Aaron Gordon was forced to sit out the bad loss in Memphis against the Grizzlies because it was on a back-to-back for the Nuggets, and his presence was sorely missed. Nikola Jokic had 10 turnovers, tying a career high, and it set a high for the season, and the Nuggets dropped another clutch game to a team they had to have a win against. The next game against the Raptors, with Gordon back, and the Nuggets and Jokic clearly looked different.
The Nuggets never had an answer defensively for the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter, and they could never get the deficit closed, ultimately losing to a team trying to secure a better lottery pick, 125-118.
However, in the 121-115 defeat of the Raptors, the Nuggets were able to close the door in a clutch game, a deficiency that's new to the team this season, in large part due to a huge defensive play from Gordon after the Joker had hit what turned out to be the game-winner with 44.9 seconds left to play. It's the kind of defensive play the Nuggets had been missing in the clutch.
Gordon's effect on Jokic is stunning
Nikola Jokic has been turning the ball over at an alarming rate since he returned from a lengthy 16-game absence due to a knee injury. But those troubles could be attributed to Gordon not being on the court.
Ryan Blackburn provided a stat showing just how important AG is to the Joker. In 400 minutes with Gordon on the floor together with Jokic, Jokic is averaging 3.6 turnovers per 100 possessions. And in 1400 minutes without Gordon on the floor, Jokic is averaging 5.8 turnovers per 100 possessions.
The Gordon effect on Jokic was again on display against the Raptors. Jokic cut his 10 turnovers without AG in Memphis down to two, and the Nuggets only committed 10 as a team.
The Nuggets lead the league in tight games
Jokic is over two turnovers worse without Gordon. That equates to a possible six points per game that the Nuggets are allowing without Gordon. How many of the one-possession games the Nuggets played in would have been avoided if Gordon had been able to stay healthy? Hurts to think about, but it also shows promise for the playoffs.
The Nuggets lead the NBA in one-possession games. They've played in 18 and lost 11. Cut a couple of turnovers out, and that flips dramatically.
The Nuggets have shown us flashes of greatness this season, and they've also done what they can to defeat themselves. If they can stop doing that, they can start bringing fans back to the reality that they could still win the whole thing.