Another game, another 50-point night for an NBA superstar. LeBron James is the latest player to score 50 or more points in the 2018-19 season where we have seen a number of players reach the mark. James scored 51 points versus the Miami Heat Heat Sunday night as he led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 113-97 win.

This was the 13th 50-point game of James’ career and his 12th in the regular season but his first as a Laker. With 12 other similar games in his pocket, could his recent performance land among his five greatest? His final stat line for this game reads: 51 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. He shot 6-of-8 from three-point range and a scintillating 19-of-31 from the floor overall. But he only made 7-of-10 from the line.

As good as his stats are for this game, unfortunately, this game doesn’t rank up there among his best because of the following reasons:

Lakers, LeBron James

The Heat were missing key players with Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. Secondly, Miami’s defense this season is only mediocre at best. They are 15th in defensive rating this season and they are currently in 10th place in the East. And finally, he simply had better games in his career

This is not a knock on James’ latest milestone, rather it’s a compliment to him that he has several other games that are much better.

The four-time MVP scored a career-high 61 points as a member of the Heat previously but that won’t be included in this list. I’m limiting his five best strictly to those games where he scored between 50 and 59 points. Moreover, this is not a ranking based on points alone as some games were played with higher stakes or with better all-around performances.

LeBron James

Without further adieu, let’s take a look at James’ five greatest 50-point games:

5. 56 Points at Toronto Raptors, March 20, 2005

Final Stats: 56 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 18-of-36 FGs, 6-of-12 3pt FGs, 14-15 FTs

To show how good of a player he was going to become, James scored 56 points in just his second year in the league. The 2003-04 Rookie of the Year was on fire as he set an NBA record for the youngest player to score 50 or more points at 20 years and 80 days. Brandon Jennings has since broken the record when he scored 50 points at 20 years and 52 days in 2009. Also, the 56 points by James was bittersweet as the Cavs lost to the Raptors 105-98.

“I don't care about individual stats, especially when you lose,” James said. “I was disappointed to have as good a game as I had and still come out with a loss.”

Nonetheless, it doesn’t take away from the enormity of the young King’s gargantuan effort.

4. 52 Points at New York Knicks, February 4, 2009

Final Stats: 52 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 17-of-33 FGs, 2-7 3pt FGs, 16-of-19 FTs

At end of the game, the box score showed that James had a triple-double.

“I don't go out there for the numbers, I just play my game,” James said. “You guys seen every phase of my game tonight, the scoring, the rebounding, the assists and defensively just trying to attack the opposing team.

“I never thought you could look at the box score and see somebody with 50 with a triple-double, but it's happened.”

Unfortunately for the young superstar, the NBA stripped him of this accomplishment later after the league reviewed the game. One rebound was removed from James’ stats and was credited to his teammate, Ben Wallace. Had the triple-double stayed, this performance would have ranked higher.

Still, the fact that James had a near 50-point triple-double was astounding especially since he was playing at Madison Square Garden, the site of many legendary performances. On this night, James was on fire, knocking down shot after shot on his way to 20 points in the first quarter alone.

The scoring tapered off for a bit but the all-around brilliance was there throughout the game. More importantly, the Cavs won 107-102.

3. 55 Points at Milwaukee Bucks, February 20th, 2009

LeBron James, Lakers, Cavs

Final Stats: 55 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 16-of-29 FGs, 8-of-11 3pt FGs, 15-of-22 FTs

This was James’ second game of more than 50 points versus the Bucks but this time, the Cavs went home with a 111-103 win.

“Just got in the zone, man,” James said. “I saw a few go down, so I just kept going at it, man. Every shot that I made tonight, every shot that we all made tonight, we needed.”

The soon-to-be-named MVP had an outstanding sequence at the beginning of the third quarter. With the Cavs trailing by six points at halftime, James scored 16 points in less than three minutes of action to give Cleveland an eight-point lead.

What’s extra special about this performance is James’ three-point shooting which, at 8-of-11 shooting, was as good as you’re going to get from any superstar.

2. 51 Points at Golden State Warriors, May 31, 2018 (Game 1, 2018 NBA Finals)

Final Stats: 51 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 19-of-32 FGs, 3-of-7 3 pt FGs, 10-of-11 FTs

The stakes were never higher as the embattled Cavaliers were set to shock the world with a win against the defending champion, Golden State Warriors. However, James missed out on an opportunity for a game-winning shot in regulation when teammate J.R. Smith thought they were ahead by one as he used up the clock after an offensive rebound.

The game went into overtime and that’s when the Warriors pulled away for a 124-114 victory.

As bad as that final sequence in the fourth quarter was for the Cavs, James put a scare in the heart of every Warrior fan as he nearly single-handedly carried the Wine and Gold to a win against his mortal enemies. The 51 points was the first 50-point game in the Finals since the Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan scored 55 versus the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the 1993 NBA Finals. James is only the sixth player in the Finals to score 50 points or more but he is the only one among that prestigious few to lose the game.

According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, “James called it ‘one of the toughest losses I've had in my career.’”

The loss tarnished a truly brilliant performance by one of the game’s greatest players. James’ jumpers were falling and he had an answer for almost every big play by the Warriors. If the Cavs had won the game, this would easily have been James’ greatest 50-point performance.

Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, JR Smith, LeBron James, Cavs

So number one goes to his highest 50-point game of the regular season.

1. 57 Points at Washington Wizards, November 3, 2017

Final Stats: 57 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 23-of-34 FGs, 2-4 3pt FGs, 9-of-9 FTs

Cleveland revamped its roster in the summer after Irving was traded. But the pieces weren’t playing well at the start of the season so, on this night, James took it upon himself to take over the offense. The 15-time All-Star scored 57 points to tie the Cavaliers' franchise scoring record held by Irving.

“Every shot that I took,” James told the media after the game, “I felt like it was going in.”

He played a complete game, just three rebounds shy of a triple-double while playing out-of-his-mind defense. James’ shooting was simply superb from anywhere and everywhere on the court as he knocked down 68 percent of his field goals, 50 percent of his three-point attempts and made 100 percent of his shots from the charity stripe. What more could you ask for?

LeBron James, Cavs

Oh, and the Cavaliers won the ballgame, too, with a 130-122 triumph on the road.

But this night was even more special with the following accomplishments:

1- At 32 years of age, James also became the youngest player to score 29,000 points for his career.

2- He scored at least 10 points for the 800th consecutive game; James and Jordan (866) are the only NBA players to score at least 10 points for this long; Cavaliers forward eventually moved past Jordan later in the season.

Was this the greatest 50-point game of James’ career? No doubt. That is, unless he scores another 50+ during his Lakers career, then we may have to rank everything all over again.