Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon's red-hot first half played a huge part in his team's NBA Finals Game 1 win over the Miami Heat. So much so, that Nuggets head coach Michael Malone took it upon himself to say in an interview that the selfless Gordon “doesn't get the credit he deserves.”
When asked about Malone's praise and if he feels he deserves more credit, Gordon delivered a blunt response that Nuggets fans will love, per Shane Young of Forbes Sports.
“I'm not here for the credit. I'm here for the wins … I don't care if I score 50 or zero. As long as I'm impacting the game and we win.”
Without even trying to, Gordon just confirmed everything Malone had said about him.
He doesn't care about whether or not he receives any credit, because that's not what he's playing for.
Whether he drops 50 points or fails to score, Gordon is happy as long as the Nuggets win.
Whether he wants credit or not, he certainly deserves it for his performance in the opening game of the NBA Finals.
Aaron Gordon's huge Nuggets first quarter vs. Heat
Gordon finished the game with 16 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block while shooting 7 of 10 from the field.
While that's a solid final stat line, it doesn't tell the whole story of Gordon's game.
With Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic opting for more of a facilitator role in the first quarter, Gordon exploded for 12 points, attacking the teeth of the Heat defense in the paint.
At one point, Gordon, feeling himself after he bulldozed Heat forward Caleb Martin en route to the rim, shouted “Too little!”
While he quieted down on the stat sheet the rest of the way, Gordon's hot start was a pivotal part of the Game 1 win.
Whether he wants credit or not.
Follow Us
Subscribe