Everyone knows that Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the two best players on the Nuggets, and the team would be drawing dead without either one. But it has also become extremely apparent that Aaron Gordon is the straw that stirs the drink, and his presence on both ends of the floor is absolutely vital for the team to succeed.
That was on full display on Thursday night in Game 3 of the team’s first-round playoff series with the Timberwolves. After a disappointing Game 2 loss at home that saw Denver blow a huge lead, then get called out by Jaden McDaniels, the team got some bad news as AG was ruled out shortly before the game with calf tightness.
Any hope of the Nuggets bouncing back seemed doomed the moment that news came out, and sure enough, they took the floor looking completely lifeless, scoring just 11 points in the first quarter while Minnesota kept taking the ball to the basket, en route to a massive 111-96 victory that truly wasn’t that close.
Nuggets’ defense has no shot without Gordon
The biggest thing the team misses without AG is his defense. He’s the anchor on that end, and their best player guarding on the perimeter, as well as manning the back line and protecting the rim. He is not only tasked with keeping the defense connected every possession, but he’ll constantly guard the other team’s best player, and remains the best option as a backup center when Jokic sits.
Without AG, the already struggling defense fell off a cliff. The Wolves attacked the basket and got one easy hoop after another, scoring 61 points in the first half despite not shooting well at all from outside. But instead of forcing tough shots, the Denver D relented and surrendered 68 points in the paint. Without AG, there was simply no resistance.
Offense looked completely lifeless with no AG
We knew the defense would take a hit, but the offense arguably looked even worse. Gordon’s impact on that end is underrated, but it was glaring on Thursday night. Jokic really struggled with Rudy Gobert, and Jamal Murray had a hard time getting going on McDaniels.
Nobody else stepped up. AG provides secondary ball-handling, shooting, and creation. He can run actions and space the floor from the dunker spot as well as anyone in the league. He’s what makes the Nuggets’ lethal two-man game a three-man game, and gives it its fangs.
Without him, the Wolves honed in on Joker and Murray, and the others weren’t able to make the Wolves pay at all. Without Gordon, Spencer Jones got the start, and Zeke Nnaji got the backup center minutes. Neither of those situations is tenable for a team with championship aspirations.
Nuggets have no chance without Gordon’s toughness
But as much as they miss him on offense and on defense, they miss his heart, his passion, and his leadership. Don’t get me wrong, the Nuggets have some real competitors, but Gordon is the closest thing they have to an enforcer.
He brings the attitude and intensity on a nightly basis, and gives Denver an edge that they were very clearly lacking without him.Â
Put simply, there’s no way the Nuggets get embarrassed in Game 2, get called out by McDaniels, then stroll into Game 3 in Minnesota looking lifeless and feeble with Gordon in the lineup. He’s the guy who would have started pushing people around, making his presence felt, and forcing his teammates to meet the level of urgency required.
Gordon outlook dicey going forward
Without him, it just looked pathetic, and the Nuggets offered up as disappointing a no-show in a big game as you can imagine. There’s no official word on Gordon yet. David Adelman said the calf that held him to just 36 games played this season felt some tightness after Game 2 and didn’t make enough progress during the two days off, but he wouldn’t commit to his status going forward.
During the Amazon Prime broadcast, they announced that the imaging showed nothing serious and he’ll be day-to-day. But this is a tired story by now, as it seems like it’s one thing after another with this pesky calf.
Obviously, the hope is that AG can go in Saturday night’s crucial Game 4, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be 100%. And even if he is, it feels like the Nuggets will be walking on eggshells, and the idea of him surviving for four rounds at the level they need him feels like it would take somewhat of a miracle. It’s a sad reality, but without him, this may be a very short and demoralizing playoff run.
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