Here’s my top 10 for the 2025-26 season, factoring in everything from game-winners to that steady, reliable bucket when the pressure is suffocating.
1. **Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks):** This feels like a no-brainer, doesn't it? Dončić finished the 2025-26 season leading the league in clutch points per game with 5.1, hitting a ridiculous 53.8% from the field and 42.1% from three in those situations. He drained four game-winners this year, including that step-back triple over the Pelicans on March 12th. He just sees the game in slow motion, always has the counter.
2. **Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder):** SGA has elevated his game to another stratosphere. He shot 51.5% in the clutch in 2025-26, averaging 4.7 points per game. He hit two buzzer-beaters, one against the Grizzlies on February 28th and another against the Warriors in December. His composure is uncanny; he never looks rattled.
3. **Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks):** Even as he approaches the twilight of his prime, "Dame Time" is still a real thing. Lillard might not be taking 30-footers every night, but his clutch free throw shooting (93.1%) and his ability to draw fouls late are invaluable. He averaged 4.2 PPG in clutch situations, with a 46.2% FG, and nailed a game-winner against the Celtics on November 19th. That midrange pull-up is still money.
4. **Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns):** Booker's evolution as a playmaker has made him even more dangerous in crunch time. He put up 4.5 PPG in the clutch this season, shooting 49.0% from the field. He had three game-winning or go-ahead buckets in the final 10 seconds, including that tough fadeaway over Anthony Edwards on April 3rd. His efficiency under pressure is understated.
5. **Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics):** Tatum has steadily improved his clutch efficiency. He's no longer just settling for tough contested threes. This season, he averaged 4.0 PPG in the clutch on 47.5% shooting, including a memorable game-winner against the Knicks on January 20th, a drive and finish through traffic. The guy just knows how to get to his spot.
6. **Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves):** Ant-Man is fearless. He averaged 3.8 PPG in the clutch, hitting 44.0% of his shots. His athleticism allows him to create space when others can't, and he had a huge game-tying three against the Nuggets in March. The moment isn't too big for him; he lives for it.
7. **De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings):** Fox's speed is a weapon, especially late in games when defenses are tired. He scored 3.9 PPG in clutch situations, shooting 48.0% from the field. He had two game-winning layups this season, showcasing that burst.
8. **Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets):** While he's not a traditional "clutch scorer," Jokić's passing in the final minutes is often more impactful than a shot. He still averaged 3.5 PPG on 55.0% shooting in the clutch, but his assists (1.2 per game in clutch time) are what truly set him apart. He elevates everyone around him.
9. **Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers):** Mitchell's shot-making is elite. He averaged 3.7 PPG in the clutch, hitting 45.5% from the field. He had a go-ahead bucket in overtime against the Sixers on December 1st. He can get you a bucket whenever he wants.
10. **Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers):** Haliburton is a relatively new face on this list, but his growth has been exponential. He put up 3.6 PPG in the clutch, shooting 47.0% from the field, and his decision-making is top-tier. He had a critical game-winning assist against the Heat in February. He's got that quiet confidence.
**Shai Gilgeous-Alexander** is just built different. Remember the 2023-24 season when he led the league in clutch points? He's carried that forward, and then some. His ability to hit tough midrange pull-ups or get to the free-throw line (89.5% in the clutch) makes him lethal. He's not flashy with his crunch-time moves, but they are incredibly effective. That crossover into a step-back jumper he hit over Desmond Bane on February 28th to seal the game against Memphis? Pure poetry. The Thunder’s meteoric rise isn't just about their young talent; it's about SGA's unwavering ability to close out games.
**Jayson Tatum** has shed the "he's not clutch" narrative that plagued him earlier in his career. His decision-making has matured, and he's not forcing bad shots. That game-winner against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 20th, where he drove hard to his left, spun, and finished with a contested finger-roll, showed a different level of control. He's taking what the defense gives him, and it's making him a much more efficient closer. He knows he can get a better look now, and he trusts his teammates to create it if he can't.
**Damian Lillard**, even in his twelfth season, still commands respect when the clock winds down. Sure, his overall efficiency might dip compared to his prime, but the threat of "Dame Time" forces defenses to overcommit. That game-winner against the Celtics on November 19th, a pull-up from 28 feet right over Jrue Holiday, reminded everyone why he's still on this list. He’s got that institutional knowledge of how to finish. The Bucks' late-game sets often run through him, and his ability to draw fouls in those situations is still elite.
**Devin Booker** has quietly become one of the league's most consistent clutch scorers. He doesn't have the "hero ball" reputation of some others, but his mid-range game is almost unstoppable when the shot clock is ticking down. That fadeaway over Anthony Edwards to beat the Timberwolves on April 3rd was vintage Booker, calm and precise. He averaged 28.5 points per game overall this year, and his increased assist numbers (7.2 APG) mean defenses can't just swarm him anymore. He's got options, and he makes the right one.
**Luka Dončić** is just a wizard. He truly sees the game in slow motion, reading defenses like a book. The Mavericks' entire offense in the last five minutes of a close game is essentially "give Luka the ball and get out of the way." He consistently creates space with his step-back, and his court vision allows him to make the perfect pass if a double team comes. That game against the Pelicans on March 12th, down by two with 5 seconds left, he hit a logo three over Herbert Jones. It's almost unfair. He’s going to be at the top of this list for years to come.
Here's the thing: while stats are great, there's an undeniable *feel* to clutch play. It's the body language, the quiet confidence, the way they walk the ball up knowing they're about to deliver. And for me, Dončić just radiates that more than anyone else right now.
**Bold prediction:** By the 2026-27 season, Anthony Edwards will have cracked the top three on this list, solidifying his place as the most electrifying clutch performer in the NBA.