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**An Overview of The Horry Scale:** This scale evaluates a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) across various criteria: the level of difficulty, the game context (was the team trailing or tied at that moment?), its significance (is it a crucial playoff match or just a regular November game?), and the ensuing celebration. The final assessment is given an overall score ranging from 1 to 5 Robert Horrys, in homage to the patron saint of last-minute heroics.
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The Clippers made a remarkable comeback. Trailing by 22 points in the fourth quarter, they clawed their way back. Spearheaded by the robotic precision of Kawhi Leonard, who scored 10 emotionless points in crunch time, the Clippers regained the lead.
Facing one of the most devastating losses in their history, the Nuggets fought valiantly. They even managed to briefly reclaim the lead, only to see Ivica Zubac crash the boards and level the score at 99-99 with just eight seconds remaining.
As the momentum swung away and the home crowd grew restless, hungry for a 3-1 series lead, the thought of overtime was far from appealing for Denver. A miracle was imperative.
Nikola Jokić attempted to conjure it, but he air-balled.
Aaron Gordon stepped up.
The former Slam Dunk Contest standout-turned-versatile role player soared in from the weak side. He caught the ball, sent it through the hoop… just a heartbeat before the clock hit zero.
A video review validated the miracle: the shot was good, and Denver triumphed 101-99, leaving the Clippers and their supporters in shock.
**GAME CONTEXT:** Fresh off allowing Zubac’s putback that evened the score, Denver aimed to simplify the ending of what had already been an emotional roller coaster. The Nuggets figured eight seconds was sufficient for Jokić to leverage his exceptional skill set for a high-quality attempt (at least, one that he would consider good).
Jokić chose to create space instead of rushing, starting left and then pivoting to shoot a fadeaway from 26 feet. No one in the arena or watching at home would have been shocked if the shot found the net.
However, it fell short—significantly short. One player noticed just as the clock neared its conclusion.
**DIFFICULTY:** Successful unexpected putbacks rely on well-timed running starts. Gordon, a generational athlete characterized by size, strength, and agility, is ideally suited for aerial cleans up.
Yet, even he had to execute a series of intricately timed mini-steps and extending arms just to secure the ball effectively. He anticipated and capitalized on Jokić’s miss in a way that others could not.
Still, the challenge of the ticking clock loomed. Aligned with the backboard’s video-reviewable red light, it could have rendered Gordon’s otherwise impeccable timing as inadequate.
Fortunately, Gordon had the instinct and countless repetitions to release the ball the moment he knew he could.
**AARON GORDON’S BUZZER-BEATING DUNK SECURES THE WIN FOR THE NUGGETS!!! 🚨🚨**
**ONE OF THE MOST ASTOUNDING FINISHES YOU’LL WITNESS 🤯😱** #TissotBuzzerBeater #YourTimeDefinesYourGreatness pic.twitter.com/BVdHdAEP1Q
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2025
**CELEBRATION:** Gordon was so confident (or perhaps hopeful?) that he bolted toward the locker room, eager to either commend a successful video review or escape from a disappointing outcome.
When officials confirmed the putback counted, the arena erupted from its tense silence. Amidst an oval of a thousand disbelieving boos, the Nuggets celebrated their moment of redemption. Players shared chest bumps and high-fives with Gordon, who beamed with a sense of justified relief. They quickly made their way to the locker room, thrilled to escape with the win and a series that, surprisingly, now stood at 2-2.
**GRADE:** Gordon’s game-winner deserves a place in the annals of postseason buzzer-beater history. The Clippers are familiar with this fate; merely four years earlier, Leonard and LA faced a similar heartbreak at the hands of Deandre Ayton’s “Valley-Oop” during the Western Conference Finals. Additionally, Kobe Bryant’s airball assist to Ron Artest’s buzzer-beater putback in the 2010 conference finals comes to mind. These moments are unforgettable, etched in the legacy of basketball. Gordon’s heroic putback now joins that illustrious company: 5 Horrys.
