Nuggets fans have been holding their breath ever since the end of Game 6 when Aaron Gordon started clutching his hamstring and exited the game for the final minutes of a 119-107 Denver victory.
Fans were certainly hoping that the Nuggets were just displaying extra caution with the game seemingly in hand, and praying that Gordon would be fine in the aftermath. But it seems like this was more than just a little scare, and Gordon's health is now a major storyline heading into a pivotal Game 7 in Oklahoma City.
Gordon's status in question for Game 7
The news that the Nuggets have been dreading came in on Friday evening as Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Gordon suffered a left hamstring strain and his status is in doubt for Game 7.
Whether he plays or not, this is devastating news for the Nuggets as Gordon will be compromised at best. He has been incredible in these playoffs for Denver on both ends, and the team will be extremely handicapped if he is unable to take the floor for their biggest game of the season.
Gordon has been dealing with calf issues all season and appeared to be coasting through the regular season at times, but he has been playing the best basketball of his career over the past few weeks.
Nuggets in big trouble without Gordon
Aside from Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Gordon is the last player the Nuggets can afford to lose. He has been their lynchpin on the defensive end, anchoring a shockingly effective unit in these playoffs. But perhaps even more surprisingly, he has become a major factor on the offensive end, continuing his elite three-point shooting from the regular season.
The Nuggets were already thin, but Gordon is truly irreplaceable on both ends. The team doesn't have another legitimate playoff-caliber big man and will likely be forced to roll with Peyton Watson and a lot of guards and wings out there, along with Jokic.
Perhaps David Adelman will choose to dust off Zeke Nnaji or DeAndre Jordan to try and steal some minutes, but that's a pretty grim reality. I'll never say a team with Nikola Jokic is drawing dead in any game, but entering a Game 7 against the best team in the NBA, in one of the most hostile environments in the league, the Nuggets are going to be in a world of hurt without Gordon.