As the Denver Nuggets head into tonight’s matchup with the Sacramento Kings, a dark cloud still looms over them. Key player Aaron Gordon, who had broken out as a tertiary star alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, recently injured his hamstring in the team’s previous match against the Houston Rockets. Despite a cautious update from head coach David Adelman, there was still doubt about his exact return timeline.

Today, before the Nuggets’ game, Adelman addressed media members and relayed a new update. Gordon, according to him, is seeking multiple opinions on his own, and there’s still some time until the exact severity and timeline for recovery are clear. Adelman said, “We’re trying to make sure we get the correct answer to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”

That’s the part that stings for Denver. Hamstring issues can often linger if not treated cautiously, and given Gordon’s recent history with these issues. Just last postseason, he dealt with a grade 2 hamstring strain, and throughout November, his left hamstring has been troubled. The current injury, though on his right hamstring, could hamper him significantly, especially given his aggressiveness driving to the rim.

Today, perhaps to fill the hole that Gordon has left in the roster, the Nuggets have recalled sophomore forward DaRon Holmes from the G-League. Holmes was their first-round pick last year, but missed the whole year due to injury. Adelman addressed the call-up saying, “Guys who are down there, we have to get them back with us and then send them back. … If you leave guys down there too long, I think it’s unfair to them as a professional player. So we’ll do the best we can to rotate them through.”

This year, Gordon has significantly expanded his arsenal, adding a reliable long-range shot to his already lethal athletic rim-attack-heavy playing style, shooting a lethal 45.2% from three for a career high 20.3 points per game. Without him, Denver started Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones at the forward spots tonight.

Kings Spiral Into Denver as Nuggets Brace for Life Without Gordon

Sacramento rolls into Denver tonight, looking like a team searching for air. The Kings are riding an eight-game double-digit losing streak, and must now face MVP favorite Nikola Jokic without Domantas Sabonis, who is out three to four weeks with a meniscus injury. The frustration has taken hold internally to, with DeMar DeRozan admitting, “Everything right now for us is just [bad], honestly… Sometimes when you’re in the deep end, it’s hard to hear anything.”

Denver isn’t at full strength either. Apart from Aaron Gordon’s injury, the team is playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and are still missing Christian Braun for another month, opening a big hole in two of five starting spots.

Jokic has continued to post video-game numbers to make up for it, and Jamal Murray has had a strong start to the season. Peyton Watson has also emerged as a key piece lately, with a 32-point performance on Wednesday followed by a 10-rebound showing on Friday. Murray, speaking on Watson, said, “He’s really starting to get better at picking his spots… the little stuff gives him confidence.”