The Denver Nuggets play great team basketball, and yes Nikola Jokic is a former back-to-back league MVP, but the Nuggets don’t make the 2023 Finals without Arizona Wildcat Aaron Gordon.
“The true backbone of this Denver Nuggets team, there is no doubt that the former Orlando Magic star in Aaron Gordon isn’t afraid to do the dirty work en route to playing in his first-ever NBA Finals,” wrote Griffin Conant (Clutch Points).
Would the Lakers have been able to stretch the Western Conference Finals to five games if not for Gordon’s performance in Game 4? The former Wildcat scored 22 points and only missed five shots (finishing 9-14 from the field). The 27-year-old playing in his ninth NBA season, has surely hit his stride when his team needed him.
In the regular season, Gordon averaged 16.3 points per game, but in the playoffs, the former Wildcat is averaging 13.0 points per game. Aaron is thriving on this 2023 Nuggets team, and don’t think he has stopped dunking either. His dunks bring the opponent’s fans out of their seats.
In this Finals Series, the Heat are going to have their hands full, especially as Gordon is known for his powerful drives to the basket and either dunking or tossing up acrobatic layups. So who will be defending him on the Heat? Maybe they will put Jimmy Butler on him but if Butler is on Gordon who will guard Jamal Murray or Nikola Jokic? Murray scored 23 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Nuggets back and beat the Lakers in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals.
Gordon defended LeBron James successfully and with no fear. He can taste victory it seems, with mostly a cool head. Both he and LeBron were issued technical fouls in Game 4 of the WCFs. He got under the King’s skin, and you love to see him play and compete at this level.
Gordon has already matched up with Kevin Durrant (Golden State Warriors), LeBron James, and Karl-Anthony Towns in the Playoffs before. That said, he has a lot of respect for Jimmy Butler and is aware defending him will be a challenge. But he is ready. “Out of everybody that I’ve guarded, that we’ve guarded in the playoffs, Jimmy could arguably be the most complete player,” said Air Gordon at a recent press conference.
Aaron is just enjoying the moment, he’s happy to be playing in his first Finals with his brothers. This Nuggets team has really some great chemistry, and this moment is not lost on Aaron, “It’s been a reoccurring theme in my life, just overworking to the point of diminishing return — I’m finally taking the needle off of that broken record — that’s how I’ve always been, I’ve been a workhorse,” explained Gordon in today’s press conference.
Good Luck Aaron! Wildcat Nation is behind you and your Wildcat Nuggets teammate Zeke Nnaji!
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