Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon sets injury return target date after 6-week absence

The Denver Nuggets have battled through a lot of adversity when it comes to injuries this season, and Aaron Gordon has been no exception. Gordon has played in just 23 games due to multiple injuries, and he has not played since January 23 as a result of a lingering right hamstring injury that has plagued him all season.

However, it finally seems that Gordon’s absence will come to an end right at the six-week mark, as he is aiming to return on Friday night when the Nuggets take on the New York Knicks, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Although this is Gordon’s target date, he will still need to be cleared by the Nuggets’ medical team, as they have taken a cautious approach with him and fourth-year forward Peyton Watson, who has also been sidelined for multiple weeks with a hamstring strain. Given their championship hopes this season, the Nuggets are not rushing either player back into the mix.

This is especially true for Gordon, who returned in January from a hamstring injury he suffered in November, only to play in 10 games before having to restart the process. His health heading into the postseason is essential for the Nuggets.

On Sunday, league sources told ClutchPoints that both Gordon and Watson had been progressing through their respective injuries and would be reexamined by Denver at some point this week, with the hope that they could return to the floor alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in 7-10 days.

Should Gordon be cleared to play and return on Friday night against the Knicks, he would instantly provide a boost that the Nuggets have been missing.

Over their last 16 games, the Nuggets have gone just 7-9, only winning back-to-back games once during this stretch. Without Gordon and Watson, as well as Cam Johnson at times, Denver has been left extremely thin at the forward position. More importantly, Gordon’s absence has left a void on defense that the Nuggets have shown no answers for addressing without him.

While Gordon may not be an All-Star-level talent, his impact is synonymous with that of stars around the league because of the little things he does on both ends of the court.

Aside from being able to defend multiple positions and take an enormous amount of pressure off everyone else in Denver, Gordon always makes winning plays on offense in terms of making the extra pass or creating second-chance scoring opportunities.

This season, he has averaged a career-high 17.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from 3-point range. The Nuggets were ranked at the top of the league when it came to offensive efficiency before Gordon’s injury, and that is not a coincidence.

As good as Jokic and Murray are, his presence is vital to Denver’s overall success, which is why the team has been patient with Gordon’s road to recovery. Whether Gordon makes his return on Friday, his target date, is still unknown.

The Nuggets are currently 38-24 this season and are one full game behind both the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, who are tied for the 3-seed in the Western Conference standings.

The post Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon sets injury return target date after 6-week absence appeared first on ClutchPoints.