The Colorado Springs Gazette final

AARON GORDON SHOWS GRACE, SHINES FOR NUGGETS

BY VINNY BENEDETTO vinny.benedetto@gazette.com

Aaron Gordon finished Monday’s win over the 76ers with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and one valuable example of selflessness.

The Nuggets forward racked up those numbers with three minutes left in the third quarter before spending the rest of the game on the bench. While other players around the league might be salty about an admitted coaching oversight cutting into their minutes, Gordon chose grace.

“I think he understood what the situation was and what it called for,” Gordon said of Nuggets coach Michael Malone after Wednesday’s practice. “I think he actually handled it well.”

Malone explained after Monday’s game that the decision to play Jeff Green the entire fourth quarter was not an act of benching Gordon to any degree. The Nuggets coach reiterated at Wednesday’s practice that he was hoping to get Gordon, a physical player trying to get past minor rib and shoulder injuries, some extra rest as the Nuggets led by as many as 22 in the third quarter.

By the time the

76ers closed within nine points in the final minutes,

Gordon had been off his feet for a while.

“I did not expect that 20-point lead to be cut to three,” Malone said Wednesday. “At that point, with under four minutes to go, and Aaron’s been sitting on the bench that long, I also didn’t want to put him out there in a position to maybe fail. That’s a long time to sit.”

After the game, a five-point Denver win, Malone said he apologized to Gordon before he even waved to Doc Rivers on the opposing bench. Gordon didn’t act like that was necessary Wednesday.

“He just said that he should’ve had me in there. I mean, you can’t go wrong. It’s Jeff Green, man, you know what I mean? This guy’s a 16-year vet, still as athletic as ever, smart, gifted, talented. You can’t go wrong, man,” Gordon said.

“We were up 20. I had turned my motor off. I had parked the car, and I think coach sensed that a little bit.”

Even if he was bothered. The time isn’t right. Gordon said he didn’t have any individual goals for the final seven games of the regular season, a stretch that starts with Thursday’s game against the Pelicans. Instead, he wants the team to collectively emphasize communication, consistent defensive effort and a variety of offensive looks to give playoff opponents even more stuff to scout.

“Everything is team-oriented at this point,” Gordon said.

That attitude is not only beneficial to the team ahead of a highly anticipated playoff run, it’s a teaching moment for the younger players. Malone credited Gordon’s attitude Monday and others like Deandre Jordan, Ish Smith and Reggie Jackson for prioritizing team success over playing time and individual accomplishments.

“To have veterans like that means the world to me,” Malone said. “It really sets a great example for some of our younger players who may not always understand that.”

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2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/282102050933435

The Gazette, Colorado Springs