Last season, the Nuggets’ two games with the Boston Celtics felt bigger than any other regular season NBA game. They had a larger-than-life feel to them as it seemed the two teams were on a collision course, destined to play each other in the NBA Finals.
The on-court product lived up to the hype as we were treated to two instant classics, with the Nuggets pulling out a pair of even, hardfought battles. The games were a perfect appetizer, leaving fans wanting the main course in June.
But alas, it was not meant to be. The Nuggets crashed out of the playoffs in round two when they ran out of steam against the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, the Celtics held up their end of the bargain, eventually bringing an 18th championship home to Boston.
Some of the luster has worn off this season, but this is still a much-hyped matchup between two of the league’s best teams and the last two champions. It may not be the most likely matchup, but nobody would be shocked if these two teams square off in the 2025 NBA Finals.
Nuggets Injury Report: Aaron Gordon remains out
Michael Malone gave Nuggets fans hope on Monday morning when he addressed the media and relayed the message that Aaron Gordon participated in parts of practice. It’s great news as Gordon has been out since Christmas with a calf strain - his second stint on the bench with a calf injury this season
Malone quickly poured some cold water on the situation, announcing that Gordon would be out on Tuesday and miss the team’s national TV showdown with the Celtics. It’s a tough blow for Denver; they obviously need all hands on deck against Boston, but his defense on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be especially missed.
As much as the Nuggets would love to have Gordon back for this massive matchup, Gordon’s longterm health is paramount, and rushing him back for any regular season game would be lunacy.
Malone also added that despite being ruled out for Tuesday’s game, Gordon is still questionable for the rest of the homestand, Wednesday night against the Clippers and Friday night against the Nets.
So, we’ll be sorely missing Gordon’s presence against a fully healthy Celtics team on Tuesday night, but it sounds like the wait will be over soon enough. The Nuggets may be back to full strength at some point this week and that’ll be a sight for sore eyes.