Is Aaron Gordon playing against the Heat? Latest injury update on Denver star ahead of matchup (9th June 2023)
Aaron Gordon is active and not listed on the injury report for Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Gordon and the Denver Nuggets take on the Miami Heat on Friday in South Florida. The Nuggets will attempt to take a 3-1 series lead back home for Game 5.
Gordon has been a defensive force for Denver so far in the Finals. He has given Heat star Jimmy Butler issues so far in the series.
Gordon has held Butler to just 18 points in three games when he was the primary defender. He guarded Butler for 22 minutes of game time. Butler often found more success and comfort when the Denver defense switched, leaving him to attack a different defender.
"My first 6 years in the league I had 6 different coaches."
Aaron Gordon is grateful for the continuity he's experienced after 2.5 years with Coach Malone.
#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV https://t.co/TkFC6Q8Kkf
Gordon will continue to use his defensive versatility to create size advantages against the smaller Heat team. His size also shows up on the glass. He grabbed 10 rebounds in Denver’s dominating Game 3 victory in Miami. The Nuggets outrebounded the Heat by 25 in Game 3.
Gordon has provided an offensive boost as well in the Finals. He has scored in double figures in the three games and is averaging 13.0 points per game in the series.
He has also been extremely efficient with his offensive attack. He is shooting 63.0 percent from the field in the series so far. He shot at least 70.0 percent in Games 1 and 2 respectively.
Gordon should take his normal place in the starting lineup for Game 4 and will be matched up primarily with Butler. Game 4 tips off at 8:30 pm ET from Miami on Friday.
Aaron Gordon came out firing in Game 1 💪 https://t.co/0maIS8Pb3C
A Key to the Game 4 between Gordon's Nuggets and Butler's Heat
Miami will need to force Denver to take more 3-pointers in Game 4. The Nuggets shot 27 and 28 3-pointers in Games 1 and 2. The Heat were much more competitive in those games.
In Game 3, the Nuggets attempted just 18 shots from behind the arc. They dominated inside and got much easier looks. The Heat will need to step up their interior defense and force Denver’s offense to the perimeter.
It could be another easy win for Denver if they get the same easy looks inside and are able to use their size advantage over the Heat. On the flip side, the Heat will need to make more threes and get back to their hot shooting to even the series. They won Game 2 by draining 17-of-35 from 3-point range.