Nuggets Uncertain if Aaron Gordon Plays vs Grizzlies

The Denver Nuggets have yet another back-to-back on tap following their dominant win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and thus brings another big decision for the team as it pertains to Aaron Gordon's status for tip-off against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gordon, the Nuggets' X-factor in the frontcourt who's gradually found his way back to regular form following his injury return earlier in the month, has yet to suit up for the second leg of a back-to-back since getting back on the floor from the hamstring issue that kept him out for over a month.

That extra caution has been in an effort to keep Gordon healthy and ready to go for the postseason once it comes time to buckle down in just under a month's time. The Nuggets' forward has already re-aggravated the same hamstring injury once this season, so being extra careful regarding his health has been crucial for Denver to keep in mind.

Therefore, when it came to defining Gordon's status for Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies following their win over the 76ers, Nuggets head coach David Adelman didn't assure one way or another whether Denver would be rolling out Gordon to play.

"I have no idea," Adelman said of Gordon's status. "We'll talk about it. Obviously, if my vote was the only vote, he'd play. But, there's a lot to it."

"His body, and, again, the frustration, and the pure disappointment of when he got hurt in Milwaukee is still in the back of my mind. And that's what we're trying to do here, is get him to the finish line."

Aaron Gordon's Status vs Grizzlies Remains Unclear

During Gordon's outing against the 76ers, he maintained a quiet stat line of 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists in just 19 minutes played.

Taking control in blowout fashion allowed Denver to rest Gordon for a bit more time than they'd typically do in what a narrow finish would offer, and might just help his status move in a positive direction against the Grizzlies.

"He's so impactful. It's amazing," Adelman said of Gordon. "The way he creates spacing for us at the rim. Defensively, guarding all these positions... he provides so many things you can do as a team with his versatility."

Since Gordon's returned to the Nuggets' lineup from his latest hamstring injury, he's played in five games to average 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, but shooting a notably efficient 40.9% from three on over four attempts a game.

Gordon's return has come with a couple of games where he was left with just a low three and zero points, respectively, but also put together a strong 27-point performance for what would be a crushing overtime loss vs. the LA Lakers, showing that he's more than capable of getting back to the All-Star type of production he was on pace for at the start of this season, now rolling into the playoffs.

Making sure he's at 100% for those playoffs could mean that he gets the night off in Memphis, but that status will be made official closer to tip-off at 6:30 p.m. MT.