Game Recap
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- — Aaron Gordon turned Nikola Jokic's airball into a bit of NBA history as time expired.
Gordon swarmed the glass and slammed down Jokic’s miss to lift the Denver Nuggets over the Los Angeles Clippers 101-99 on Saturday and tie their playoff series 2-2.
“Nice pass,” Gordon said, smiling.
Jokic attempted a turnaround 3-pointer from the right side over Ivica Zubac as the clock ran down. His thoughts as he saw it was going to soar past the rim?
“This is going to be bad,” Jokic said.
Gordon's basket was ruled good by the referees before it was automatically reviewed at the NBA's replay center in New Jersey. The official there confirmed the ball left Gordon's hands above the rim before the buzzer sounded after the Nuggets had blown a 22-point lead.
“It has to be out of his hand when that red light is on,” referee Zach Zarba told a pool reporter. “That's what we're looking for. It's not the cylinder of the rim, it's whether it's in contact with his hand or not when that red light comes on.”
Jokic's review?
“It was really, really close,” he said.
The NBA said it was the first game-winning, buzzer-beating dunk in the playoffs since the detailed play-by-play era began in 1997-98.
“I'm glad it'll be a Nugget day, not a Clipper day,” Denver interim coach David Adelman said.
It was the Clippers' second heartbreaking loss of the series, having dropped Game 1 by two points in overtime.
“It's still a series, best-of-three,” Clippers star Kawhi Leonard said. “We'll see what happens.”
Jokic had 36 points, 21 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun had 17 points apiece.
Leonard scored 24 points. Norman Powell added 22 and Zubac had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
The Nuggets split their two games at the new Intuit Dome. Game 5 is Monday in Denver.
“This is going to be a dogfight every single game,” Powell said.
A skirmish between the teams near the end of the first half resulted in six technical fouls, including on Jokic.
The Clippers led for the first time in the game at 97-96 on Bogdan Bogdanovic’s offensive rebound and basket with 1:11 remaining.
Jokic’s free throw and basket put Denver back in front, 99-97, before Zubac tied it.
Gordan sprang for the rebound off Jokic's miss with James Harden on his back. The Nuggets appeared jubilant while the Clippers sat blankly on their bench while the referees reviewed the play.
“Gordon made a hell of a play,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
The Nuggets outscored the Clippers 35-19 in the third to lead 85-65.
Leonard, Harden and Powell sparked the Clippers in the fourth, when they outscored Denver 34-16.
Jokic was one of three Nuggets, along with Gordon and Braun, to receive technicals for the mid-court melee with 6.6 seconds left. Harden, Powell and Kris Dunn of the Clippers got offsetting fouls after the referees decided no closed fist punches were thrown.
The confrontation riled up Clippers fans, who chanted, “Throw him out!” at Gordon, but it didn't do much for the home team. Los Angeles struggled offensively, shooting 39 of 88 and just 10 of 30 from 3-point range while trailing most of the entire game.
The Nuggets led by two at halftime before breaking the game open in the third. They outscored the Clippers 35-17 to go into the fourth ahead 85-65. Jokic had 14 points and the Nuggets hit five 3-pointers to one for the Clippers.
Denver's Russell Westbrook sat out with left foot inflammation.
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