Aaron Gordon turned what looked like a disaster into history on Saturday night, slamming home Nikola Jokic’s missed shot just before the buzzer to give the Denver Nuggets a dramatic 101-99 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. With the victory, Denver tied the first-round playoff series at 2-2.
“Nice pass,” Gordon joked after the game, flashing a smile.
Jokic had taken a turnaround three-pointer over Ivica Zubac with the clock winding down, but it sailed wide. Gordon, however, was perfectly positioned to grab the airball and dunk it home. The basket was initially ruled good and was confirmed after automatic review by the NBA’s replay center, showing the ball left Gordon’s hands just before the final light turned red.
Referee Zach Zarba clarified, “It has to be out of his hand when that red light is on. That’s the key—whether it’s still touching the hand, not just about the rim.”
Jokic admitted he feared the worst as the ball flew past the rim. “This is going to be bad,” he recalled thinking.
According to the NBA, Gordon’s buzzer-beating dunk was the first of its kind in playoff history since detailed tracking began in the 1997-98 season.
“I’m glad it’ll go down as a Nugget moment, not a Clipper one,” said Denver’s interim head coach David Adelman.
The loss marked another tough blow for the Clippers, who also dropped Game 1 in overtime by two points.
“It’s still a series, best-of-three,” said Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. “We’ll see what happens.”
Jokic was dominant once again, posting 36 points, 21 rebounds, and eight assists. Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun chipped in with 17 points each. For the Clippers, Leonard led with 24 points, while Norman Powell added 22 and Zubac had a solid all-around game with 19 points, 12 boards, and six assists.
Game 5 is set for Monday night in Denver, where the intensity is expected to remain high.
“This is going to be a dogfight every single game,” Powell said.
A scuffle late in the first half led to six technical fouls, including one on Jokic. The melee, which occurred with 6.6 seconds left before halftime, involved several players but no ejections were made after it was determined no punches were thrown. Jokic, Gordon, and Braun picked up techs for Denver, while Harden, Powell, and Kris Dunn were hit on the Clippers’ side.
Clippers fans, already agitated, chanted “Throw him out!” in response to Gordon’s involvement, but Denver kept its composure. The Nuggets went on a tear in the third quarter, outscoring the Clippers 35-19 to take an 85-65 lead into the final period.
The Clippers responded with a furious comeback, led by Leonard, Harden, and Powell, outscoring Denver 34-16 in the fourth. Zubac tied the game late before Jokic gave the Nuggets a brief lead, setting up the dramatic final sequence.
Despite the late rally, the Clippers couldn’t capitalize, finishing 39-of-88 from the field and only 10-of-30 from three-point range. Denver’s defense held firm when it mattered most.
Denver was without Russell Westbrook, who missed the game due to left foot inflammation.
