NBA
Premier NBA Highlights From Sunday (August 9, 2020)
View all of Sunday's top NBA highlights including Lillard unloading for a 50-piece, Austin Rivers capturing a career-high, and more!
Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images
On a jam-packed day of NBA action, the buckets came easy for Austin Rivers, who lit up Sacramento for a career-high and Damian Lillard who single-handedly salvaged Portland’s playoff hopes with a 51-point performance. The Celtics were eventually able to down Orlando in overtime only after Jayson Tatum’s game-tying shot late in regulation. Then a depleted Nets team, fueled by LeVert and Harris, caught fire in the first quarter versus the Clippers on their way to putting up 45 points on an impeccable field goal percentage.
Enjoy the best highlights from Sunday’s NBA action all in one place:
Portland’s playoff aspirations are as strong as ever following Lillard’s unreal offensive output in Sunday’s game. After blowing a pair of game-deciding free throws in his previous game, Lillard wasted no time initiating Dame Time as he collected a monstrous 51 points through three-point bombs and electric runs to the rack right from the tip.
Dame went off for a 50-piece and eliminated the Pelicans in the process 😤 pic.twitter.com/d6wsW31DOQ
— ESPN (@espn) August 10, 2020
Harden usually dominates Houston’s headlines, but this time Austin Rivers took center stage on a career-high 41-point game. The backup PG was swift in snagging his 40-piece on a clean 20 attempts which involved pull-up triples and a complex collection of layups.
https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/1292651108264009729?s=20
Pitted up against the hometown Magic, Jayson Tatum kept calm and carried on as he sunk a game-tying post fadeaway to force overtime where the Celtics would go on to be victorious.
Tatum. Clutch.
— ESPN (@espn) August 9, 2020
Forces OT with the fadeaway 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8DBvFiGRHP
A team with nearly half their roster not in the NBA bubble, the Nets have surprised their competition with quality play throughout their time in Florida, including Sunday’s first quarter versus the West’s No. 2 seed Clippers. Brooklyn shot an unconscious 86% from the field to jump out to a 45-24 lead with a 30-point contribution from Joe Harris and Caris LeVert.
Caris tallies 17 PTS, 7 AST, Harris adds 16 as the @BrooklynNets explode for 45 1st quarter points on 18-21 shooting!
— NBA (@NBA) August 10, 2020
📺: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/qmhYmXc2KN
The San Antonio Spurs helped keep their hopes alive for a 23rd consecutive playoff appearance in due part to a gritty final period performance from DeMar DeRozan. He put the final nail in the coffin versus the Pelicans with off-the-dribble mid-range shots and determined slashes to the basket that has officially eliminated the Pelicans from the postseason.
Leading the league in 4th quarter points since the NBA Restart, @DeMar_DeRozan puts up 15 in the 4th (27 total) to move the @spurs closer to 9th in the West! #GoSpursGo #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/SGLLCemarY
— NBA (@NBA) August 9, 2020
Chef Harden was in his bag once again on a few flashy isolations, taking his defenders to the hole with a compilation of between-the-legs, behind-the-back dribbles, paired with fancy footwork and finesse finishes.
😳 @JHarden13's handles were on display all night as he posted 32 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST in the @HoustonRockets W! #OneMission #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/3k0SpMnFOF
— NBA (@NBA) August 10, 2020
A notable bubble campaign continues for Ja Morant with a couple more assaults on the rim, including an insane alley-oop tomahawk slam and a manly baseline flush as he zoomed past multiple defenders. Both came in the fourth quarter as he tried to lift his team past the reigning champs.
Ja is throwing it DOWN 😤 pic.twitter.com/mOfh7UbibW
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 9, 2020
To the dismay of Zion Williamson fans everywhere, his rookie year is coming to a close as the Pelicans were eliminated from playoff contention. But the high-flying phenom went out with a bang on this rim-rattling dunk coming off a slick spin move as he showed his ball-handling capabilities.
Zion spins for the slam to cap off eight straight points 💪 pic.twitter.com/w1zQSE6RHU
— ESPN (@espn) August 9, 2020
Chris Paul played Sunday’s game like he had eyes in the back of his head as he came through with a couple of savvy assists on three-point shots to Mike Muscala.
CP3 dropping no-look dimes early in this one 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ixXKZMsWBV
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 9, 2020
Mike Muscala got the start and delivered 4-8 from behind the arc. #ThunderUp @OGandE Power Play of the Game. pic.twitter.com/tTpxJcXBPT
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 9, 2020
In a hectic sequence of events, Markelle Fultz willed his way to a tenacious chase-down block on what was supposed to be an easy layup and then fluently found his teammate for a spot-up corner three at the other end.
Fultz with the mean chasedown block then drops the dime on the other end 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qIWEMHP2pf
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 9, 2020
Full game highlights of today’s close games will be posted here once they conclude.
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