The Denver Nuggets defeated the Golden State Warriors 130-127 on Thursday night thanks to a remarkable game-winning three-pointer made by superstar centre Nikola Jokić at the buzzer from close to the half-court line.
The score was tied at 127 when Nuggets player Aaron Gordon inbounded the ball to Jokić well inside Denver’s half with 3.6 seconds remaining in the game.
Although it appeared like the game would go into overtime, the two-time had other plans. After committing three dribbles, Jokić moved to the right sideline and dunked over Warriors centre Kevon Looney with a long, rainbow shot.
As time ran down, the shot banged in off the glass, leaving Golden State players and supporters inside the Chase Centre with nothing to cheer about except dismay.
The Serbian centre had a classic Jokić response when Charles Barkley questioned him on the post-game broadcast whether he “called glass” on his shot.
“It entered, my friend. “I’m glad,” he declared.
Jokić’s incredible buzzer-beater put the cherry on top of Denver’s most unlikely victory. The Warriors surprised the reigning NBA champions in the third quarter, outscoring them 44–24, after a very close first half.
With less than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets found themselves behind 18 points, making things seem dire for them.
But late in the quarter, Denver rallied and overcame the deficit, led by Jokić’s almost triple-double. Jokić made a short jumper to level the game at 127, and after Steph Curry committed a costly mistake, the Nuggets were able to call a timeout to set up the game-winning basket.
Following the game, Nuggets coach Mike Malone expressed satisfaction with his team’s effort.
After the game, he remarked, “When you get down to this team, it’s very easy to drop your head in this building with that crowd.” “I think the thing that pleased me the most tonight was that all of us, coaches and players alike, just stuck with it, even after the third quarter.”
“The Joker” finished with 34 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists, ahead of Gordon (30) and Jamal Murray (25).
Golden State’s “Splash Brothers,” Curry and Klay Thompson, combined for 54 points to lead the way, but it was insufficient to push the Dubs beyond the halfway point in what is turning out to be a dismal season. The Warriors drop to 16–18 with the defeat and are still waiting on Draymond Green to return from suspension.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, are third in the Western Conference with a record of 25-11.
On Thursday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs and birthday boy Victor Wembanyama, two of the greatest names in the
The battle between the two-time MVP and the 2023 No. 1 overall choice garnered a lot of excitement prior to the game, and it lived up to the expectations.
With 44 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 125-121 victory. Along with that, Damian Lillard contributed 10 assists and 25 points.
San Antonio was led by Spurs player Devin Vassell, who scored 34 points, and “Wemby,” who finished with 27 points and nine rebounds. The game was a fantastic highlight reel.
Highlights of Wembanyama’s 20th birthday included a behind-the-back bucket, a self-alley-oop, and a crunch time block on Antetokounmpo, which was one of his five for the evening.
But the Frenchman’s first year is not going as planned, with the Spurs finishing last in the Western Conference with a dismal 5-29 record. On the other hand, the Bucks, who are vying for their second NBA title in four years, are now 25-10 and two games behind the leaders in the East.
