OKLAHOMA CITY — Nikola Jokic showed why he’s a finalist for another MVP award with his historic stat line. But with Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at stake, the ball again found Aaron Gordon’s hands.
Gordon hit a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining, supporting Jokic’s 42-point, 22-rebound effort and giving the Denver Nuggets a stunning 121-119 comeback win over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.
It was the kind of finish one might expect of a team that won the NBA title just two seasons ago.
“We just didn’t want to miss the moment, didn’t want to miss the opportunity,” Gordon said. “We knew that if we waited, it may be too late. I’m glad we showed our mettle, our grit, but we’re not satisfied.”
It was Gordon’s second game-winner of the playoffs. His dunk on a Jokic miss as time expired lifted the Nuggets past the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of their first-round series.
Gordon did much more than hit the deciding shot against the Thunder.
“Aaron’s going to be a hero again,” Denver interim coach David Adelman said. “But I’m also looking at 14 rebounds. I’m looking at 22 points. Looking at ball-handling responsibilities, leadership. He is a Denver Nugget, man. Like, he is the soul of our team. So, cool to see him have two moments that no one will forget.”
Jokic became just the fourth player to have at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in a playoff game.
Denver’s Russell Westbrook, who started his career with the Thunder, assisted on Gordon’s game-winner. It was his first playoff game in Oklahoma City as an opposing player.
Jamal Murray added 21 points for the fourth-seeded Nuggets, who stole the opener after closing out a seven-game series against the Clippers on Saturday.
Denver’s opportunity came after Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren missed two free throws with the Thunder leading by a point.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the other MVP finalist in the game, had 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, who hadn’t played in more than a week after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. Alex Caruso added 20 points, six assists and five steals.
Jokic picked up three fouls during a two-minute stretch in the third quarter after committing just one foul in the first half. He stayed in the game with the Thunder leading 73-64.
The Nuggets closed the gap to 90-85 by the end of the third quarter.
With the Thunder leading 104-95 and just under seven minutes remaining, Jokic elbowed Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort in the head on a drive, and the play was reviewed. The play was ruled a flagrant 1 on Jokic — his fifth foul — and Dort made two free throws.
Denver spent the rest of the game closing the gap, and Jokic never picked up the sixth foul.
The Thunder helped Denver by fouling intentionally while leading, and the Nuggets took advantage by making all four free throws in the final 12.9 seconds.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he didn’t regret the strategy that ultimately kept the Nuggets close.
“It didn’t go our way tonight, but it’s worked out well for us in the past,” Daigneault said. “We’ll continue to look at it and learn from it, but I don’t think that’s why we lost the game.”
Oklahoma City led 113-102 with 4:31 remaining. The Thunder, normally one of the best closing teams in the league, fell apart against the veteran Nuggets.
“I never felt like anybody wavered,” Adelman said. “And that doesn’t mean you’re going to win the game. But we all know in the NBA playoffs these games are so long. You just try to give yourself a chance. We did that.”
