3 must-watch viral moments from Feb. 23

Highlights

• Amen Thompson blocks Kevin Durant and finishes with a slam dunk.
• Damian Lillard makes a fancy move before hitting a step-back three.
• Malaki Branham posterizes LeBron James with a powerful slam.

Every night fans around the world tune into the NBA to watch some of the greatest athletes perform. And, when you have so many incredible stars in one league there will always be feats of athleticism and skill that astound all.

Friday night in the NBA was no different, as several stars produced several replay-worthy moments. But, did you catch them all?

Knowing how hectic a schedule the average NBA viewer has, it wouldn’t be that surprising to assume that they may have missed out on one or two iconic plays. Fortunately, GIVEMESPORT is here to save the day, as we scoured through all the highlights the NBA had to offer from last night’s game.

And, while we couldn’t get all of them, here are three viral moments from the Feb. 23, 2024 set of games.

3 Thompson turns defense into offense

Blocks Kevin Durant before finishing the play with a slam dunk

The 2023-24 season has introduced the NBA to some exciting new rookies. While everyone is raging on about Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, and Scoot Henderson, one rookie that has gone under the radar is Amen Thompson.

The Houston Rockets picked him up with the fourth overall pick, and last night he showed glimpses of why exactly they made that decision.

Facing off against the Phoenix Suns, Thompson made quite the impact off the bench. He ended the night with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists, as the Rockets surprised the Suns winning 110-114. Thompson also had two blocks, one of which was on one of the greatest players of all time, Kevin Durant.

The play started with Durant moving up the court and infiltrating the paint. Then, in Durant-like fashion, he rose up for the mid-range jumper but was denied by Thompson, who got the block from behind.

However, the play didn’t end there, as the rookie collected the rebound and immediately drove the other way to finish things off with a slam.

It was one of the highlights of the night and certainly one for Thompson’s reel. While he hasn’t wowed the crowd in his first-year, pulling off a move like that will definitely be something he remembers when all is said and done.

2 Lillard gets fancy with it before knocking down the three

Spins past Nickeil Alexander-Walker before hitting the step-back

In the last decade, the art of three-point shooting has been associated with three players. The Golden State Warriors duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are two of them, and the other is none other than Milwaukee Bucks star, Damian Lillard.

Lillard rose to fame for his incredibly clutch threes that have now been classified as “Dame Time”.

Unfortunately, last night was not “Dame Time”, as the Bucks nevertheless defeated the No.1 seeded team in the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-107. Lillard had 21 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists, but struggled from three, knocking down two of his eight attempts.

That being said, one of those shots was a silky smooth replay-worthy moment.

Receiving the ball from Jae Crowder, Lillard found himself just beyond the arc. It was the perfect spot for him to sink a three-point shot, but the Timberwolves’ defense rallied.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the first to react, as he leaped up for the block. However, he fell for the pump fake by Lillard, who then proceeded to spin around him before stepping back for the shot. Alexander-Walker made another attempt at the block, but there was no stopping it from going in.

He may have hit a wonderful three, but there can be no ignoring his poor efficiency from beyond the arc. His last five games have also seen similar results, as he has barely managed to get beyond the 25 percent mark. The Bucks will need him to get his three-point act together if they are to make a long run in the Playoffs.

1 LeBron gets posterized

San Antonio Spurs’ Malaki Branham rises up for the slam over James

Usually, when viewers tune in to see the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s because they want to watch The King, LeBron James in action. After all, he is up there as one of the greatest of all time and is usually a cornucopia of highlight plays. However, there are times when these highlights are not always that flattering.

There have been plenty of occasions in the past, where James has been on the receiving end of some replay-worthy moments. Rather than be the star of the show, even James is susceptible to being the victim at times. Last night, one such play occurred, as the Lakers faced off against the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite winning the game 118-123, there was one particular play where even LeBron James had no choice but to admit defeat. Coming off the bench, Spurs guard Malaki Branham had 14 points, two rebounds, and one assist. Of those 14 points, two of them came in a soon-to-be viral moment that saw him posterize James.

Cutting to the basket after receiving the pass from Cedi Osman, Branham rose up for the slam dunk. As a great defender, LeBron James rose up alongside him hoping to block the play.

However, Branham seemed to have a bit more hop in his step as he got much more elevation and ended the play by giving James what social media is calling a “crowning moment”.

The Spurs are nowhere near being playoff contenders, let alone Play-In contenders. But, they can take solace in knowing they have a nice young core, Malaki Branham included.