The ending of Game 4 between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers was chaotic. After squandering a 22-point lead, the Nuggets had possession with the score tied at 99 and just 8 seconds left. They trusted their three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic, with the final shot. Jokic launched a difficult 23-foot fadeaway from the right wing with under two seconds remaining. But it was Aaron Gordon who made the decisive play, catching Jokic’s high-arcing shot and slamming it in for a buzzer-beating dunk. After a review, the basket stood, giving Denver a 101-99 win and evening the series at 2-2. The dramatic finish sparked an outpouring of reactions across the basketball world, including a bold six-word tweet from Hall-of-Famer Dwyane Wade.
Wade, recognized as one of the most gifted dunkers of his era, consistently demonstrates his team-first mindset by deferring scoring opportunities to teammates like Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Christian Braun. In Saturday’s game, Gordon scored 14 points on just nine shots, with his decisive game-winning dunk standing out. The first-round Western Conference series is now tied at 2-2 as it shifts back to Denver for Game 5, which tips off Tuesday at 10 p.m. EDT.