Aaron Gordon is staying optimistic, but the Denver Nuggets are still holding their breath. After re-aggravating his right hamstring-an injury that originally sidelined him for six weeks earlier this season-Gordon and the team are waiting on test results to determine the severity of the latest setback.
“He’s optimistic it’s not as bad as it was, the last one,” Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman said. “But we won’t know until we get it actually tested.”
Gordon had just returned to the lineup in early January after missing 19 games with the initial strain. He played in Friday’s win over Milwaukee, which came on the second night of a back-to-back, but it’s clear now that his hamstring wasn’t quite out of the woods.
Adelman explained the decision to play Gordon, noting that the team followed its standard protocol.
“It’s just the stress test. That’s what they go by,” he said.
“They look at his body and how it responded to yesterday. The response was good.”
Still, Adelman was quick to acknowledge the unpredictable nature of soft tissue injuries-especially ones that linger.
“Let’s just be honest. This is not an exact science,” he said.
“These injuries, they can come back any time. Aaron’s had different ones that are similar, the soft tissue stuff.
… Nobody made a mistake with him playing. You can only do what you can do.
And we have the best people in the world making decisions. They believed that the stress test showed he was good to go.
So he did.”
For now, Gordon’s status remains up in the air. But there’s hope the damage is minimal.
Valanciunas Returns, and Gordon Feels the Shift
While Gordon’s health is in question, he was clearly energized by the return of Jonas Valanciunas on Thursday in Washington. The veteran center had missed 22 days with a calf strain but made an immediate impact, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, and two assists in just 22 minutes-against his former team, no less.
For Gordon, it wasn’t just about the numbers. It was about the ripple effect Valanciunas has on the lineup.
“He pushes me back to the four,” Gordon said, smiling. “It’s nice having somebody bigger on the floor than me.
On the defensive end, on the glass, on the offensive end… I can play big-big pick-and-roll again. I mean, he’s a fantastic player.
And it’s nice having that center. That anchor back in, boxing out, getting rebounds.”
It’s still early, but the on-court chemistry between Gordon and Valanciunas is hard to ignore. In just 54 minutes together this season, the Nuggets have dominated opponents with that pairing on the floor.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played with him, so it’s great,” Valanciunas said of Gordon. “He’s a good player.
He’s very smart, very crafty. He knows what he’s doing on the floor.
High-IQ guy.”
Peyton Watson Breaks Out, Then Sits Out
Thursday’s win also saw a breakout performance from Peyton Watson, who poured in a career-high 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting. The fourth-year forward stuffed the stat sheet: eight rebounds, four blocks, three assists, two steals-and 40 minutes of all-out energy.
But the night didn’t end on a high note. Watson rolled his left ankle during the game and was held out of Friday’s contest with what the team described as sprains in both ankles.
It’s a tough blow for a player who’s been trending upward, especially in the absence of Nikola Jokic. Since Jokic went down with a knee injury in late December, Watson has stepped into a larger role and delivered-on both ends of the floor.
His recent surge hasn’t gone unnoticed around the league. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, one high-ranking NBA executive believes Watson could command a deal worth around $20 million annually when he hits restricted free agency this summer. That’s a big number, but Watson’s two-way versatility and growth trajectory are making a compelling case.
Injury Updates: Jokic, Braun, Johnson Making Progress
Speaking of Jokic, the two-time MVP went through a pregame shooting routine on Thursday, along with Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise). Jokic wore a sleeve on his injured left leg, but his presence on the court-however limited-was a welcome sight for the Nuggets.
Denver has been navigating a tough stretch without its centerpiece, but signs of progress are there. With Valanciunas back, Watson emerging (when healthy), and Jokic inching closer to a return, the Nuggets are trying to steady the ship.
And even with Gordon’s status uncertain, there’s a sense that this team is starting to get its pieces back in place.