January 20th, 2021 was highlighted by 8x Pro Bowl QB Philip Rivers retiring from the NFL after an illustrious 17-year career. Collin Sexton had the greatest game of his NBA life with 42 points that included 20 straight down the stretch to beat the Nets in their first game with the ‘Big 3’ as Kyrie Irving made his return after a seven-game absence. Cole Anthony drained a GW-3PM for the Magic, Joel Embiid went off against Boston in primetime, Clint Capela had a historic performance for the Hawks, and the Astros re-signed OF Michael Brantley.
Check out everything that happened in sports on January 20th last year and the Best in Sports from exactly a year ago, headlined by Damian Lillard’s night full of career-highs on MLK Day, Jaylen Brown posterizing LeBron James, and OKC completing a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback. This daily sports article includes real headlines only (no clickbait rumors), all of the best highlights, interesting facts from around the NFL, NBA, & MLB, the main games to watch, top performances of the day, significant birthdays, and a quick recap of notable events on this day in sports history.
COLE ANTHONY FOR THE WIN! 😱#Crunchtime pic.twitter.com/hcLK9LP6f8
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
Sexton (42 PTS) TOOK OVER in Cleveland’s 2OT win! 💥 pic.twitter.com/aXRoVS78ae
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
Steph isn’t fair 😯 pic.twitter.com/hikTcsiiFl
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
SHOWTIME. pic.twitter.com/fUC3ekHgd5
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 21, 2021
Sheesh, Kyrie 🤧 pic.twitter.com/JsVihZYsH1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
Kyrie’s handles are ridiculous 😱 pic.twitter.com/WZZL9tDC0M
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
Trae. Young. ICE COLD. 🥶#Crunchtime pic.twitter.com/2etTMiWRTm
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 21, 2021
Kemba, Embiid doing their thing on ESPN!
At the half: @celtics 61, @sixers 58
Kemba: 17 PTS, 5 3PM
Embiid: 22 PTS, 5 REB pic.twitter.com/lve2Iif5LB
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
❄️ @TheTraeYoung goes off for 38 PTS and 10 AST in the @ATLHawks OT win! #TrueToAtlanta pic.twitter.com/NkbEpvYAgG
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
MONSTER GAME for @JoelEmbiid (42 PTS, 10 REB) as the @sixers move to 10-5. #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/fzN88Iayeq
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
26 points.
17 boards.
Career-high 5 blocks.
11-15 shooting.@DeandreAyton does it ALL to lift @Suns. #WeAreTheValleypic.twitter.com/V6ws2QGK4U
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
💫 Luka reaches 30 career triple-doubles faster than any player other than Oscar Robertson!@luka7doncic: 13 PTS, 12 REB, 12 AST #MFFL pic.twitter.com/PhFXkwEKuV
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
🔥 27 PTS
😤 26 REB (career high)
🚫 5 BLK@CapelaClint goes for 25+ PTS, 25+ REB and 5+ BLK for the first time since SHAQ in 2004! #TrueToAtlanta pic.twitter.com/UZCGKMtZEZ
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
🔥 Wiseman Powers @Warriors! 🔥
Career-high 20 PTS on 8-11 shooting from @BigTicket_JW.#DubNation #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/P5HfmkEtFt
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
Kansas City has had some crazy plays this season!@Chiefs | #RunItBack
📺: #BUFvsKC — Sunday 6:40pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/2MQqZZZdIs
— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2021
👀 some of the BEST KLAW STRIPS & SWIPES after his 6 steals in Wednesday’s win! pic.twitter.com/fh1FsZpQpL
— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2021
.@JoshAllenQB has only gotten better from Year 1 to Year 3. 👏@BuffaloBills | #BillsMafia
📺: #BUFvsKC — Sunday 6:40pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/Lj52hylq0E
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2021
Philip Rivers calls it a career 13 years to the day after playing through a torn ACL in the 2007 AFC Championship. (via @nflthrowback) pic.twitter.com/ijgJ3SfAUD
— NFL (@NFL) January 20, 2021
👀 the top moments from the @celtics & @sixers head-to-head matchups over the past 5 seasons!
8-4 Boston visits 9-5 Philadelphia tonight at 7:00pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/EELnGaLbGG
— NBA (@NBA) January 20, 2021
.@TomBrady’s best touchdowns on Championship Sunday 🐐
📺: #TBvsGB— Sunday 3:05pm ET on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/sQcQZWPSeO
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) January 20, 2021
Always opinionated, never boring, with a love of football he’ll carry with him as a coach.
Congrats on a great career Philip Rivers! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/htzAzFIk5C
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 20, 2021
.@AaronRodgers12 & @AntoineWinfield had their fair share of battles. Now Rodgers takes on his son @AntoineWJr11 in the NFC Championship.
📺: #TBvsGB— Sunday 3:05pm ET on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/HW8RCZ1L6E
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) January 20, 2021
A knee injury sidelined his rookie season in 2013, so @tkelce introduced himself to the league the following year.
📺: #BUFvsKC— Sunday 6:40pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/cvqc6Vowe9
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) January 21, 2021
21 of Tyler Herro’s BEST PLAYS to celebrate his 21st Birthday! #NBABDAY pic.twitter.com/cUMlPAK2Y2
— NBA (@NBA) January 20, 2021
Where were you when @NickFoles tied an NFL single-game record with SEVEN passing touchdowns? (Nov. 3, 2013) pic.twitter.com/UBi3IR557Y
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) March 27, 2020
.@tpolamalu gave us one of the greatest defensive performances ever in the 2008 AFC Championship. 😤 (via @nflthrowback)@steelers | #HereWeGo
📺: #PITvsBAL— Sunday 1pm ET on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/fVufT2sAC5
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2020
January 20, 2013: 49ers beat the Falcons 28-24 in the NFC Championship Game after Atlanta blew a 17-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/VQUrUbAbsH
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) January 20, 2021
[SEE MORE]
[SEE MORE]
7:00 PM: Brooklyn Nets (9-6) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-7)
7:00 PM: Dallas Mavericks (6-7) vs. Indiana Pacers (8-5)
7:00 PM: Boston Celtics (8-4) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (9-5)
7:30 PM: Miami Heat (5-7) vs. Toronto Raptors (5-8)
10:00 PM: Memphis Grizzlies (7-6) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (8-6)
10:00 PM: San Antonio Spurs (8-6) vs. Golden St. Warriors (7-6)
[Highlights] PG Collin Sexton, CLE (W v.BKN): 42 PTS (16-29 FG | 5-11 3PT), 5 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK, 2 STL, 1 TO [Player of the Day]
[Highlights] C Joel Embiid, PHI (W v.BOS): 42 PTS (12-19 FG | 1-5 3PT), 2 AST, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 2 STL, 1 TO
[Highlights] C Clint Capela, ATL (W v.DET): 27 PTS (10-18 FG | 0-0 3PT), 2 AST, 26 REB, 5 BLK, 1 STL, 0 TO
[Highlights] F Kevin Durant, BKN (L @CLE): 38 PTS (12-25 FG | 3-9 3PT), 8 AST, 12 REB, 4 BLK, 1 STL, 2 TO
[Highlights] C DeAndre Ayton, PHX (W @HOU): 26 PTS (11-15 FG | 0-0 3PT), 3 AST, 17 REB, 5 BLK, 0 STL, 2 TO
NBA: SG Tyler Herro, Miami Heat (turns 21)
NFL: S Terrell Edmunds, Pittsburgh Steelers (24)
NFL: WR DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins (28)
NFL: QB Nick Foles, Chicago Bears (32)
2020: Portland Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard broke his own Blazers franchise records with 61 PTS and 11 3PM on MLK Day as the 1st ever with both 60+ PTS & 10+ 3PM in the same game in NBA history
2019: Infamous Saints-Rams NFC Championship pass interference no-call
2019: New England Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31 in OT to win their NFL record 11th AFC Championship
2008: HOF QB Brett Favre’s final pass attempt as a Green Bay Packer was picked off in OT, allowing the New York Giants to kick a game-winning FG and advance to Super Bowl XLII
2008: New England Patriots continued their quest for perfection with a 21-12 defeat of the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship Game
2007: Utah Jazz HC Jerry Sloan passed Larry Brown for 4th on the all-time wins list (1,010)
1996: Denver Nuggets SF Dale Ellis became the very 1st player in NBA history to convert 1,200 career 3PT FGs
1991: Buffalo Bills won their 1st of 4 consecutive AFC Championships with a 51-3 demolition of the Los Angeles Raiders
1991: New York Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers to win their 2nd NFC Championship
1985: San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX, their 2nd in 4 years
1980: Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XIV which gave QB Terry Bradshaw, HC Chuck Noll, and the Steelers organization a record 4 Super Bowl victories; played in Pasadena, CA, marking the 1st Super Bowl played in a participant’s home market; all-time Super Bowl attendance record of 103,985
1970: Cincinnati Royals SF Tom Van Arsdale and Phoenix Suns SG Dick Van Arsdale became the 1st pair brothers to play in the same All-Star game
1967: Philadelphia 76ers C Wilt Chamberlain went 15-15 from the field, setting an NBA record for most FGA without a miss
1963: Philadelphia Warriors C Wilt Chamberlain’s record streak of 126 games with 20+ points finally came to an end after playing just 4 minutes in a loss to the St. Louis Hawks
1952: One of the NBA’s very 1st superstars — Minneapolis Lakers C George Mikan — scored a career-high 61 points in a 2OT victory over the Rochester Royals
1871: Boston Red Stockings — now the Atlanta Braves — were officially formed
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