Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon upgraded from out to available ahead of Clippers game Gordon missed his fifth game in a row on Saturday due to a rib contusion

The Nuggets were  noway  going to find their playoff stride until starting forward Aaron Gordon returned.   After  originally being ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, Gordon was  fleetly upgraded to available despite a left  caricature bruise that had given him problems for the last many weeks.   Asked about the upgrade  previous to caution, Nuggets trainer Michael Malone  heaved  sarcastically. Gordon took part in the  platoon’s on- court walk- through on Sunday evening.

“ It all comes down to, with that injury, his comfort  position, ” Malone said. Gordon, according to Malone, had been hit in the  caricature several times, which caused him significant pain.   Gordon was n’t in Memphis on Saturday, marking his fifth  successive missed game. When asked after the game about a timeframe, Malone was less auspicious than he was a day  latterly.

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“ Actually, I've no idea( when he ’ll return), ” Malone said late Saturday night following their  shindig loss to the Grizzlies. Gordon was n’t on Denver’s two- game road trip to Cleveland and  also to Memphis. rather, he  decided to stay back and  recovery.   still, hopefully( vs, “ If not( Sunday).) Houston, and we ’ll just keep on giving him enough time to get back to where he’s comfortable and confident to go out there and play and play effectively, ” Malone said.

Though it’s not a fracture, according to a league source, it’s been extremely  worrisome  nevertheless.   “ Obviously, he’s a big part of what we ’ve been  suitable to do this time on both ends of the  bottom, ” Malone said. “ His capability to guard, his capability to rebound, and his capability to play with Nikola( Jokic), and the athleticism that he provides is  commodity that's hard to replicate. ”

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Gordon last played onFeb. 9 at Orlando before resting throughout the All- Star break and missing Denver’s coming five games. In his absence, reserve forward Vlatko Cancar has earned the  thresholds, and though he’s played fairly well, he does n’t have nearly the burst or impact that Gordon’s had.

Offensively, Gordon’s an integral part of Denver’s elite attack, and defensively, he’s a strong, commutable piece that can guard the likes of players like Donovan Mitchell and Ja Morant, not to mention Sunday’s foes, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Against Cleveland, the Nuggets survived despite giving up 68 points in the  makeup. Two nights  latterly, the Grizzlies pounded Denver behind 60 points in the  makeup.

Gordon said  lately it was  perfecting, though he was being  conservative out of fear of playing and hurting it further.   Heading into Sunday evening, Denver had just 21 games remaining in the regular season.