By Yusuf Kose habername.com San Francisco

Sun, April 27, 2025

LOS ANGELES — The Nuggets needed a break, and Aaron Gordon delivered it at the buzzer.

After Nikola Jokić's fadeaway airball with the game tied, Gordon crashed the glass and threw down a putback dunk just before time expired. After a tense video review, the basket stood, and Denver escaped with a 101–99 win to even the series at 2–2.

It capped off a wild night where the Nuggets nearly let a 22-point lead slip away. The Clippers threw everything at them in the fourth quarter, forcing five turnovers and holding Denver to just 16 points. James Harden and Norman Powell led a furious rally that briefly gave Los Angeles a two-point lead with under a minute left, but Denver hung on.

Jokić once again carried Denver through the heavy lifting. He finished with 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 8 assists, dominating inside and controlling the pace for most of the game. Even after logging more than 40 minutes for the third time in four games, he delivered the critical plays when it mattered — even if the final shot was off target.

The Nuggets also leaned on toughness from Michael Porter Jr., who played through a painful shoulder injury to score 17 points and knock down four threes. Porter’s status was in question right up until tipoff, but he fought through the pain to give Denver much-needed floor spacing and shot-making.

The game wasn’t short on drama. Just before halftime, a scuffle broke out after a foul on

Harden led to Aaron Gordon making contact with Norman Powell’s face. The crowd called for an ejection, but officials wisely handed out technicals without tossing anyone. Keeping Gordon on the floor turned out to be crucial.For Denver, this was a gut-check game after getting blitzed in Game 3. They responded by controlling the first three quarters, surviving the Clippers’ late surge, and finding a way to win on the road. It wasn’t pretty, but it showed the kind of toughness they’ll need the rest of the way.

The series now shifts back to Denver with everything tied, and the Nuggets carrying the momentum.