Overview
- A new injury report lists Gordon out for Thursday’s game against the Lakers, with reporting indicating he is aiming to play Friday if cleared.
- Gordon first sustained a Grade 2 right hamstring strain in November, re-aggravated it on Jan. 23, and has now missed 39 of Denver’s 62 games.
- Denver is expected to manage his minutes in the initial games of his comeback to reduce the risk of another setback, per multiple reports.
- The Nuggets are 17-6 with Gordon this season and post a +14.0 net rating in his minutes, compared with 21-18 and a +1.9 net rating without him.
- Denver has slipped to fifth in the West at 38-24 after a 7-9 stretch, and the team views the progress of Gordon and Peyton Watson as vital to shoring up defense and seeding.