In a do-or-die situation, it’s only natural to put on the most defensive stance. Simply put, the more turnovers you can extract from your rivals, the better. But then both the Nuggets and the OKC are down on the floor like hungry hounds. And in a close fight whose result would lead one of them to the Conference finals, the heat is on. Amidst the intense game, an incident has left both David Adelman and Aaron Gordon upset.

Moments into the second quarter at Paycom Center, the Denver Nuggets began to fumble, as the Thunder gained their rhythmic pace. However, defying all odds, Aaron Gordon had taken 5 rebounds by then. Now, in an attempt to chase a steal, AG clashed with Jalen Williams. Surprisingly enough, there was clear contact from Williams that left Gordon on the floor. Shocked, he waited for the referees to make a call. Nothing. Nada.

Meanwhile, Alex Caruso took possession and went in for a dunk, thus giving OKC a three-point lead. This made the ESPN broadcasters say, “Contact, Caruso goes inside, David Adelman upset, as is Gordon, who thought there should have been a foul called. Another costly turnover for the Nuggets.”

Most importantly, AG wasn’t the only one who faced such an unfair fate in the game so far. His teammate Jamal Murray also experienced the same drama when the referees did not call a foul when Alex Caruso bumped into him.

Now, the question is whether the referees should have called the move a clear foul. But that didn’t happen, which led to a costly turnover for the Nuggets. Entering halftime, Denver already has 12 turnovers compared to OKC’s 3. And that itself should be a massive concern for Aaron Gordon & Co.

More trouble for Aaron Gordon as referees take a strong decision

Minutes into Q3, the Denver Nuggets are gasping for breath. They need a miracle to resist the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder, who are pinning them down with every move and every bucket. Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to prevent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from a steal, Aaron Gordon elbowed him in the face. AG was trying to pass the ball to Nikola Jokic, who was standing near him.

In any situation, an elbow to the face means an immediate foul call. But this wasn’t just any. The referee handed the 29-year-old Nuggets forward a Flagrant foul for elbowing SGA. However, fans have one thing to say for Gordon, and that is, “One-legged Aaron Gordon is better than half the players in the league.”

That’s for fans to choose, but indeed, he’s playing through injury. More like a moment of desperation before the final buzzer.

In the chaos of Game 7, Aaron Gordon is writing a story of pain, heart, and fire. Though the calls may not fall in his favor, his spirit refuses to crack. Yes, the turnovers hurt. Yes, the flagrant stings. Yet Gordon stands tall, fighting with one good leg and all his soul. However, this one may already be out of reach.