NBA playoffs energized by close buzzer-beaters, controversial non-calls and more

New York Times

28-04-2025

The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox.
There was a debate on the internet this weekend about whether 100 men could beat a silverback gorilla in a fight. A silverback weighs about 400-450 pounds. Their wingspan is around eight feet. They can lift upward of 1,800 pounds of deadweight and are estimated to be stronger than 20 humans combined. Their bite is about four times as strong as a pitbull's, and I don't mean the guy yelling 'Dalé!' I've seen enough 'Planet of the Apes' movies to know the 100 men are getting washed. (The good 'Apes' movies. Not that Mark Wahlberg thing.)
Aaron Gordon's clutch tip-in dunk evens series
The Nuggets were on the verge of a brutal collapse, something that seems very fitting of a season when you fire your coach with three games left before the playoffs. They entered the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the Clippers with a 20-point lead and had squandered it by the final possession. The game was tied and headed to overtime when Ivica Zubac and a doubling Kawhi Leonard forced an airball by Nikola Jokić.
However, nobody boxed out Aaron Gordon. He pounced at the opportunity for the tip-in and gambled that a dunk would be finished in time before the buzzer sounded. This is how it looked in real time.
That is as close as it gets! And from that angle and film speed, you cannot tell if he gets it off in time. I know because we watched it in real time a lot and nobody knew if the game was over or we were going to overtime. Let's look at another angle.
Even here, you still can't fully tell! If his fingers are still touching it when that light goes on, even if it's in the cylinder, we're headed to overtime. And the Clippers had so much momentum at that point, you have to wonder if the Nuggets had enough to regroup and rally to avoid going down 3-1 in the series. This was the angle that gave us the final ruling.
That is the smallest of margins for Gordon getting the dunk off before the buzzer sounds and the lights flash, but it's good! There are two things you can fit in the space between his fingertip and the ball in that second frame with the lights on: 1) a single sheet of paper and 2) Zach Randolph's vertical leap.
Advertisement
This is only the second game-winning dunk in the last five seconds of a playoff game in the last 15 years. The other one? It happened in Game 2 of the 2021 Western Conference finals when the Suns' Deandre Ayton slammed home an inbound alley-oop (The Valley-Oop!) with 0.9 seconds left. Who'd they do it against? Yep, you guessed it. The Frank Stallone Clippers.
The Nuggets got the win and pulled even 2-2 in the series. It turns into the best of three and the Clippers will need to win one more in Denver, at least, if they're going to advance. Playoff Panic Meter: 🚨🚨🚨 for the Clippers. Game 5 is tomorrow in Denver.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process.
The story of the greatest players in NBA history.
Another Duke freshman headed to NBA
🏀 Blue Devil declaration. Freshman big man Khaman Maluach has declared for the NBA Draft. He should be a lottery pick.
🗣️ Trash talk! Darius Garland and Tyler Herro have been trading barbs. Herro said: 'I'm not f—ing around.'
🔥 He's on fire. Steph Curry did the thing again where he torched the Rockets. Always read Marcus Thompson.
🌲 Ruh-roh. Is the NBA being bumped out of its Christmas Day tradition? Here comes the NFL.
🎧 Tuning in. Today's NBA Daily discusses whether the series with 3-1 standings are over.
Missed call in Knicks-Pistons brings drama
The Pistons feel like they should be tied 2-2 in their series against the Knicks. This isn't something about moral victories or they played well enough to do this or that. It's because at the end of Game 4, Tim Hardaway Jr. shot a corner 3-point shot to win the game and missed so badly because Josh Hart fouled him on the shot. It was not called, and the Knicks escaped Detroit with a 94-93 victory and a commanding 3-1 series lead. Take a look at the play.
He got him. It wasn't called in a series that has been all about letting physicality go. The Pistons have been rough with the Knicks. The Knicks have been pretty physical with the Pistons. Hart, who had a strong performance, acknowledged after the game there was contact, but he'd let the Last 2-Minute Report decide if it was a foul or not. We don't need to wait for that. Crew chief David Guthrie acknowledged upon postgame review, it should have been called a foul with 0.3 seconds left.
Advertisement
Hardaway should have been at the line shooting three free throws. Instead, the Pistons lost. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff isn't going to love that or accept it, really. He did admit he likes that they're letting the physical play happen. Of course he does! It's how the Pistons like to play defense, and it benefits them if the refs let it go. And it was a missed call. The Pistons also turned the ball over 19 times and shot 7 of 29 from 3. They had more opportunities than that one missed call to win the game.
Playoff Panic Meter: 🚨🚨🚨🚨 for the Pistons. Game 5 is tomorrow in New York. The Knicks close out the series with a win.
Damian Lillard injury
A bad season for Damian Lillard and the Bucks got worse last night, and it might have already sunk next season (or much of it). In the first half of the Bucks' 129-103 Game 4 loss to Indiana, Lillard suffered a non-contact injury to his lower left leg. Reports say he is feared to have a torn Achilles tendon. Doc Rivers said after the game that 'It's not very promising.' Here are my initial thoughts on this news and what it could mean.
A torn Achilles tendon typically takes a year to recover from. If that injury assumption and timetable are true for Lillard, then it would be fair to prepare for the likelihood that he won't be available to the Bucks for the 2025-26 season. Considering he makes $54 million next season, that's a pretty big blow to their roster construction and hopes of competing or building.
If the Bucks have Lillard ruled out for next season, they could apply for the disabled player exception. It would grant them a one-year exception for 50 percent of Lillard's salary. You can sign a pretty good player for $27 million. However, with their cap situation and looming free agents, they'll potentially be pushed up against the second apron. We'll have more analysis on this situation as more information comes to light.
Game 5 of this series is tomorrow in Indianapolis. The Pacers close out the series with a win.
Anthony Edwards does superhuman thing again
In Game 3 on Friday night, Anthony Edwards looked pretty special, scoring 17 of his 29 points in the second half. He dueled with LeBron James and got some great help from Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle for the Wolves to take that game and a 2-1 series lead against the Lakers. It helped that Luka Dončić was playing ill and half of the time looked like Shaquille O'Neal needing to rush off set. But in Game 4, Edwards was dealing with a healthy Dončić and a LeBron who was clicking. They were clicking together.
Advertisement
Game 4 saw Dončić light the Wolves up for 38 points. LeBron had 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. Rui Hachimura had 23 points. Austin Reaves had 17 in the second half. Good thing for Minnesota, Edwards is that dude. He had 16 in the fourth and 24 in the second half on his way to 43 points, nine rebounds, six assists and just one turnover. He got great closing minutes from Naz Reid on both ends of the floor. And the Wolves walked away with a 116-113 win to go up 3-1 in the series.
JJ Redick gambled by playing his entire starting lineup all 24 minutes in the second half. No rest. They went 5-of-18 in the fourth quarter. Might have been a little tired. Panic Playoff Meter: 🚨🚨🚨🚨 for the Lakers. Game 5 is Wednesday in L.A.
Steph Curry continues torture Rockets and their fans
The Rockets blew a massive chance to put pressure on the Warriors in Game 3 with Jimmy Butler sitting out with a bruised butt pelvic contusion. As Butler was dressed in a fur advertisement for Alo on the bench, Curry made sure to continue his decade-long assault on the Rockets organization. He had 36 points (12-of-23 shooting) with 21 in the second half. He had a brilliant all-around game, and Draymond Green played some of the best defense we've seen from any player in the league all season long.
The series isn't over by any means, but Butler is expected back in Game 4. Houston needed that Game 3 win to keep momentum and put Golden State at a deficit in the series. The Rockets have a big-time scoring issue that still hasn't been solved. It's a good growing experience for them, but there are about to be some growing pains. Playoff Panic Meter: 🚨🚨🚨 for the Rockets. Game 4 is tonight.
Jayson Tatum has Magic on brink of elimination
A split in Orlando is only half of what the Magic wanted to accomplish. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner put up a great fight against the defending champion Celtics, but Tatum was just too much in Game 4. The Celtics can win the 3-1 series with a win in Boston tomorrow night.
The Cavs are one win away from a sweep
Cleveland didn't have Darius Garland, and it didn't really need Donovan Mitchell to hand the Miami Heat their worst playoff loss in franchise history (124-87). The Cavs are doing exactly what they need to do. They can close out tonight with a win in Miami.
📬 Love The Bounce? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
Advertisement
Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.