NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 16: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder moves down the court in the first quarter against the New York Knicks during their game at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2017 in New York City.

10 best NBA stat lines of 2017

8 years ago

Abbie Parr / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The basketball world may best remember this calendar year for its obsession with the triple-double, thanks in large part to Russell Westbrook's record-breaking 2016-17 campaign in which he compiled 42 of them across 81 outings.

Most players strive to have a nice, full stat sheet, showing they contribute not only in the scoring department, but through rebounding, facilitating, and defending. Players like Westbrook are placed on such a high pedestal because those big numbers lead to positive results more often than not.

Here are the 10 strongest lines put forth over the last 12 months by some of the NBA's biggest stars, including the reigning triple-double king.

Criteria

Only one line per player is eligible.
Stat order determined by Basketball-Reference.com's game-score rubric.
Each player must have seen the floor for at least 25 minutes.

Quotes are from the player unless otherwise noted.

Related: 10 ugliest stat lines of 2017

10. Pelicans' Anthony Davis vs. Hornets (March 11, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3PT	FT
45	46	18/31	4/5	6/8

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
21	3	0	1	0

Quote: "I thought the movement he had and the spacing he created is the way he got most of his shots. He was very good creating and going quickly and not giving them an opportunity to double him. When he does that and gets into space and he's feeling good about his shot." - Alvin Gentry (NOLA's John Reid)

Fact(s): Since 1983, only Davis, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Chris Webber have recorded at least 46 points and 21 rebounds in a game. Davis also compiled this line on his 24th birthday.

9. Celtics' Isaiah Thomas vs. Wizards (May 2, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
44	53	18/33	5/12	12/13

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
4	4	3	0	2

Quote: "My family, my friends, they tell me to just keep going. My sister wouldn't want me to stop. The only thing about it is once I leave this gym, I hit reality and she's not here. That's the tough part. When I'm in this arena, I can lock in and I know everything I do is for her." (USA Today's Michael Singer)

Fact(s): Thomas' 53-point performance came on his late sister's birthday. She died in a single-car accident on April 15.

8. Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving vs. Hawks (March 3, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
35	43	14/21	5/8	10/10

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
2	9	4	1	3

Quote: N/A

Fact(s): Cleveland connected on 25 3-pointers on 46 attempts for the night, setting a new league record for the regular season.

7. Thunder's Russell Westbrook vs. Nuggets (April 9, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
37	50	17/32	5/12	11/11

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
16	10	1	0	2

Quote: "Pure adrenaline, emotions running high, game-winning shot, it is something you dream about as a little kid to be able to do that on the road especially from that distance. It is something you definitely will never forget." (USA Today)

Fact(s): This marked Westbrook's record-setting 42nd triple-double of the 2016-17 campaign, topping the longstanding mark of 41 set by Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.

6. 76ers' Joel Embiid vs. Lakers (Nov. 15, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
34	46	14/20	2/3	16/19

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
15	7	0	7	2

Quote: "I'm at 69 percent." (NBA TV)

Fact(s): Since blocks started being recorded, Embiid is the only player to ever post a line with at least 46 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, and seven rejections.

5. Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard vs. Jazz (April 8, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
41	59	18/34	9/14	14/16

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
6	5	1	1	0

Quote: "Missing two out of three free throws to get 60 points. I can't believe I did that." (Oregon Live's Joe Freeman)

Fact(s): Lillard became the first player to ever score at least 59 points (both a career high and franchise record) and drain nine or more 3-pointers while not turning the ball over a single time.

4. Rockets' James Harden vs. Jazz (Nov. 5, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
35	56	19/25	7/8	11/12

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
2	13	2	0	7

Quote: "I was just shooting it, I don't know. I don't really pay too much attention to it. I just try to take good shots and, like I said, pretty much make the right decision. Obviously, I'm going to make mistakes, but as long as I have that mindset, I'll be good." (ESPN's Tim MacMahon)

Fact(s): 54 of Harden's 56 points came in the first three quarters. He also joined Robertson as the only players to score 50 or more points and dish out 13 or more assists.

3. Bulls' Jimmy Butler vs. Hornets (Jan. 2, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
38	52	15/24	1/4	21/22

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
12	6	3	1	2

Quote: "(The hoop) felt pretty big. Over the weekend I was in the gym. That's what I promised. My teammates kept giving me the ball, even when I didn't want the ball, (and they were) telling me to score and be aggressive. When you've got teammates like that, your confidence is through the roof." (CSN Chicago)

Fact(s): At the time, this performance made Butler the eighth different player to score 50 or more points in the same season, tying a league record (1990, 2016).

2. Cavaliers' LeBron James vs. Wizards (Nov. 3, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
43	57	23/34	2/4	9/9

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
11	7	3	2	3

Quote: "This is the best I'm feeling in my career." (AP)

Fact(s): James' 57 points tied Irving for the Cavaliers' franchise record. He also became the seventh player in history to score 29,000 points for his career - and the youngest.

1. Suns' Devin Booker vs. Celtics (March 24, 2017)

MIN	PTS	FG	3P	FT
45	70	21/40	4/11	24/26

REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO
8	6	3	1	5

Quote: "This doesn't happen very often. Especially against a really good defensive team like the Boston Celtics. I knew I was going to have to come in, lock in mentally tonight - playing at Boston isn't easy all the time. They made it tough for me in the first half, and I tried to get it going. I was ultra-aggressive. My teammates started finding me, they started setting really good screens for me, and the rest is history." (ESPN's Chris Forsberg)

Fact(s): Prior to Booker's miraculous performance in a losing effort, the list of players to have dropped 70 or more points in a game could be counted on one hand: Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, David Thompson, and Elgin Baylor.