When Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray suffered an ACL injury last week in a game against the Golden State Warriors, there were some who questioned whether the team can still seriously compete for the NBA title. Even if All-Star big man Nikola Jokic has been playing at an MVP-level, losing one of their key players was a devastating blow, especially in the tough Western Conference. In fact, the team's championship odds were affected when news of his injury was announced.
But one player who still believes that the Nuggets have enough talent to win it all is forward Aaron Gordon, the team’s trade deadline acquisition. In an interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Gordon said that Denver still has the Larry O’Brien trophy in their sights despite the injury to their high-scoring guard.
“This year, we have high, high aspirations – championship aspirations,” the former Orlando Magic forward said. “We still feel like we have enough, especially with ‘Joker’ man. When you’ve got that guy on the floor, you have a chance to win every single night. So everybody’s got to step up, everybody has to play their best. But if we’re doing that, then I feel like we have a good chance to go as far as we want to.”
Gordon has fit in well with the Nuggets since arriving at the trade deadline, averaging 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 57.3% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. The 25-year-old has helped Denver to a 9-2 record since his arrival and said that he is happy to get a fresh start with the organization.
However, he admitted that the Nuggets will need to make adjustments in Murray’s absence and that he needs to be more involved in the team’s offense. Nevertheless, despite Murray’s absence for their potential playoff run, Gordon believes that they have enough to win it all, no matter what others say.
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