Aaron Gordon once again delivered a remarkable performance, hitting a game-winning shot during the 2025 playoffs, this time in Game 1 against the Thunder.
The Denver Nuggets faced a daunting challenge, trailing by as much as 14 points but persevered to narrow the gap to just one after Gordon sunk two free throws with 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
During the ensuing inbounds play, the Nuggets committed a foul on Chet Holmgren, who missed both free throws. This misstep allowed Denver to swiftly advance down the court, where Gordon executed a critical three-pointer with just 2.8 seconds remaining, clinching a nail-biting 121-119 victory.
AARON GORDON 3 FOR THE WIN!!!@nuggets take Game 1 in a THRILLER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fxV2ReRPZA
— NBA (@NBA) May 6, 2025
Notably, Russell Westbrook faced his former team as an opponent for the first time in a playoff match, providing the assist for Gordon’s decisive shot.
“The open man is the right play, the right play is the open man,” Gordon commented after the game. “Russ makes the right play a lot of times. I saw the paint was clogged, so I thought that was going to be the best look we were gonna get.”
Gordon wrapped up the game with 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting, alongside 14 rebounds, logging 39 minutes to secure the win, which registered as the first loss for the top-seeded Thunder in the 2025 postseason. This victory also granted Denver home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
“It’s the playoffs, you only get a certain amount of chances,” said Nuggets interim coach David Adelman after the game. “… This is our opportunity tonight, live in the present… we never let go of the rope.”
Image Source: Pavel Shchegolev / Shutterstock
