NBA playoffs are seeing close games become the norm. And there have been some heroic moments, too

Aaron Gordon went to the postgame interview room after his latest heroic moment for the Denver Nuggets, took a seat with his two nephews on his lap and waited for somebody to say something.

He finally broke the silence.

“Any questions?” he asked.

Seems about right that he would ask that, given that so far in these NBA playoffs Gordon has been one of the players with all the answers in the biggest moments — when games are on the line.

He is one of the contenders for the unofficial title of Mr. Game Winner of these playoffs, his case built around a no-time-left dunk — believed to be the first of its kind in postseason history — to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Round 1, then a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

“Did I know it was in? I knew it wasn't a miss," Gordon said of his latest game winner.

And Gordon isn't alone in being part of these down-to-the-wire moments.

Tyrese Haliburton — another Mr. Game Winner candidate — now has two such shots as well in these playoffs, the latest coming in the form of a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to beat top-seeded Cleveland 120-119 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 Pacers lead in that series. That one came after he had a layup with 1.4 seconds left in overtime of the Pacers’ series-clinching, frantic Game 5 rally in the final moments to oust Milwaukee.

“Obviously, had to get lucky,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Tuesday night after Haliburton’s latest heroics led his team's second successful comeback from seven points down and less than a minute left in a three-game span. “Tyrese hit another amazing shot to win the game. You don’t see this very often, let alone twice in one week. We’re very fortunate.”

He’s right. You don’t see this very often.

There are five players — Robert Horry in 2002, LeBron James in 2006 and 2018, Jamal Murray last year, and now Gordon and Haliburton this year — who have hit two go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds of wins in the same postseason. That’s it. That’s the whole list.

“This is what I do,” Haliburton said in the on-court interview afterward, still out of breath.

Round 2 is just getting underway in these NBA playoffs and already there have been 15 games decided by three points or fewer, matching or exceeding the total from each of the last 10 playoff years. The New York Knicks have won five games so far in the playoffs, four of them by three points or fewer.

“We’re just going to keep fighting,” the Knicks' Mikal Bridges said after the Game 1 win at Boston on Monday night. “That’s who we are ... and we keep showing it.”

This is not normal: So far, 30% of games in this year's playoffs going into Tuesday have been decided by three points or fewer. It's happening about twice as often as it did last season and about three times as often as it did in other postseason runs over the last decade.

Of those 15 games so far decided by three points or fewer, five of them have had a go-ahead basket in the final 10 seconds. There's the two by Haliburton, the two by Gordon, and the other was New York’s Jalen Brunson hitting a 3-pointer to beat Detroit in Round 1.

Brunson was the NBA's top clutch player this season. Haliburton is an Olympic champion. Gordon was part of Denver's run to the NBA title two years ago. In the biggest moments, they know what is required.

“It’s not about putting the team on my back," Brunson said. "I have confidence in them. They have confidence in me. We're going to compete. We're going to find the best way to attack each possession. It may look like I get the credit ... but it's not just me.”

Brunson had a chance to win Game 1 at Boston with a last-second floater in regulation — “not clutch enough,” he mused when asked about it after the Knicks finished off the overtime win — but the Knicks found a way anyway.

New York was down by 20 in that game and won; Boston was 40-1 this season in games when it had a lead of 20 or more.

Denver was down by 14 at Oklahoma City and won; the Thunder are 64-2 this season in games in which they led by at least 12 points against anybody besides the Nuggets, but they're only 2-3 in such games against Denver.

The Nuggets now have three wins by three points or fewer so far in these playoffs.

“We make stupid mistakes,” Denver star Nikola Jokic, who had a historic 42-point, 22-rebound effort, told Altitude TV after the Game 1 win. “But we find a way.”

At this time of year, finding a way is the only thing that's required. Haliburton, Gordon and Brunson have proven that.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon shoots during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) hugs his father John Haliburton following Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

President of the New York Knicks Leon Rose, left, hugs guard Jalen Brunson (11) as they leave the court following a Game 6 win in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) and Aaron Gordon, center right, celebrate after Gordon sunk a basket late in the second half that sealed the team's win in Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, May 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

CHICAGO (AP) — Dallas Turner threw Tyson Bagent to the ground, then took off down the field in celebration. It rained on his parade, for sure, but that was just fine with him.

Turner had two of Minnesota's four sacks, including his takedown of Bagent on the final play, and the Vikings shut down Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears for a damp 9-3 victory on Sunday.

“I feel like, just preparing myself for these moments, ever since I was in college,” said Turner, a third-year linebacker who also had a sack during a 39-22 win over Green Bay in Week 1. “I feel like it’s very important, just keep on showing up every single day to execute at a high level.”

Isaiah Rodgers recovered a fumble and blocked a late field-goal attempt as Minnesota improved to 2-0 for the first time since it opened the 2024 season with five consecutive wins. Aaron Jones rushed for 105 yards and Will Reichard kicked three field goals, including a 39-yarder with 1:09 left.

The Vikings earned their seventh consecutive win at Soldier Field, matching the franchise record for consecutive road wins over a division opponent. They won seven straight at Detroit from 1968-74 and seven straight on the road against Green Bay from 1971-77.

“Defense was unreal. It was a gritty game, gritty game for the whole team,” Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz said.

Williams left with a right hamstring injury midway through the fourth quarter, silencing a drenched crowd of 58,914. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft was 15 for 26 for 138 yards, and he had five carries for 42 yards.

“We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said.

Johnson called the plays as Chicago (1-1) rolled to 291 yards rushing and 552 yards overall in a 59-37 victory at Carolina in Week 1. It was the highest-scoring season opener in NFL history.

But Johnson and the Bears were stymied by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his usual aggressive approach. Led by Turner and Blake Cashman, Minnesota limited Chicago to 297 total yards. Cashman had 10 tackles and a sack, and Byron Murphy Jr. intercepted an ill-advised throw by Williams in the first quarter.

“I really loved the game plan from the time Flo and I sat down on Tuesday, and just kind of the way him and the staff wanted to attack, wanted to make sure that we were just playing really good sound defense," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said.

Williams got hurt on a scramble deep in Minnesota territory. The third-year quarterback, who passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more in the opener, was helped off the field.

Tyson Bagent came in and passed to D’Andre Swift for 1 yard before throwing an incomplete pass on third down. Johnson then sent Cairo Santos on for a 23-yard field goal, but it was blocked by Rodgers.

After Wentz drove Minnesota to Reichard’s third field goal, Chicago had one last opportunity. Bagent found Rome Odunze for 21 yards and Luther Burden for 8 to move the ball to the Vikings 12.

Following a pair of incompletions, Bagent was wrapped up by Turner on the final play.

“Man, D.T. just keeps showing up,” O'Connell said.

Wentz was 11 for 20 for 143 yards, and Justin Jefferson had three receptions for 55 yards. Wentz got the start with Kyler Murray working his way through the NFL concussion protocol.

“It’s been an interesting offseason for me personally and everything, but I knew I was here for a reason,” Wentz said. “I knew if called upon, I could help this team win games.”

Trailing 6-3, Williams drove Chicago to first-and-goal on the 1 on the first drive of the second half. But Swift fumbled on a hit by Jalen Redmond and Rodgers recovered for Minnesota (2-0).

“Even at the end we had a chance to win the game,” Swift said. “If I don’t give the ball up and we get points right there it might be a different outcome for us. I’ll be better.”

The teams exchanged field goals on the opening drives of the game. Jefferson’s 30-yard reception helped set up Reichard’s 35-yarder, and Williams’ 19-yard run was the big play in Chicago’s drive to Santos’ 50-yard field goal.

Vikings: DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins suffered a right hip injury. ... Cashman left with 10:35 left in the third but he returned. ... O'Connell said he thinks Murray will clear concussion protocol early this week.

Bears: CB Tyrique Stevenson had a hamstring injury.

Vikings: At the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Sunday.

Bears: Host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 28.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) gestures after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) lies on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, right, celebrates after recovering a fumble by the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (2) smiles after recovering a fumble by the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)