
FIBA