Nikola Jokic Has High Praise for Aaron Gordon After Win vs. Spurs

In a battle with the second-place San Antonio Spurs, the Denver Nuggets pulled out a statement overtime win to extend their winning streak to a season-high eight games. While all eyes were on MVP candidates Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama, the game was ultimately decided by the supporting cast.

Specifically, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon came up huge. Gordon has missed 44 games this season with hamstring issues, but when he is available, he is one of the most valuable "role players" in the NBA. Especially for a Nuggets team that has struggled on defense for most of the season, having Gordon on the floor makes all the difference. After the game, Jokic had high praise for Gordon's defensive effort.

"He's been such a great person to have on the roster. It's so, so, so good, because he can literally guard one through five. He's guarding all the best players every night. He's long, he's quick, he can contest shots, he can block shots. He was guarding (De'Aaron) Fox, he was guarding Wemby (Victor Wembanyama). He's definitely our best defensive player, and definitely one of the best defensive players in the NBA," Jokic said about Gordon.

"He's guarding the best players every night."

Joker says Aaron Gordon is one of the best defenders in the NBA 💪 pic.twitter.com/hvu5zRkVwK
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) April 4, 2026

Gordon's defensive impact is felt vs. Spurs

While it feels like Denver's defense could not do much against Wembanyama, who finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists, Gordon did a valiant job of containing him. Of course, with an eight-inch height difference, Wembanyama has a major advantage over Gordon, not to mention he is simply one of the most skilled players in the NBA, but the Nuggets forward held his own.

The Nuggets' defense has been noticeably better with Gordon on the court this season, and despite David Adelman planning on putting him on a minute restriction for Saturday's game, they could not keep him off the court because he was too impactful.

"I mean, no rules in overtime. Yeah, he went past what we wanted. ... Obviously, he’s such a unique player, he showcased it today as our guy did as well," Adelman said about Gordon after the game. "So, Aaron was great, we’re going to need more of that to win big games at the end of the season."

Apr 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) reacts in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Spurs are not an easy team to beat, as they have shown by winning 27 of their last 30 games. However, two of those losses have come against the Nuggets. If these two teams meet in the playoffs, the Nuggets will certainly have their hands full, but they should be confident in their ability to win a seven-game series after Saturday's impressive performance.

Especially with Gordon in the lineup, the Nuggets are obvious title contenders.

"He’s definitely one of the most versatile defenders in the league, he can guard multiple positions. He was really good tonight. We hope he can stay healthy, and he can perform like that in the future," Jokic said.

The Nuggets are on the verge of moving into third place in the West, and the statement win over San Antonio was exactly what they needed. As long as they can stay healthy, especially defensive anchor Aaron Gordon, they will be in a great spot.

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