The Denver Nuggets came into game four desperate for a victory knowing that a loss would put them down 3-1 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Nikola Jokic had a huge game and built a big lead for Denver but the Clippers battled back to make it a tight game that went down to the stretch. It ended up going literally down to the last tenth of a second when Aaron Gordon made the play of the game with a buzzer beating putback. The Nuggets escape game two with a 102-100 win.

The Nuggets defense started strong while they were able to generate a couple buckets and get a lead. Denver looked like the desperate team out of the gate and pushed ahead by nine just before the midway point of the quarter. Jokic was scoring at will but didn’t get a ton of help and the Clippers started closing the gap. Denver kept in front going down the stretch and the game was close. Gordon put the Nuggets up by seven with a three but after that the bench started checking in and the offense went stale. They held on to the lead in the final seconds and then Jokic buried a deep buzzer beater three to put the Nuggets up 27-22 after one.

The Nuggets offense was stagnant with Jokic on the bench to start the second quarter. The Clippers went on a run and tied the game up at 31 prompting a timeout from David Adelman. The bench mustered a total of two points before Jokic checked in but a Michael Porter Jr. three kept Denver in front. That sparked a 7-0 run while Kawhi also picked up two quick fouls and put the Nuggets in the bonus. Despite the good fortune, Denver couldn’t pull away. Jamal Murray was struggling mightily and the game stayed close. Gordon did a good job of drawing fouls and kept the Nuggets in front in the back half of the quarter. They started getting sloppy and the Clippers closed the gap to two with a minute to play. There was a scuffle between Christian Braun, James Harden and Gordon right before half, it resulted in six technical fouls but no ejections. The Nuggets went to the locker room up 50-48.

Jokic got a couple buckets to keep the Nuggets in front out the gate in the second half. Denver kept clinging to their lead while waiting for someone to come with Jokic on the offensive side. Christian Braun got a couple put backs and a pair of blocks to give the Nuggets some energy. They went on a mini-run and got the lead up to nine with just under six minutes to go. It stayed around there heading down the stretch with the Nuggets starting to look in control. The lead pushed up to double digits with two minutes left to go. Jokic kept putting the pressure on with his huge third quarter. After Porter hit a step back mid-range jumper the Nuggets lead was twenty. At the end of three Denver was up 85-65.

The Nuggets were clunky to start the fourth but did get a nice AG block on defense. The lead started to dwindle so Adelman took a timeout to try and refocus the troops. The Clippers kept chipping away. They pulled the game back under ten with under three minutes to go. L.A. continued to steal all the momentum and started to turn the game in their favor. A Norman Powell three pulled them within four with just over two minutes to go. It got down to one in the final minute with Denver hanging on for dear life. A Bogdan Bogdanovic put back gave the Clippers a lead with a minute left. The Nuggets tied and Jokic got a one on one with Zubac which he cashed for a two point lead with under twenty seconds to go. Zubac tied it on a putback and the Nuggets were left with one final possession. Jokic put up a prayer three that air balled but AG was there and putback a dunk with literally no time left on the clock. After a long review the calm on the floor stood. The Nuggets escape with a 102-100 victory and head back to Denver tied 2-2.