Aaron Gordon defied expectations to start out within the Denver Nuggets decider in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
Sport 7 is whenever you depart all of it on the road, with no regrets. Aaron Gordon lived as much as this, just by stepping onto the courtroom.
Gordon sustained a hamstring damage throughout Sport 6 of the Denver Nuggets sequence with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, and was not anticipated to play.
But after coming by means of warmups, Gordon miraculously began for the Nuggets and performed 35 minutes in an individually heroic effort, clearly restricted bodily in his actions.
Sadly Aaron Gordon’s efforts had been in useless, the Nuggets had been blown out 125-93 by the West’s primary seed.
Aaron Gordon opened the sequence because the Denver Nuggets hero with a spectacular recreation profitable shot to steal a win in OKC in Sport 1.
The late three-pointer capped a 22-point efficiency that he matched in Sport 3. Accidents meant he was not the identical dynamic participant in Sport 7.
Gordon was taking part in with heavy strapping on his left leg, and was not as impactful as he would usually have been.
But he nonetheless managed to contribute within the field rating, including 8 factors and main the Nuggets with 11 rebounds.
Gordon’s 11 rebounds was the joint-highest on the courtroom, matched by 11 from OKC’s Chet Holmgren.
Denver sat him late on with the sport misplaced, but he could be pleased with his 25 minutes performed, with head coach David Adelman describing it as ‘one of the unbelievable issues he has ever seen’.
Aaron Gordon’s efficiency in Sport 7 might need been unspectacular, but within the context of his damage it was mightily spectacular.
And there may be one other layer to it too. It completely embarrasses the contribution made by Jaxson Hayes through the LA Lakers sequence with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hayes began the primary 4 video games earlier than being benched for the fifth. Coach JJ Redick was unconvinced by him, limiting his taking part in time to half-hour throughout the 4.
And but throughout these 4 video games, in additional minutes than an injured Gordon managed in Sport 7, Hayes was much less impactful.
Hayes scored solely 7 factors in complete, one fewer than Gordon managed.
He managed to seize 8 rebounds, three fewer than the 11 Gordon snatched through the Nuggets sequence’ decider.
The numbers are a credit score to Gordon and his efforts, his psychological and bodily toughness.
Whereas additionally they show to underline JJ Redick’s issues with Jaxson Hayes, who he selected to not play for a single minute of their Sport 5 loss.
