Aaron Gordon hasn't played since January, and his presence has been sorely missed on the Denver Nuggets. Thankfully, according to reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic, Gordon is targeting a return on Friday against the New York Knicks.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Nuggets have struggled defensively and offensively in recent weeks, especially without key contributors on both ends of the floor.
- Aaron Gordon is set to return from a months-long absence and could help the Nuggets get right on offense and defense.
- Gordon's presence could stabilize Denver's rim protection, perimeter defense, and spacing, offering crucial support for their playoff push.
To put his immense value into perspective, the Nuggets are 17-6 with Gordon (58-win pace) and 21-18 without him (44-win pace) this season. In this most recent stretch, the Nuggets are 7-9 without Gordon, which especially concerning considering that all but two of these games have been with Nikola Jokić.
If Gordon's absence proved to be prolonged, the Nuggets could have easily slipped past the top four in the Western Conference, particularly given that they have the hardest remaining schedule. While it's not a guarantee that Gordon will help the Nuggets secure one of these top four seeds, I feel a lot more confident in this possibility with him back in the fold.
Aaron Gordon can solve a lot of the Nuggets' problems
Perhaps the biggest area of concern around the Nuggets is their subpar defense. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Nuggets rank 22nd in defensive rating with a 117.4 mark. However, in the 1,297 possessions Gordon has played this season, the Nuggets post a 110.8 DRTG, which translates to a top-three level defense.
These numbers aren't a coincidence either. Gordon offers both rim protection and on-ball defense, making him one of the more impactful and versatile defenders in the league. Rim protection has been central to the Nuggets' defensive struggles. In the past 16 games, without Gordon, the Nuggets rank 24th in opponents' rim field goal percentage.
A key factor is that Jokić hasn't looked like himself since returning from an injury of his own. The Joker has never been close to an elite rim protector, but this has been one of the least inspiring stretches of his career. Gordon can undoubtedly help alleviate this issue while shutting down opposing teams' forwards if need be.
That's been another massive problem for the Nuggets without Gordon; they don't have someone to defend star forwards, especially since Peyton Watson has also been out of the lineup. Cameron Johnson is in the midst of a down season and has been picked on defensively while be forced to take on challenging matchups. I don't expect the Nuggets to become an elite defense with Gordon, but he'll certainly help uplift them.
Offensively, Gordon gives Jokić another dependable 3-point shooter, which opens up the Nuggets' offense in a significant way. Gordon's growth as a 3-point shooter (40 percent or more over in both of the past two seasons) has helped him become one of the league's best complementary stars.
Furthermore, he is a dependable secondary shot creator and playmaker. This will also open up things for the Nuggets in a massive way, as they have been far too dependent on Jokić and Jamal Murray in recent weeks. All in all, Gordon's return is exactly what the Nuggets need to put together a late-season surge, and he fills in so many gaps that the team has been missing.
Don't write off the Nuggets just yet
Throughout the season, the Nuggets have been my tentative pick to win the title. However, I would be lying if I said that this recent stretch hasn't made me questioning my thought process, and plenty of people have started to write the Nuggets off. In some ways, I understand no longer believing in the Nuggets, especially given their poor defense, but I think it's fair to see what Denver can do with one of their best players back in the mix.
Undoubtedly, the Nuggets are one of the most battle-tested and talented teams in the league. Of course, they won the championship three years ago, but they also took the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games with a far less talented roster last playoffs. This is the deepest roster of Jokić's career, and the Nuggets can't be counted out of contention conversations as a result.
I understand having concerns with the Nuggets' defense and health. Admittedly, Gordon having three hamstring injuries in 12 months is alarming. Regardless, when discussing teams that can win a title, the Nuggets should at least be mentioned, and they can prove their status as contenders with Gordon's imminent return.