Nikola Jokic Shoots Down Rumors Of Aaron Gordon’s Controversial Game Winner Beginning With A ‘Pass’

Prateek Singh | 27/04/2025
Nikola Jokic (L), Aaron Gordon (R)

Going into Game 4, the Los Angeles Clippers held a narrow 2–1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets. The stage was set for a pivotal showdown, and the teams didn’t disappoint. Both teams traded blows all night before a chaotic final sequence saw Nikola Jokic’s team steal a dramatic 101–99 win. But it was Aaron Gordon who was the hero of the night.

In one of the wildest finishes in recent Playoff memory, Jokic and Gordon came together to level the series against the Clippers.

With less than two seconds to go in the fourth quarter and scores tied at 99, Jokic badly missed a spinning fadeaway. The ball made no contact with the rim. Fortunately, Gordon was ready and seized the opportunity, grabbing the airball and dunking it just as the buzzer went off. Game officials spent a lot of time analyzing whether the Nuggets should be given two points for the shot or not.

The controversial part about the shot was whether Gordon had fully released the ball before time expired. Some slow-motion replays raised questions about the time when the ball went into the bucket. However, after a tense review, the officials upheld the bucket.

A bad miss from Jokic turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Nuggets, thanks to Gordon’s quick response. At the post-game presser, Jokic said, “I thought that it was close, but it was really, really close.” When Gordon complimented the Joker, saying, “Nice pass,” Jokic laughed and said that it wasn’t intended to be a pass.

Regardless, it all worked out well for the visitors. Although it was a thrilling finish to the game and Jokic and Gordon did well to earn the dub, the game could’ve gone into overtime if Norman Powell stayed on Gordon as he was expected to.

The game ended 101-99 for the Nuggets. Jokic once again led his team with 36 points, 21 rebounds, and eight assists. All five starters scored in double digits for the Nuggets. The first round series will come back to the Ball Arena for Game 5, where the two teams will try to take the lead on Tuesday.

Post Edited By: Sameen Nawathe
Aaron Gordon Nikola Jokic

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Prateek Singh

Prateek is a Senior NBA Writer for The SportsRush. He has over 900 published articles under his name. Prateek merged his passion for writing and his love for the sport of basketball to make a career out of it. Other than basketball, he is also an ardent follower of the UFC and soccer. Apart from the world of sports, he has followed hip-hop religiously and often writes about the origins, evolution, and the biggest stars of the music genre.

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