Despite falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a blowout 125-93 in Game 7 of the conference semifinals, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon showed his dedication and toughness by playing through a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The 29-year-old forward started the game despite being initially listed as doubtful to play, knowing the risks of playing through the pain and accepting them.
Gordon finished the game with eight points and 11 rebounds, but admitted he couldn't sprint at all due to the injury. When asked if he would have been able to keep playing had the Nuggets won and advanced, he said he likely would have had to sit out two or three games as a result of powering through on Sunday.
"I knew the risks, but I wanted to be out there for my team," Gordon said. "I gave it my all."
Gordon's commitment was praised by Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, who called it "one of the most incredible things I've ever seen." The coach noted the intense circumstances that Gordon persevered through, highlighting his toughness.
Gordon also pointed out the NBA's busy postseason schedule as a contributing factor to his hamstring injury. Teams often get only one day in between playoff games, and if the Nuggets had won, the next series would have tipped off on Tuesday with only one day off. Gordon believes that giving professional athletes just one more day of rest would lead to a higher level of basketball and probably less blowouts.
Gordon also noted the number of injuries to high-profile players during the playoffs, including Stephen Curry's hamstring injury that kept him out of the Warriors' final four games, Damian Lillard's season-ending Achilles injury, and Jaylen Brown's partially torn meniscus that he has been playing on for the past few months. He believes that more rest days throughout the postseason would allow teams to come back fresh and compete at a higher level.
Overall, Aaron Gordon's dedication and toughness shone through in his performance despite the injury, and his commitment to his team was evident in his willingness to put his body on the line. His message about the importance of rest for professional athletes during the postseason is also a valuable one to consider as we look ahead to the next round of playoffs.
