Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon is aiming to rejoin the lineup on Friday when the team hosts the New York Knicks, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The 28-year-old still must receive medical clearance from team personnel, who have taken a cautious approach because of Gordon’s recurring right hamstring problems this season.
Gordon suffered a Grade 2 strain in November, missing 19 games before returning in early January. He re-injured the same hamstring on January 23 and was ruled out for at least four to six weeks, sidelining him for Denver’s last 16 contests.
The Nuggets have felt his absence. They are 17-6 when Gordon plays, posting a +14.0 net rating in his 642 minutes. Without him, the club is 21-18 with a more modest +1.9 net rating.
Head coach David Adelman said last week he expected Gordon and guard Peyton Watson—who is also rehabbing a hamstring strain—to come back with roughly 20 games remaining in the regular season. Denver played its 62nd game Monday in Utah, and a weekend report indicated both players had increased their workloads and would be evaluated again this week.
Denver, which spent much of the year among the Western Conference’s top three, has slipped to fifth after being passed by Houston and Minnesota. The Nuggets hope Gordon’s impending return, along with Watson’s, will help them regain ground in the standings.
Source: Hoops Rumors
