Aaron Gordon: The Clippers had made an incredible comeback. They were down by 22 points in the fourth quarter, but thanks to Kawhi Leonard’s calm 10 points, they took the lead.
The Denver Nuggets, facing what could have been one of the worst losses in their history, fought hard. They even grabbed the lead for a moment before Ivica Zubac grabbed a rebound and tied the game at 99-99 with eight seconds left.
With the crowd roaring and overtime looking very likely, Denver needed something special.
Nikola Jokić tried to deliver — but missed badly.
Then Aaron Gordon stepped up.
Gordon, once known for his Slam Dunk Contest highlights, came flying in from the side. He caught Jokić’s miss and dunked it — just before the clock hit zero.
After a video review, the refs confirmed it: the basket counted. Denver had won 101-99, stunning the Clippers and their fans.
Game Situation: After Zubac tied the game, Denver decided to trust Jokić to create a final shot in eight seconds. Jokić moved left, spun, and launched a tough fadeaway from deep. Nobody would have been surprised if it went in — but it was too long.
Only one player reacted fast enough as time was running out.
The Play: Aaron Gordon, using quick steps and perfect timing, jumped at the right moment to grab the rebound. It wasn’t easy — he had to catch and shoot before the red light on the backboard came on. Thanks to his instincts and practice, he made it just in time.
Celebration:
Gordon was so confident (or maybe just hopeful) that right after the shot, he sprinted straight to the locker room — ready either to celebrate if the basket counted or hide if it didn’t.
When the referees confirmed the basket was good, the quiet arena exploded into loud boos from Clippers fans. Inside that noise, the Nuggets celebrated like crazy. Teammates chest-bumped and high-fived Gordon, who looked relieved and happy. After that, the Nuggets quickly left the court, excited to take the win and even the series at 2-2.
Grade:
Gordon’s last-second dunk now ranks among the most memorable playoff buzzer-beaters. The Clippers sadly know this feeling — four years ago, they lost on Deandre Ayton’s famous “Valley-Oop” during the Western Finals. Kobe Bryant’s missed shot leading to Ron Artest’s buzzer-beating putback in 2010 also comes to mind. These are legendary playoff moments, and now Gordon’s dunk in L.A. joins that list. Final grade: 5 Horrys.
