Denver Nuggets: 15 greatest playoff moments of all-time

2. Carmelo Anthony drains 3-pointer to sink Mavericks

• 2009 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 3
• May 9, 2009 (American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX)
• Denver Nuggets 106, Dallas Mavericks 105

After five straight years of first-round exits, the Nuggets had something special cooking in the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Denver beat the brakes off the then-New Orleans Hornets in their first-round series, winning that best-of-seven easily in five games.

Up next for the Nuggets upon advancing was none other than Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas was only two years removed from blowing a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals to Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. The Mavericks embarrassed themselves by losing to the “We Believe” Golden State Warriors as a No. 1 seed in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

However, Nowitzki was still very much in his prime and Dallas was coming off an easy 4-1 first-round series victory over the reigning NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Awaiting them in the conference semifinals were the Nuggets fresh off their first playoff series win in well over a decade.

For some, just advancing to the conference semifinals would have been a satisfactory outcome for the Nuggets. But they had bigger plans in the 2009 Western Conference Playoffs. Denver was the higher seed of the two teams, as the Nuggets took care of business to win the first two conference semifinal games at home over Dallas.

However, the Nuggets needed to win a road game in Dallas to take full control of the series. They would take a commanding 3-0 series lead thanks to a clutch shot by their best player in Carmelo Anthony. He hit arguably the biggest shot of his NBA career, a 3-pointer with one second left on the clock to give the Nuggets a 106-105 lead. They would win by that margin to improve to 3-0 on the Mavericks in that best-of-seven playoff series.

Anthony had 31 points in the ball game, but both Nowitzki and Anthony’s Denver teammate Chauncey Billups had more. That being said, Anthony’s 3-pointer is the memorable part of this game and the easy series win for the Nuggets.

With 6.5 seconds left in the game down 105-103, Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin would in-bound the ball in the Denver halfcourt. He would find a wide-open Anthony well beyond the 3-point line. Anthony would attempt to dribble to his right, but nearly lost it out of bounds.

But that didn’t matter. Anthony persisted closer to the 3-point line and heaved up a shot after getting past Antoine Wright. Wright thought Anthony stepped out of bounds or maybe even fouled him. Instead, Anthony drained the game-winner, leaving American Airlines Center completely speechless.