NBA: Aaron Gordon's clutch shooting leads Nuggets' comeback over Trail Blazers

Aaron Gordon’s clutch shooting helped the Denver Nuggets rally from an 18-point deficit to defeat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 137-132 in overtime on Monday.

Denver (51-28) trailed for most of regulation before Gordon hit a deep 2-point jumper from the right corner with 27 seconds left to give the Nuggets a 125-123 lead. Less than a minute earlier, he sank a game-tying 3-pointer from the opposite side, finishing the night with 23 points.

Portland quickly responded as Deni Avdija scored in the paint to force overtime. In the extra period, Gordon set the tone with another key jumper, knocking down his fourth 3-pointer of the night. The basket gave Denver a lead they never relinquished, set up by Nikola Jokic, who tallied a game-high 13 assists.

Jokic also led the Nuggets with 35 points and 14 rebounds, securing his 33rd triple-double of the season. He delivered his final assist to Jamal Murray for a highlight dunk during Denver’s 10-3 run to start overtime. The Nuggets’ 12-7 advantage in the extra period capped a 38-17 run that began midway through the fourth quarter.

Portland had built a 115-99 lead with 8:34 left in regulation, thanks to Toumani Camara, who scored a team-high 30 points. The Blazers set a franchise record by making 25 of 52 3-point attempts, the most ever against a Denver team.

Denver countered with a dominant 66-32 advantage in points in the paint. Jonas Valanciunas came off the bench to score 14 points in just 10 minutes, shooting 6-of-7 from the floor. Julian Strawther added 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, while Murray contributed 20 points and Cameron Johnson added 17.

For Portland, Jrue Holiday recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists, while Donovan Clingan added 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The win moves Denver into third place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers following their loss to Dallas on Sunday.

—Field Level Media/Reuters