“Mr. Nugget” is gutting it out with the team’s season on the line.
Playoff riser and championship-winning forward Aaron Gordon will play in Game 7 against the Thunder on Sunday, fighting through a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered toward the end of Denver’s home Game 6 victory.
The Nuggets are in Oklahoma City to face the No. 1-seed Thunder in a semifinal to determine the Timberwolves’ Western Conference Finals opponent.
The Western Conference Finals are scheduled to begin on Tuesday evening, with the winner of Sunday’s Game 7 hosting due to seeding.
Gordon’s injury can require weeks of recovery due to the uncertain nature of hamstring ailments, but he’ll give it a go with Denver’s season on the line.
He was initially declared doubtful despite having just two days to recover in between Games 6 and 7.
Warriors megastar Stephen Curry had a similar hamstring injury during Game 1 of his team’s series against the Timberwolves, and Minnesota went on to win 4-1 as Curry did not play another game in the series.
Curry was expected to have a chance at returning for Game 6 over one week removed from the setback, pending a positive result stemming from a reevaluation.
Gordon has been instrumental in the Nuggets’ playoff run, averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists over 38.2 minutes per game.
His contributions include two game-winning shots: a buzzer-beating dunk in Game 4 against the Clippers and a near last-second 3-pointer in Game 1 against the Thunder to give Denver a 1-0 lead.
Despite participating in a team walkthrough on Saturday, interim head coach David Adelman indicated Gordon’s availability would depend on his comfort level and medical advice.
Gordon is their best defensive player from a versatility standpoint and is one of the team’s best offensive complements to multiple-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
