The Western Conference heavyweights are facing off at the Toyota Center, both holding a 1–1 record in NBA Cup group play. The winner will take the lead in the group for next week. The stakes rise even higher as Nuggets star Aaron Gordon aims to demonstrate that his hamstring won’t be a setback. Unfortunately, he only makes a brief appearance in the first quarter before heading back to the locker room.

With the Rockets vs. Nuggets game still in the first quarter, with 8:42 minutes remaining, Aaron Gordon’s worst fears seemed to come true. The commentators captured the moment, echoing what fans feared:

“Does it get the roll? He was grabbing at the back of his right leg. And that time, he’s been moving a little gingerly, but this is not a ginger move right here. It’s a fast break… It looked like Aaron Gordon may have, and I hope not, re-injured that hamstring. That’s the area that he grabbed immediately. He landed awkwardly. We’ll see you next, and now a chronic trainer, Dan Shominski, will have a chat with Gordon.”

The game was at 8–4 with the Nuggets in the lead when the commentators later confirmed the news: “Denver telling me Aaron Gordon is suffering a right hamstring strain. He is questionable to return.”

Aaron Gordon’s been riding the injury seesaw lately, and Wednesday’s Nuggets game against the Pelicans was another chapter in that saga. He sat out of the 125–118 win thanks to a nagging hamstring, leaving fans worried about his availability for the next matchup. 

But the good news? By the time Denver tipped off against the Rockets, Gordon’s status was upgraded from questionable to probable, managing a bilateral hamstring situation like the seasoned pro he was. But now, it only seems like a rushed decision. 

Even with a few games missed this season, Gordon has been a monster on the court. In 12 games, he’s averaging a career-high 20.3 points per game, shooting an absurdly efficient 56.3% from the field and 45.2% from deep, while also pulling down 6.3 rebounds, tossing 1.4 assists, and nearly snagging a steal a night. 

Sure, the Nuggets went 2–0 in the games he missed, winning by an average of 12, but everyone knows Denver is a better team with their two-way dynamo back in the mix.

In just three brief minutes on the floor before the setback, he managed one point and grabbed two rebounds. Now his absence means more playing time for Spencer Jones and Zeke Nnaji. But his role in the Denver lineup cannot be denied.

Aaron Gordon’s big role and Denver’s championship chase

It’s worth remembering Gordon isn’t some short-term rental for Denver. He’s in his sixth season with the Nuggets, signed a four-year, $133 million extension in 2024, and will be around through 2029, with a player option on the final year. So yes, these hamstring hiccups are annoying, but they’re just a temporary blip in what’s shaping up to be one of the best seasons of his career.

“I think that I’m at a point in my career where my body, my mind, and my game are all kind of catching up and evening out in my prime,” Gordon said. “So I feel like I’m the best I’ve ever been in basketball, and I feel like we’re gonna see another championship.” After his playoff heroics last season, he’s embracing that second-most-important role without hesitation.

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The Nuggets enter the 2025–26 season with one goal and one goal only: the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Nikola Jokic is cruising through his prime at 30, and while Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun remain on the championship roster, key pieces like Michael Malone, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have moved on. With Porter Jr. gone, Gordon is stepping up, ready to prove he’s more than just the fourth option.

Do you think he can do it? Let us know in the comments.