Aaron Gordon’s Status In Doubt For Game 7 Because Of a Hamstring Injury
Denver Nuggets star Aaron Gordon’s status is in doubt for Game 7 because of a hamstring injury. Gordon, 29, strained his left hamstring in Game 6 on Thursday. The Nuggets went on to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 at Ball Arena. Read on for further details.
Aaron Gordon’s Status In Doubt
Aaron Gordon is one of the biggest names in the NBA. However, Gordon will be a game-time decision in Game 7 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Central. Nuggets Interim Head Coach David Adelman confirmed Gordon’s injury to reporters on Saturday.
Adelman, 53, told reporters, “He just went through the walkthrough … Game-time decision, obviously. But he fully was part of it, the game plan on both sides of the ball. If Aaron can play, he will play.”
Adelman said that Gordon “looked normal.” Adelman added, “His motions were good. So, hoping he plays. In the event that he doesn’t play, though, the Nuggets will be prepared. We walked through a lot of stuff today with different people having [his] responsibilities … But, like I said, the hope is the responsibilities will be Aaron’s.”
Aaron Gordon’s Impact On the Denver Nuggets
Aaron Gordon’s impact on the Denver Nuggets is larger-than-life. Gordon’s last-second dunk lifted the Nuggets to a win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 at the Intuit Dome on April 26. Also, Gordon made a game-winning three-pointer in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on May 5. In addition, Gordon made a clutch three-pointer to force overtime in Game 3 at Ball Arena on May 9.
Gordon finished the regular season averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, while shooting 53.1% from the field and 43.6% from downtown. For the postseason, Gordon has been averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting 48.5% from the field and 38.2% from downtown.
Final Thoughts
The Denver Nuggets entered the NBA Western Conference Semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder as the underdogs. The Thunder clinched the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed and subsequently became the second-youngest team to secure the top seed in NBA history. The Thunder checked all the boxes entering the NBA Playoffs, but they have more to prove. The Thunder’s lack of playoff experience can hurt without extra resiliency.
It’s not guaranteed, but Denver can certainly benefit from Gordon’s return for Game 7 on Sunday. But, whether or not Gordon returns, Denver must use a flurry of baskets to earn a double-digit lead and never look back to beat Oklahoma City. Denver must also avoid a fourth-quarter collapse.
