LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- On Day 6 inside the NBA bubble, the league was flipped on its head.
A day that began with a seemingly predictable slate of games turned out to be full of surprises. The seeding races at the bottom of both conferences were shaken up as team's fighting for playoff spots toppled title contenders.
The already depleted Brooklyn Nets were down three additional starters -- Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert all sat out to rest -- when they kicked off a day of upsets with a win against the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks entered the game favored by 19 points, but the Nets emerged with a 119-116 victory -- the largest victory against the spread since 1993.
Next up were the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, who each dropped their first two games in the bubble. Dallas lost late leads against the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns, so it was only fitting that the Mavs came from behind to win 114-110 in overtime.
"We played one of the worst games ever, and we won it," Luka Doncic said.
It was the clash between the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers that featured the most dramatic ending. Phoenix has been one of the biggest surprises in the early days of the bubble, winning its first two games to move firmly into the race for a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
That was supposed to change when the Suns faced the Clippers, the No. 2 team in the West and serious title contenders. Well, things didn't quite work out that way.
Devin Booker's game winner -- after he spun away from Kawhi Leonard and shot over Paul George -- moved the Suns to 3-0 inside the bubble and within a game of the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, who are tied for No. 9 in the West.
Those two teams sit just two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies, who have had three heartbreaking losses so far. But none of the losses was as painful as Tuesday's news that Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss the rest of the season because of a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Memphis' hold on No. 8 in the West continues to slip, and the remaining schedule -- Utah, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Boston and Milwaukee -- does not bode well for the young team. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers continued their impressive start in the bubble with a win over the Rockets to end the night, moving Portland into sole possession of the No. 9 seed and only 1½ games behind Memphis for No. 8.
It was the latest twist in a truly wild sixth day of games inside the NBA bubble. -- Tim Bontemps
Here's the latest on the standings, the games to watch Tuesday and Wednesday, and everything you need to know. Check back for highlights and updates throughout the day.
PAST BUBBLE INTEL: July 30 | July 31 | Aug. 1 | Aug. 2 | Aug. 3
Latest buzz
Melo seals the win for the Trail Blazers
Carmelo Anthony posted 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 110-102 win over the Rockets to help the Blazers hold on to the West's No. 9 seed. His biggest contribution of the night was a 3-pointer to put Portland ahead by five late in the fourth quarter against his former team. Afterward, Melo's teammates both past and present championed his performance and his love for the game.
Grizzlies lose Jaren Jackson Jr. for the season
The Memphis Grizzlies were dealt a significant blow to their playoff hopes Tuesday, when promising young forward Jaren Jackson Jr. was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a meniscus tear in his left knee. The Grizzlies are currently 0-3 inside the NBA's bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
The Grizzlies announced Tuesday that Jackson "experienced an unstable landing after making contact with an opposing player while contesting a shot" during Memphis' loss Monday to the New Orleans Pelicans, with further evaluation revealing the meniscus tear.
The team said Jackson is expected to make a full recovery. -- Bontemps
MORE: How the Grizzlies' woes change the West
T.J. Warren continues streak of 30-point games
Walt Disney World Resort's latest attraction, The T.J. Warren Experience, continues to roll inside the NBA bubble.
Warren dropped 32 points on 13-of-17 shooting Tuesday to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 120-109 victory over the Orlando Magic. The win keeps Indiana undefeated in the NBA's restart.
It was the third consecutive strong performance from Warren, who opened bubble play with a 53-point effort Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed that with 34 points against the Washington Wizards on Monday. It's the first time in Warren's career that he has had three consecutive games with at least 30 points.
Warren's 119 points in three games ties him with Jermaine O'Neal for the most points in a three-game span in Pacers history.
"I'm just really in rhythm, really picking my spots, really just being efficient and just playing hard overall. ... It's an all-around team effort. I'm just doing my part and doing what I'm capable of doing," Warren said.
Tuesday was Warren's third game this season with 30 or more points while shooting at least 75% from the field. That's the most such games in a season by a Pacers player since Hall of Famer Reggie Miller had three in 1994-95, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Teammate T.J. McConnell said the team wants Warren to keep up whatever he's doing to get going the way he is.
"I think we all just want to kind of follow him around for a day to see what he's doing in the bubble because it's been remarkable what he has been doing," McConnell said. -- Andrew Lopez
No Jimmy, no problem
Jimmy Butler was a late scratch from Tuesday's game between the Celtics and Heat because of right ankle soreness, but Miami led wire-to-wire. The Heat combined for 15 3-pointers to beat the Celtics 112-106.
Devin Booker's buzzer-beater downs Clippers
Devin Booker was flat on his back as teammates surrounded him following one of the biggest shots of his life.
With the score tied at 115, the Phoenix Suns' star provided the NBA bubble with a buzzer-beater in what seemed like impossible fashion. He scored the winning shot over two of the league's elite defenders in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Booker's shot stunned the LA Clippers 117-115 and continued the Suns' unlikely 3-0 start in the bubble. The guard had 35 points, made six of nine 3-pointers and added eight assists.
Booker had the ball on the left wing and drove left to avoid a double-team up high from George and Ivica Zubac, who came over to show. Booker proceeded to dribble into the arms of Leonard just outside the paint.
Booker pump-faked Leonard into the air. He then pivoted away from the basket as George went to challenge him, barely getting off an 18-foot fadeaway over George's outstretched hand.
"Devin Booker came out playing aggressive, great," Leonard said. "... I mean, you pretty much [saw] the shot. He got to his spot, pivot, shot a fadeaway."
Don't look now, but the Suns are 29-39 and within three games of the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies (32-36). They still have a long way to go, but the Suns want to continue to play spoiler.
"Coming into the bubble overall, we said we wanted to make some noise and be an under-the-radar team that comes to work hard and play hard," Booker said.
"We didn't have [seed No.] 8 on our mind, [and that] hasn't been our target," Booker said. "People can say [it's a] nothing-to-lose mentality, but we don't look at it like that. ... We're here to win."
Booker has scored 27, 30 and 35 points in his team's three consecutive wins over the Wizards, Mavericks and Clippers.
"I want a reputation in this league as being a winner," Booker said, who had "Be Legendary" scribbled on his shoe in honor of a message Kobe Bryant once signed for him on a pair of sneakers. "Through five years, I haven't gotten to that part of my career yet. But I'm working extremely hard as I can." -- Ohm Youngmisuk
Booker's buzzer-beater was so special that it caught the attention of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
Deep pockets! @DevinBook
— Kyler Murray (@K1) August 4, 2020
WNBA players to wear T-shirts opposing Kelly Loeffler
WNBA players are wearing "Vote Warnock" T-shirts to games this week to support Rev. Raphael Warnock, who is challenging Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) for her Senate seat.
Last month, Loeffler wrote a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert objecting to the league's promotion of Black Lives Matter -- which is painted on the courts at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where the league is holding its return -- and advocating for teams to add American flags to jerseys. Full story
Luka Doncic posts historic stat line
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic finished with 34 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Mavs hold off the Sacramento Kings in overtime Tuesday. Doncic, who has 11 30-point triple-doubles this season, became only the fourth player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77 to post a 30-20-10 game, becoming the youngest in NBA history to do so at 21.
MORE: Why the Mavs are celebrating one of their ugliest wins of the season
Memo to fans: Stop promising to get tattoos
First there was the fan who said he'd get a face tattoo if Deandre Ayton made a 3-pointer in the bubble (he made two in the Suns' first seeding game). Now we have the case of the fan who is on the hook for a Jarrett Allen back tattoo after the Nets pulled off the biggest upset since 1993.
Just know that we all are waiting on that tattoo @birdsnets pic.twitter.com/RiPRpFMGBJ
— Jarrett Allen (@_bigjayy_) August 4, 2020
Amazingly, that isn't the only Nets tattoo that is going to happen as a result of Tuesday's win.
Uhh Ohhh https://t.co/NuRQPz93t1
— Chris Chiozza "FLASH" ⚡️ (@Chiozza11) August 4, 2020
Nets pull off historic upset
The Nets closed as 19-point underdogs and beat the Bucks 119-116.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 4, 2020
It is the 3rd-largest upset in the NBA in the last 30 seasons. pic.twitter.com/jJTCJWWUxl
Giannis' son steals the show
NBA players can't have their families with them in the bubble until the second round of the playoffs, but that didn't stop Giannis Antetokounmpo's newborn son, Liam, from making an appearance on the video board as one of the Bucks' virtual fans Tuesday.
Giannis not happy with Hall after shove
Tuesday's games
Brooklyn Nets 119, Milwaukee Bucks 116 | Box score
Dallas Mavericks 114, Sacramento Kings 110 (OT) | Box score
Phoenix Suns 117, LA Clippers 115 | Box score
Indiana Pacers 120, Orlando Magic 109 | Box score
Miami Heat 112, Boston Celtics 106 | Box score
Portland Trail Blazers 110, Houston Rockets 102 | Box score
Play-in watch
Of the six games Tuesday, five involved at least one team fighting for a playoff spot. The Nets overtook the Magic for the No. 7 seed after they beat the Bucks and the Magic fell to the Pacers.
The Blazers moved into the No. 9 seed after the Spurs' loss to the Sixers on Monday, and then beat the Rockets on Tuesday to maintain that spot. The Suns upset the Clippers behind a Devin Booker buzzer-beater and moved to within a half-game of the No. 11 Pelicans.
Eastern Conference
7. Brooklyn Nets | 32-35 (.478) | --
8. Orlando Magic | 32-36 (.471) | --
9. Washington Wizards | 24-43 (.358) | 8.0 GB
Western Conference
8. Memphis Grizzlies | 32-36 (.471) | --
9. Portland Trail Blazers | 31-38 (.449) | 1.5 GB
10. San Antonio Spurs | 29-37 (.439) | 2.0 GB
11. New Orleans Pelicans | 29-38 (.433) | 2.5 GB
12. Phoenix Suns | 29-39 (.426) | 3.0 GB
13. Sacramento Kings | 28-39 (.418) | 3.5 GB
Full standings | Playoff matchups
Wednesday's must-see games
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz | 2:30 p.m. ET
After losing their first three games inside the bubble, it's suddenly desperation time for the Grizzlies. Ja Morant might not have liked the idea of a play-in tournament when it looked as if Memphis would be the No. 8 seed, but it seems likely his tune will change if the Grizzlies fall to No. 9. -- Bontemps
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 6:30 p.m. ET
The Thunder appeared to be on their way to a second straight victory, only for them to collapse and lose to the Nuggets in overtime Monday. They'll look to bounce back against the Lakers in what could be a Western Conference semifinals preview. -- Bontemps
Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics | 9 p.m. ET
The Nets sat Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris against Milwaukee on Tuesday, so the trio figures to play in the second game of the back-to-back against the Celtics on Wednesday. Even with those players, though, Brooklyn is severely undermanned. Boston will also be playing the second game of a back-to-back, however, so it might also rest a few players. -- Bontemps
Additional games
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards | 4 p.m. ET
Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs | 4 p.m. ET
Toronto Raptors vs. Orlando Magic| 8 p.m. ET
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