Aaron Gordon’s Last-Second Dunk Secures Dramatic 101-99 Win for Nuggets Over Clippers
Aaron Gordon delivered a clutch dunk as time expired, giving the Denver Nuggets a thrilling 101-99 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. The dramatic play came after Nikola Jokic missed a three-pointer in the final seconds, with Gordon jumping high to catch the air-ball and slam it home just before the buzzer sounded.
Following a replay review, the basket was confirmed, tying the series 2-2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup.
Nuggets interim coach David Adelman reflected on the incredible moment, acknowledging that while the play could be seen as lucky, Gordon’s athleticism was key. “He met the ball early,” Adelman said. “I was preparing for overtime, but it’s great that it will be remembered as a Nuggets moment, not a Clippers one.”
Jokic played a dominant role in the win, posting an impressive 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Nuggets bounced back from a crushing 117-83 defeat in Game 3, showing resilience on their home court.
Gordon, who played a pivotal role in the victory, said, “This was really big for us. We came here to regain home court advantage, and we did that.”
The Clippers, trailing by 22 points in the fourth quarter, mounted a stunning comeback with a 32-9 run to briefly take the lead with just over a minute remaining. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Norman Powell added 22 points.
Australian Ben Simmons played seven minutes for the Clippers, contributing two points to the team’s effort.
The series now heads to Denver for Game 5, which will take place on Wednesday morning, AEST.
