Aaron

Gordon

Ejected in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to the Warriors, Gordon was available for all 48 minutes on Wednesday. The double-double was his first of the season, and the 15 points were one more than his total in Denver’s last two games. Gordon has been close to a top-100 player so far, and it isn’t unrealistic to expect him to maintain that production.

Gordon was given two technical fouls in quick succession after arguing a call, ending his night with 8:34 left in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven points (2-of-10 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Marvin Bagley III replaced Gordon in the lineup after he was ejected.

A notoriously poor perimeter shooter for most of his NBA career, Gordon has worked hard in recent years to change that. A 41 percent three-point shooter over his last two seasons, the Nuggets forward hit 3-of-4 from distance on Thursday. By comparison, the other starters shot a combined 3-of-15 from beyond the arc against the Thunder. No one should expect Gordon to challenge Stephen Curry, but his perimeter shot is no longer a liability.

While Gordon finished the 2025-26 season with increased averages in points, rebounds and three-pointers, injuries limited him to 36 regular-season games. As a result, fantasy managers didn’t reap as many rewards from his improvement as they would have liked. Gordon’s perimeter shooting has improved, with the veteran forward making 41.3 percent of his attempts over the last two seasons. AG shot 3-of-4 from deep on Sunday, and while no one expects him to shoot 75 percent consistently, his improved shooting raises his ceiling.

Despite being limited to 87 regular-season games over the last two seasons due to injuries. Gordon is a popular player heading into the offseason. According to Stein, the athletic forward is the veteran Nuggets player who has drawn the most trade interest from opposing teams. However, he also reported that if Denver were to make a move, they would prefer to find a trade partner for Christian Braun rather than for Gordon or Jamal Murray. Making a move would likely make it easier for the Nuggets to hold onto Peyton Watson, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the month.

With Dosunmu out, the Timberwolves find themselves in a tougher spot in Thursday’s closeout game. They’ll insert Shannon into the opening unit, who scored 15 points in Game 4. Minnesota will face a Denver team that is also dealing with a key injury to Aaron Gordon, who will not play in Game 6.

For the third time in this series, the Nuggets will be without their starting power forward. The versatile two-way forward has struggled with injuries throughout his 12th NBA season, and has played in only three of the five playoff games so far, averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Without Gordon, Spencer Jones should fill in again as the fifth starter. Jones scored 20 points and made four three-pointers in Denver’s Game 5 victory.

Gordon did not play in Denver’s Game 5 victory on Monday, resulting in a move into the starting lineup for Spencer Jones. Shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, Jones tallied 20 points, three steals and three blocked shots to help the Nuggets keep their season alive. He’ll get another start if Gordon remains out for another game.

Gordon played 23 minutes in Saturday’s Game 4 loss to the Timberwolves before heading to the locker room in the third quarter. Despite the Nuggets saying he was available, Gordon didn’t return to the court. Now he’s been ruled out for Game 5. Expect Spencer Jones to start in his place.

Gordon, who played 23 minutes in Game 3, did not return after a third-quarter trip to the locker room despite the Nuggets saying that he was available. With the Nuggets’ backs against the wall, it would be unsurprising if he gave it a go on Monday. If Gordon can’t play, Spencer Jones is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, but he offers little value on the offensive end.