"His overall game is so much better than it was a year ago in terms of playing both ends, and rebounding and giving up the ball when he's double-teamed and still scoring, " Woodson said.

WSJ: In his best NBA season, Melo's real work remains

With the fiscal cliff and its double whammy of expiring tax breaks and spending cuts, this has to go down as one of the strangest year-ends on record.

FORBES: Year-End Tax Planning Despite The Cliff