The Denver Nuggets have spent the early season carving out their rhythm, but that momentum is about to meet a serious test. A key piece of their championship core, Aaron Gordon, isn’t expected back until at least Christmas—an update coach David Adelman delivered with the kind of caution that instantly raises alarm bells in Denver.

Gordon has been sidelined since November 22 with a grade-2 right hamstring strain, and the latest timeline confirms what the Nuggets had feared: their veteran forward won’t be rejoining the rotation anytime soon.

The Nuggets, who are sitting third in the Western Conference with a sensational 17-6 record, have been 4-3 since Gordon’s injury, clearly proving that they are missing his explosiveness and defensive versatility.

In his absence, players like Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones have taken on increased roles, but they haven’t been able to fill the void left by a veteran like Aaron Gordon.

Speaking to the media, Adelman shared further insight into Gordon’s injury and the team’s management around it, “Aaron’s working his way through. Aaron’s injury is one of those, kind of a tedious buildup. You got to be careful with what could happen. It’s the same injury, not to mention other things.”

Denver will now have to manage the next six games until Christmas without Gordon, but given the current form of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, there shouldn’t be much of a problem for them other than a minor hiccup here and there.

Overall, Air Gordon has been struggling with a lingering hamstring issue, and in the Nuggets’ NBA Cup win over the Houston Rockets, he suffered a hamstring strain, which forced him out of the remainder of the game. Since then, he has not returned to the court, and the Christmas timeline now looks highly unlikely.

Aaron Gordon has been extremely unlucky with injuries throughout his career, and in recent years, he has been dealing with persistent hamstring issues. He suffered a left hamstring injury last season during Game 6 of the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He showed exceptional resilience and dedication by turning up in Game 7 of the playoffs against. The Thunder last season, despite playing through injury. “Gordon is incredible,” Adelman said, as per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “What he played with today, I don’t know many people that would even attempt to go run up and down … one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.”

Apart from Gordon, Christian Braun is another player out with a left ankle sprain, an injury he sustained on November 12 during their game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He is also scheduled to return around the same time as Gordon.

Meanwhile, third-year guard Julian Strawther remains out with a back injury without a timeline.

Aaron Gordon Was Responsible for the Denver Nuggets’ Fiery Start

Even in his 11th season in the NBA, Aaron Gordon remains a vital piece for the Denver Nuggets. The veteran forward adds a different dimension to a team that generally revolves around the likes of Jokic and Murray.

He brings great verticality to both ends of the court, with his explosive dunking and impressive defensive prowess.

Many Denver fans believe that his presence in the starting lineup has helped the Nuggets at the start of this season, as they have been firing on all cylinders.

In 13 games this season, the 30-year-old has averaged 18.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 53.2% from the floor.

His scoring burst included a remarkable 50-point outburst on October 23 against the Golden State Warriors, where he shot 10-of-11 from three-point range in a 137-131 overtime loss—a performance that underscored his growing perimeter threat and offensive freedom under Adelman.

Defensively, Gordon’s physicality and versatility have been pivotal, helping the Nuggets maintain a competitive defensive rating of 114.8 with him on the floor, compared to 117.1 without him—a mark that keeps them in the top tier of the Western Conference.

With teams putting their best defenders around Jokic and Murray, Air Gordon used to dominate open spaces in their offensive buildup while being an efficient shooter.

The Nuggets are managing life without Gordon as they are on a three-game winning streak, with their latest 115-106 win coming against the Charlotte Hornets. Jokic and Murray combined for 64 points, with Murray having a monstrous 23-point first half in Charlotte.

They will hope to continue the same momentum when they hit the road to Sacramento to face the Kings on Thursday.