DENVER (AP) – The Denver Nuggets held a light practice session on Saturday, and Aaron Gordon took part in it. The team practiced as if he would play in Game 7.
But now, they have to wait and see.
Gordon has a strained left hamstring and will be a game-time decision as the Nuggets prepare to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a must-win Game 7 on Sunday.
“Because the game is so soon, there’s not much time to go through a long recovery,” said interim coach David Adelman. “It depends on how he feels and what the medical team says. If they say he can play, he’ll be in the starting lineup.”
Stephen Curry had a similar injury earlier in the playoffs and missed at least a week. He didn’t return before his team, the Warriors, were eliminated.
Coach Adelman didn’t know the exact severity of Gordon’s injury but said he looked and acted normal during practice.
“Aaron always has the same calm, confident style,” Adelman said. “You can’t really tell if he’s hurt. That’s what I admire about him.
Game 7’s winner will go on to play the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals starting Tuesday.
Gordon grabbed his hamstring late in Thursday’s Game 6 win. After the game, he said it felt “OK” and that he would start his recovery right away.
The Nuggets are already dealing with other injuries—Michael Porter Jr. is playing with a sprained shoulder.
Gordon, 29, has been a key player this postseason, averaging 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds. He even scored the game-winning dunk in Game 4 against the Clippers during the first round.
Here’s a simplified version of the paragraph in easy English:
Aaron Gordon played only 51 games this season because of a right calf strain and a sprained left ankle.
If he can’t play in Game 7, it would be a big loss for the Nuggets. Their team isn’t as deep as the Thunder, and they usually use only three players from the bench.
If Gordon is out, Denver might start Peyton Watson or Russell Westbrook, and Zeke Nnaji may get more minutes. Julian Strawther, who scored 15 points in Game 6, could also play more.
Watson is getting ready to take on a bigger role if needed.
“We know Aaron will try hard to play,” Watson said. “But if he can’t, I’m ready to step in and do whatever the team needs.”
Watson understands how Gordon feels, since he also dealt with a hamstring injury earlier this season.
“It’s really tough. Hamstring injuries hurt a lot. It even hurts to stand in a defensive position, get out of bed, or brush your teeth,” Watson said. “He wants to play so badly. Even if he’s not fully healthy, we’re proud of him for trying. No matter what happens, we’re all behind him and ready to help.”
