Top New Year’s Day NBA performances of the past decade

Nurkić, a talented athlete in the basketball world, formerly played for the Phoenix Suns; however, he enjoyed his most successful stint with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he formed part of a formidable trio alongside CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. Among Nurkić's shining moments occurred on the first day of 2019 when he produced a remarkable double-double performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 23 rebounds to secure a 113-108 overtime victory for the Blazers. This game also witnessed Nurkić shine in other areas of play, recording five blocks, five steals, and seven assists in a 38-minute spell on the court.

5. Jusuf Nurkić vs. Sacramento Kings (2018-19 season)

4. CJ McCollum vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (2016-17 season)

Another Portland player who left his mark in the New Year was CJ McCollum. He played a massive role in this 95-89 win over the Timberwolves during his breakout season, the 2016-17 campaign. McCollum finished with 43 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals across 39 minutes against the Wolves. Perhaps even more impressive than the final stat line was the efficiency of McCollum; he went 16-for-25 from the field, 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe.

3. Kyle Lowry vs. Los Angeles Lakers (2016-17 season)

Lowry, now with the 76ers, delivered one of his best career performances while on the Toronto Raptors to begin 2017. In their first matchup of the year, the Raptors faced the Los Angeles Lakers and the veteran floor general was 30 years old at the time. Lowry exploded for 41 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Raptors cruised to a 123-114 win over the Lakers.

2. Nikola Jokić vs. Boston Celtics (2022-23 season)

You won’t find many Top Performers lists of recent vintage that don’t include Jokić, who checks in at No. 2 in this list following an impressive outing against the Celtics two seasons ago. The Nuggets, who would end up winning the NBA title later that year, cruised to a 123-111 win over Boston, and Jokić was responsible for doing the heavy lifting. He posted 30 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists and a steal across 32 minutes. This outing was one of Jokić’s league-leading 29 triple-doubles that season which made him a finalist for the MVP award.

1. DeMar DeRozan vs. Milwaukee Bucks (2017-18 season)

The best performance on a New Year’s Day in the last decade goes to DeRozan, who had an absolutely dominant performance in a 131-127 overtime win against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2017-18 campaign. The star forward exploded for 52 points in that matchup, going 17-for-29 from the field, 5-for-9 from 3-point range and 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. He did more than just score, though, as DeRozan rounded out that stat line by adding five rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block across 43 minutes. The 52-point scoring mark remains an all-time high for NBA games played on January 1.