By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Denver Nuggets will have to end their 2023 NBA closing campaign without their star power forward Aaron Gordon due to a dog-biting incident on Christmas Day.
After Gordon was quickly put in the injury report for the Nuggets, the franchise immediately announced that he would be sidelined without a specific timetable after a dog attacked him.
Gordon then received a total of 21 stitches and suffered scratches on his face and his shooting hand but is now in stable condition as confirmed by the Nuggets.
Without Gordon, head coach Michael Malone will have a tough decision whether to field reserve center DeAndre Jordan back or stick with his small ball perimeter lineup.
Aside from Jordan, Malone can revert back to his old mix of lineups where Michael Porter Jr. plays the four spot while inserting another guard to play alongside Jamal Murray.
Gordon’s absence will leave a huge void as the high-leaping and physical forward is now on a nine-game streak of scoring double digits.
Before the unfortunate event, Gordon dominated the Golden State Warriors during their 120-114 victory, notching a double-double performance of 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
In all the 28 games he played, Gordon is currently averaging 13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per contest.
If the pain in his face and shooting hand will already subside, Gordon might return to action on January 2, 2024, when the Nuggets take on the Charlotte Hornets in an inter-conference showdown.
Denver is currently sitting at the no. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will look to improve their 22-10 win-loss record.
