Denver Nuggets were expecting the worst ahead of their Game 7 second-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder because Aaron Gordon seemingly had no chance to play. In a shocking twist, however, the fan-favorite will not only play, but will start in the do-or-die contest.
Initial reporting suggested that Gordon was not only going to miss Game 7 with his hamstring strain, but he was going to miss additional time as well, given the severity. Gordon, instead, is defying the odds by attempting to play.
How he plays and whether the Nuggets can win Sunday's game remains to be seen, but the sheer fact that he's set to play in this game despite a Grade 2 hamstring strain has earned him a round of applause and then some from the Denver faithful.
Nuggets fans can't help but appreciate Aaron Gordon doing what he can to get Denver to Western Conference Finals
This is an injury that takes weeks at the bare minimum to heal. If this were a regular season contest, Gordon likely would not be playing. With this being arguably the biggest game Denver has played since winning the championship a couple of years ago, though, Gordon is giving it a go.
While he deserves immense praise for putting everything on the line, it's hard for Nuggets fans to expect much. James Harden famously played on a Grade 2 hamstring strain in 2021 for the Brooklyn Nets, but he struggled mightily. Stephen Curry couldn't play through his own hamstring strain in Golden State's second-round series.
Adding to the concern, Gordon's pregame workout didn't consist of much activity at all. Perhaps he's saving whatever running he could do for the game, but for a guy who relies a lot on his athleticism to produce, this injury is going to be a tough one for him to play through.
All Nuggets fans can do now is hope for the best. Gordon is a key piece for this team on both sides of the ball, as evidenced by what he's done this postseason alone. Ruling a team that has Nikola Jokic on it out completely would be foolish, but if Gordon is not close to 100 percent, the odds will be stacked against them.
Ultimately, though, regardless of the final results, Gordon toughing it out for his team and fan base will only make him a bigger fan favorite in the city of Denver