There’s a real possibility that Denver Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon will miss tomorrow’s win-or-go-home matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Gordon’s status is “in doubt” following a left hamstring strain he suffered in Game 6 on Thursday night.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain and his status is in doubt for Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources tell ESPN. Major development heading into Sunday’s 3:30 pm ET game on ABC for a Western Conference Finals berth. pic.twitter.com/Zju0lLDwFH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 17, 2025
“I feel okay,” Gordon stated plainly. When asked about when he felt the injury he shared, “Just reached out, not entirely sure what happened. I’m just going to have to recover. Game 7.”
The Nuggets power forward has had a career shooting season and a small breakout in the playoffs as an all-around contributor. Stepping up for the injured Michael Porter Jr., Gordon is averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game as Denver’s third option. Gordon’s made impactful plays on both ends of the floor, especially in the clutch, stepping up for Denver in adverse situations and thriving under pressure.
“Obviously, Aaron is one of our guys. He’s the reason we’ve won games,” interim head coach David Adelman shared on Thursday night about a prospective Gordon absence in Game 7. “I haven’t gotten a clear answer. He’ll get checked out.”
“But I mean this, having two days, I don’t think you guys realize…this has been a marathon…it’s nice to have two days going into a Sunday matinee.”
Gordon will do absolutely whatever he can to make himself available tomorrow, but in a world where Gordon cannot get back on the floor, the Nuggets must be prepared to play without him.
In my estimation, there are three different scenarios the Nuggets could face tomorrow. Let’s go over all three:
Scenario 1 – Gordon plays his normal minutes at a reduced level of play
During these playoffs, Gordon is averaging 38.2 minutes per game, the highest of his career. The Nuggets have cut down their rotation tremendously and are asking Gordon to play both starting power forward and backup center minutes as a result.
If Gordon can play his normal minutes, in that 35 to 40 minute range, it simplifies a lot of what the Nuggets do in the playoffs. Still, expecting Gordon to be able to handle the same level of conditions would be ludicrous, and the Nuggets would have to help him out throughout the game. I won’t pretend to know which kinds of minutes and responsibilities will be most taxing/painful for Gordon throughout the game, but having him guard Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander throughout the game feels like a bad idea. In addition, asking Gordon to play his normal backup center role and battling Isaiah Hartenstein or Jaylin Williams for rebounding and screening position seems bad too.
So, having Gordon camp out on Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, or Lu Dort for most of the game feels like the right solution. It puts others like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. in a position where they may have to guard more, but it allows Denver to keep their starters on the floor for as long as possible.
Here’s an example rotation chart of Scenario 1 with Gordon playing a similar level of minutes:
Scenario 2 – Gordon plays reduced minutes
If Gordon does end up playing, a scenario like this one seems more likely where Gordon tries to play as many minutes as he can but physically can’t do much more than shorter bursts of minutes. In this scenario, Gordon plays about 24 minutes, but it might even be less than that based on the level of pain he’s able to deal with throughout the contest.
The most important factor here is between the three of Russell Westbrook, Peyton Watson, and Julian Strawther, who does the coaching staff trust the most in a Game 7 on the road? If all things are equal, I bet they trust Westbrook most to replicate what Gordon can do as a tertiary playmaker, hustle defender, and rebounder. He’s a veteran that they’ve trusted before. If Westbrook is having a bad game though, expect Watson to get the next crack at it if the Nuggets need defense, followed by Strawther if the Nuggets need outside shooting.
Zeke Nnaji sneaks in for a few minutes to play small ball backup center, but it’s just as likely that Peyton Watson and Michael Porter Jr. play as the power forward/center combo like they did at times during the regular season. Ultimately, Jokic will simply play all of the second half minutes if he has to, and he probably will.
Scenario 3 – Gordon misses Game 7 entirely
This is by far the most dire scenario. If Gordon doesn’t play, the Nuggets can win, but it will get very complicated very quickly without one of their most reliable options.
First and foremost, who starts in Gordon’s place? Westbrook and Watson each have an argument, because while Westbrook is seemingly the steadier vet, Watson is the better positional fit to match up with Jalen Williams and Chet Homgren. Let’s assume Watson gets the start and the Nuggets work their way down from there. Effectively, Watson starts and Westbrook closes, which feels like a reasonable divvying up of Gordon’s responsibilities.
More than anything, no Gordon minutes means an even more heightened level of responsibility on everybody. If the Nuggets could get Watson, Westbrook, Strawther, and even Nnaji to absorb some of that burden, then it will leave Jokic, Murray, Braun, and Porter freed up enough to close out the game when it matters.
Beyond any of the individual scenarios and rotation ideas, the Nuggets have to find a way to survive the first 36 minutes of the game no matter what. Whether Gordon is available, limited, or out, the Nuggets must stay attached to the Thunder for as long as possible and hope that Jokic and the starters can deliver in the clutch when it matters. In several of the matchups, the Nuggets have done a fantastic job at simply hanging around until they found their opportunity, then capitalizing on the moment when it came.
Could this end up becoming a similar situation with or without Gordon? Absolutely. The Nuggets will have to piece together Gordon’s obligations with whatever they can give. Porter can provide shotmaking and rebounding. Westbrook can provide playmaking and veteran savvy. Watson can provide size and defense. Strawther can be a spark. Even Nnaji can soak up some backup center minutes in a pinch.
The goal is to survive and advance, and every Nuggets player will have to contribute, no matter Gordon’s status over the next 30 hours.