The best games you didn't see in 2019

James Harden had one of his many brilliant games on Jan. 16, putting up 58 points in an overtime duel with Brooklyn. Unfortunately, his huge day that included 21 made free throws wasn't enough, as the Nets got a 21-point, 24-rebound performance from Jarrett Allen to win, 145-142. Brooklyn came back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to score 46 points and send the game to overtime.

The Lakers faced a tough task in a visit to Boston. The high-scoring game went back and forth, with the Celtics leading, 128-127, after Kyrie Irving made a jumper with 11.5 seconds left. L.A.'s Brandon Ingram had his game-winning layup attempt blocked, but Rajon Rondo was able to collect the rebound and put up a game-winner from 20 feet. The Lakers won a thrilling 129-128 contest.

In their first of two epic comebacks during 2019, the Clippers came back from 28 points down against Boston to win, 123-112, on the road. Danilo Gallinari starred for the Clips with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blues had quite a 2019, and star Vladimir Tarasenko kept it going. He scored a hat trick, as St. Louis defeated Nashville 5-4 in overtime. The Blues led 3-1 going into the second intermission, but Nashville came storming back with three third period goals to tie the game 4-4. Tarasenko was able to score his third goal just 16 seconds into the overtime period.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, the Blue Devils trailed Louisville, 59-36. Duke's young stars went to work from there, emerging with a 71-69 victory as Zion Williamson scored 27 points.

Neither Rhode Island nor Saint Joseph's had a path to the NCAA Tournament that didn't include an A-10 tournament championship, but they still played a great game in early March. The teams were tied at 78 going into overtime, but Rams guard Fatts Russell came up big to help Rhode Island win, 86-85, with 41 points, making 7-of-13 three-point attempts.

D'Angelo Russell had one of the best games of his career, scoring 44 points in a 123-121 Nets win in which Brooklyn trailed the Kings by 28 points in the third quarter. Russell was 17-of-33 from the field and added 12 assists.

The NIT doesn't get the attention it once did, but that doesn't mean there aren't great games worth watching. Norfolk State entered the tournament as a No. 8 seed as was going against No. 1 seed Alabama but was able to take down the Crimson Tide, winning 80-79 in overtime after Derrik Jamerson Jr. scored 25 points in only 25 minutes. After the teams were tied 67-67 at the end of regulation, overtime was a 13-12 five-minute sprint in which Norfolk State survived after Alabama missed a jumper with one second remaining.

Ryan Poehling was a first-round pick by Montreal in 2017, and his future is bright if his first career game is any indication. He scored a hat trick in regulation and then added the game winner in the shootout, as the Canadiens defeated Toronto, 6-5, in a thriller to finish off the regular season.

The Kings made a habit of blowing big leads in 2019. They were up by 28 points in the second half against a Portland team that rested many of its starters. But the Trail Blazers stormed back, led by 37 points from Anfernee Simons. Portland used only six players in the game and had three players play all 48 minutes.

Coors Field is known for high run totals, and it certainly had that in a game between the Padres and Rockies in mid-June. After seven innings, the Rockies led, 11-4, but San Diego was able to hang in and score one run in the eighth and six runs in the ninth to send the contest to extras. The Padres offense emerged again in the 12th inning with five runs, including Hunter Renfroe's third homer of the game, to win 16-12.

MLB fans who like runs were in for a treat in late July, as the Yankees and Twins combined for 26 runs in a 10-inning win by New York. Minnesota led the game, 8-2, through four innings, but the Yankees came storming back late with seven runs over the final two innings to tie the game at 12 on an Aaron Hicks two-run shot in the ninth. New York scored two more runs in the 10th inning. Didi Gregorius starred in the game, going 5-for-5 with seven RBI.

An old-time Big Eight/Big 12 rivalry game between Colorado and Nebraska was an instant classic. The Buffaloes put themselves in a 17-0 hole at halftime but were able to tie the game, 31-31, after scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter, including a 26-yard touchdown by Tony Brown with 46 seconds left. After Nebraska missed a 48-yard field goal in overtime, Colorado kicker James Stefanou made a 34-yarder for a miraculous come-from-behind win.

In a true classic if you like offense, UCLA picked up its first win of 2019 with a 67-63 come-from-behind battle over Washington State. The Bruins were able to overcome an unbelievable nine touchdown passes by Cougars quarterback Anthony Gordon as well as a 49-17 deficit in the third quarter. UCLA scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:07 remaining in the game.

MLB is set to get rid of the 40-man roster expansion rule in 2020, but it helped create the longest game in Chase Field history late in the 2019 season. Arizona and St. Louis combined to use 25 pitchers in a six-hour, 53-minute marathon. Arizona extended the game to extra innings in the ninth when Ildemaro Vargas hit a home run to tie the game 1-1. Both teams scored in the 13th inning, and Vargas became the hero again in the 19th with an RBI single.

SMU needed three overtimes to beat Tulsa but managed to stay undefeated after trailing 30-9 going into the fourth quarter. The Mustangs scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Wideout James Proche finished the game with 11 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

The Georgia Southern vs. Coastal Carolina matchup was headlined by a dance-off between the teams that resulted in multiple penalties and ejections. But the game was great in other ways too. The teams played to triple overtime after a 10-10 tie at the end of regulation, and Georgia Southern emerged with a 30-27 win after a 3-yard Wesley Kennedy touchdown run.

If Kansas' win over Texas Tech in late October wasn't one of the year's best games, it was certainly one of the most memorable. Tied 34-34 with 13 seconds remaining, Kansas attempted a 40-yard field goal that was blocked by the Red Raiders. Texas Tech attempted to run back the ball, only to fumble. Kansas recovered with two seconds remaining, giving kicker Liam Jones a mulligan with two seconds remaining. He made the kick from 32 yards, sealing the win for the Jayhawks, 37-34.

It didn't look like the Illini's day at East Lansing, trailing 28-3 in the second quarter and 31-10 heading into the final period. However, Illinois turned it on late, including getting two touchdown passes by Brandon Peters and a 76-yard pick-six to win, 37-34.

Perhaps Evansville's shocking victory was more of a great upset than a great game, but it was still quite memorable. Kentucky was a 25-point favorite on its home floor, facing an Evansville squad without high hopes in 2019-20. The Purple Aces led 34-30 at halftime and pulled off a road win against a Kentucky team that had already defeated Michigan State earlier in the season.