OKLAHOMA CITY — Denver Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon was cleared to play in Sunday’s Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and in the starting lineup despite a left hamstring strain.
The Nuggets announced Gordon’s status about 35 minutes before tipoff following his individual warmup. He did not make any explosive movements during that session.
Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that it is a Grade 2 strain, an injury that typically requires at least a month of recovery. Gordon sustained the injury late in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s Game 6 win.
Gordon suffered the injury late in Thursday’s series-extending Game 6 win. He was officially listed as questionable to play before Sunday’s game.
Gordon, an essential part of the core of Denver’s team that won the 2022-23 title, has been a force during the Nuggets’ run this postseason. He is averaging career playoff highs of 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds and has made several clutch plays.
The Nuggets are 5-0 this postseason when Gordon scores at least 20 points, and his seven assists in Game 6 are tied for the most in any game of his playoff career.
Gordon has hit a pair of winning shots this postseason — a buzzer-beating putback dunk in Game 4 against the LA Clippers and a 3-pointer with three seconds left in Game 1 against the Thunder. He also made a 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining in regulation that forced overtime in Denver’s Game 3 victory over Oklahoma City.
Injuries limited Gordon, 29, to 51 games during the regular season. He sat out two extended stretches because of a right calf strain that he is also managing.
“If Aaron can go, he’ll go,” interim coach David Adelman said. “That’s who he is. There’s some real toughness there. Sometimes being really, really tough and being hurt can get in the way.”
