The Denver Nuggets took care of business on their home floor during Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals, as they bested the Miami Heat by a final score of 104-93. While it's unsurprising and well warranted that the club's top dogs Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are receiving the lion's share of praise for their heroics during the affair, during his post-game media session, the latter couldn't help but hype up his frontcourt running mate Aaron Gordon for his efforts and seamless fit within the title-hopeful Nuggets' rotation.
“I like to play with him. I like to play with dominant big men, if that makes any sense. The best thing that he did is accepting his role and he's really doing a great job of that. And just like today, he had it going [and] we were just getting him the ball and he was really good in the paint today. He's our best defender probably with [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] and just to play defense the whole game on the best player I think that's really hard to do,” Nikola Jokic said of Aaron Gordon.
Since arriving via trade from the Orlando Magic at the 2022 deadline, Aaron Gordon has found his role alter from being a presumed franchise focal point to a top-flight tertiary option alongside Jokic and Murray. Though for some, such a transition could prove to be rather problematic, for the high-flying power forward it's been one embraced with open arms.
During his NBA Finals debut Thursday evening, the 27-year-old went on to post an impressive end-game stat line of 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block while shooting 70.0% from the field.