Aaron Gordon has become a reliable three-point threat for the Denver Nuggets, which isn’t something most fans saw coming when they first traded for the forward all those years ago. He’s always been a great defensive presence and impressive lob threat, but now, he can knock down shots from behind the arc, too.
It all started on Opening Night, when Gordon drained 10 threes en route to a 50-point performance in a Nuggets win over the Golden State Warriors in overtime. And though he’s had some cold games since then, the overall numbers don’t lie: Gordon is a legitimate threat from distance..
And that’s a game-changer for the Nuggets.
How good of a shooter is Aaron Gordon?
Gordon is having the best season of his career, and the Nuggets have been amazing this season. They look like a real threat to take down the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West.
So far this season, Gordon has appeared in 10 games for the Nuggets, playing 29.7 minutes per contest. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 53.3% from the floor and 45.1% from deep on 5.1 three-point attempts per game (the second-most he’s taken in his career).
Nikola Jokic is the best player on the planet. He’s an incredible passer who can find anyone on the court. For the past few years, his connection with Gordon has largely come from baseline cuts and alley-oops.
But now, they have a whole new dimension of their on-court relationship that they can explore, with Gordon now more than capable of knocking down three-pointers.
Obviously, Gordon has taken threes since joining the Nuggets. He’s been put in positions to shoot deep-range shots thanks to the gravity created by Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the rest of the squad.
But now, he’s an actual threat, and opposing defenses have to account for him more now. He’ll still get left open on occasion, but defenses will be punished much more consistently, and game plans can’t be built around leaving him open. He’s too good a shooter for that to work (for the most part).
Even though Cam Johnson has struggled shooting the ball this season, he’s still a three-point threat, meaning the Nuggets have created a rotation of guys who can effectively shoot the three-ball, and Gordon is the latest addition.
His three-point development has given the Nuggets a massive boost this season, and from when he first came to Denver to now, the difference is insane.