The Nuggets aren't the team they were when they won a championship two years, but they evidently still have the heart of a champion.
After prevailing in a thrilling Game 1 to start the series, the Nuggets came out on the winning end of another exciting finish in Saturday's Game 4 against the Clippers, this time right at the buzzer.
After Denver saw a 22-point lead turn into a deficit by the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, Aaron Gordon won Game 4 for the Nuggets with a buzzer-beating dunk that spent a handful of minutes under review by officials.
Here's a look at Gordon's buzzer-beater and why it stood.
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Aaron Gordon buzzer-beater
After a putback by Ivica Zubac tied the game with eight seconds left and set up the Nuggets with a chance to win, the Clippers played the final possession well. L.A. was all over Jokic, who had no choice but to heave up a desperation 3-pointer.
While Jokic sees those kind of shots go in more than just about anyone else, this one was clearly not going to hit its target. Gordon recognized it and pulled the shot out of the air, stuffing it in the rim with just a tenth of a second (or less) on the clock.
AARON GORDON DUNK AT THE BUZZER FOR THE NUGGETS WIN!!! 🚨🚨
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2025
ONE OF THE CRAZIER ENDINGS YOU'LL SEE 🤯😱#TissotBuzzerBeater#YourTimeDefinesYourGreatness pic.twitter.com/BVdHdAEP1Q
It took several minutes for the Nuggets to actually know whether Gordon's dunk counted. The ball appeared to leave his hands almost simultaneously with the buzzer, and the rim partially obscured the view on replay.
The dunk was called a good basket before review, which worked in Gordon's favor, but the officials announced after review that they confirmed what they initially saw: the ball left Gordon's hands just before the buzzer sounded.
It's tough to find a convincing angle one way or the other, but with the basket good on the floor, it would have been tough for officials to overturn the dunk and play on without clear-cut evidence Gordon didn't beat the buzzer.
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The play resembled the iconic game-winning dunk in the 1983 national championship game, which saw Lorenzo Charles put an errant shot in the basket and propel NC State to an upset of Houston.
Rather than go home facing elimination, the Nuggets will head back to Denver with the series even at two thanks to Gordon's heads-up play.