NBA highlights on Aug. 4: Booker beats the buzzer against Clippers
Li Xiang
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns shoots a buzzer beater in front of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers in the game at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns shoots a buzzer beater in front of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers in the game at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, August 4, 2020. /VCG

The Phoenix Suns continued to surprise everyone in the NBA restart on Tuesday. Not only did they achieve their third straight win, the team also defeated one of the major champion candidates the Los Angeles Clippers 117-115 thanks to a buzzer beater by Devin Booker.

The Suns got a throw-in when it was 115-115 with 31.3 seconds left. Deandre Ayton received the ball and gave it to Booker hand-to-hand. Paul George who is 10 centimeters higher than Booker, pressed him all the way from baseline to the arc. Meanwhile, 2.18-meter-tall Ivica Zubac moved forward to keep Booker from shooting right around the screen or entering the 3-point line.

Booker was dribbling the ball, facing George two steps away from the triple line. Ayton came to set another screen for Booker but Zubac also arrived as well to keep Booker where he was. Booker had no choice but to pass the ball to Ayton who then gave it to Ricky Rubio. Rubio broke in, shooting against the double-teaming defense by Reggie Jackson and Kawhi Leonard. He missed, Zubac got the rebound but he immediately lost the ball to Mikal Bridges. The ball soon returned to Booker.

Devin Booker (L) of the Phoenix Suns lies on the ground after beating the buzzer in the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Devin Booker (L) of the Phoenix Suns lies on the ground after beating the buzzer in the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Booker faced George again and he noticed that Zubac was rushing to double team him from the right. He chose to go left, breaking into the 3-point line, pausing a little to dodge George but Leonard arrived and leaped high, ready to block him. Booker turned around, found himself enough space, and took the shot. The ball flew right over George's fingertip, who came to help defend — and it went in. Booker got his 35th point and buried the last second game-winning shot to help the Suns edge over the Clippers.

This impressive moment was only part of Booker's record night. It was the third buzzer beater for him since he joined the league in 2015, matching LeBron James. After Tuesday's game, Booker reached a career total of 7,531 points. Having done this at 23 years and 280 days old, Booker became the sixth youngest player in NBA history to reach 7,500 points after James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady.

The Suns changed their banner and profile picture of their Twitter account to the photo of Booker lying on the ground after beating the buzzer to celebrate.

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks drives toward the rim in the game against the Sacramento Kings at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks drives toward the rim in the game against the Sacramento Kings at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Finally, Doncic's triple-double brought a win for Dallas

Luka Doncic again dropped a triple-double after he scored 34 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists in the game against the Sacramento Kings. Compared with the crazy numbers, he might be happier that the Dallas Mavericks finally took a win (114-110) after two losses in a row since the season restarted.

The victory did not come as any picnic. The Mavericks were the trailing side in most of the game and they were massively outperformed by the Kings in turnovers (17-10), and 3-pointers (16-9). Fortunately, the Mavericks led in rebounds (61-47) and free throws (39-8). However, that could not explain why the Kings got zero points in the last five minutes and 16 seconds of the fourth quarter.

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball in the game against the Sacramento Kings at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball in the game against the Sacramento Kings at The Arena, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Back to Doncic. He became the 11th player who scored at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in one game. He was also the second guard to do so after Oscar "The Big O" Robertson in 1965. Moreover, Doncic was only 21 years and 158 days old when he did it, making him the youngest guy in league history to hit the crazy number.

The record was not over. This was the 12th 30-plus-point triple-double put down by Doncic. All other players before they reached 22 years of age only had eight 30-plus-point triple-doubles together.

Bam Adebayo (L) of the Miami Heat holds the ball in the game against the Boston Celtics at the HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Bam Adebayo (L) of the Miami Heat holds the ball in the game against the Boston Celtics at the HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, August 4, 2020. /VCG

It was also record night for Iguodala and Adebayo

The Miami Heat had their franchise player Jimmy Butler sit on Tuesday's game but that did not stop them from defeating the Boston Celtics 112-106. Bam Adebayo became the best-performing player on the court as he got 21 points and 12 rebounds after standing onto the free throw-line 18 times.

This was the 40th double-double by Adebayo this season, making him the youngest player to do so in Miami history. When Alonzo Mourning did it in 1996, he was three years older than Adebayo.

Andre Iguodala #28 tussles with Semi Ojeleye of the Boston Celtics in the game at the HP Field House, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Andre Iguodala #28 tussles with Semi Ojeleye of the Boston Celtics in the game at the HP Field House, August 4, 2020. /VCG

Thirty-six-year-old Andre Iguodala also got to add another highlight to his resume. The veteran had six points, eight rebounds, four assists, one 3-pointer, one steal and two blocks, becoming the seventh in league history to get at least 1,500 steals, 500 blocks and 1,000 triples. The other six are Vince Carter, Bryant, James, Eddie Jones, Paul Pierce and Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly known as Ron Artest).

Of course, Tuesday's win would not happen without the outstanding performance of Duncan Robinson who went 5-11 from downtown to get 21 points. Robinson surpassed 250 triples made in one season and it took him 68 games to do so, the eighth fastest in NBA history. The seven faster records came from: Stephen Curry (48 games in the 2018-19 season; 51 games in the 2015-16 season; 65 games in the 2016-17 season), James Harden (51 games in the 2018-19 season; 55 games in the 2019-20 season; 67 games in the 2017-18 season) and George (67 games in the 2018-19 season).

Other games on Tuesday:

Brooklyn Nets 119-116 Milwaukee Bucks

Orlando Magic 109-120 Indiana Pacers

Houston Rockets 102-110 Portland Trail Blazers