It wasn’t Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray who emerged as the most clutch player for the Denver Nuggets. Instead, Aaron Gordon, the 29-year-old small forward, turned out to be the player who flipped the script when the team needed him the most. Three clutch wins in the playoffs and an ambition to grab that Larry O’Brien, AG has been a force to reckon with. However, recent injury reports could be major heartbreak for the Nuggets nation.

Not too long ago, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Nuggets have diagnosed Gordon with a left hamstring strain. And his status for Sunday’s Game 7 clash vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder remains questionable. Sadly, the reality has taken a harsh turn, and Charania has now informed that AG would need several weeks to recover from his Grade 2 injury:

“The Nuggets’ playoff star has been searching for ways to play in today’s Game 7 against Oklahoma City, but it is becoming physically improbable to do so,” the senior insider informed.

To put this in simple terms, Aaron Gordon is out of Game 7. This means the Nuggets could be without one of their key forces. And it’s happening in a do-or-die clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gordon has tried everything to return. But the chances of him playing are fading fast.

Averaging 14.7 ppg, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, AG has been a reliable hope for the team. Moreover, he holds an outstanding 53.1 GF%. No doubt, Adelman’s boys will miss him on the floor.

When and how did Aaron Gordon get his hamstring injury?

Aaron Gordon hurt his hamstring late in Game 6 while chasing down a loose ball. In that moment of hustle, he collided with Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso. The tangle was brief, but the impact was clear. Gordon limped away, his face a mix of pain and frustration. Moments later, he was out of the game. It was sudden. It was gutting. And for Denver, it changed everything in that moment.

Now, you might be wondering who AG is important for the Nuggets in Game 7 and for the rest of the postseason (that is, if they pin down OKC on Sunday). Gordon is in the middle of a sensational postseason run. So far, he has delivered two game-winning shots for Denver. One was a clutch three that sealed Game 1 after a dramatic comeback.

The other was a buzzer-beating dunk against the Clippers, marking the first of its kind in playoff history since 1997. Moreover, AG is averaging 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds. Moreover, he is shooting 38.2 percent from deep. Every play, every moment, he has risen when it matters most.

As you can guess, this was not how the story was meant to unfold for Aaron Gordon. At a time when Denver needed his fire the most, fate stepped in. Despite a postseason filled with grit and glory, he now watches from the sidelines. The battle continues without him, but his absence will echo through every minute of Game 7.