National Basketball Association

Gordon sacrificing stardom during Nuggets' title hunt: 'I care about the wins'

Updated Jun. 2, 2023 2:57 p.m. ET

Aaron Gordon knows he could be a star elsewhere.

Instead, he has wholeheartedly embraced a comparatively thankless role in Denver, playing behind Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and others on offense, while often guarding the opposing team's brightest star.

But Gordon doesn't see his role on the Nuggets as relatively paltry — he sees it as a privilege.

"I don't care about the credit," Gordon told FOX Sports. "I care about the wins."

Gordon's approach has greatly benefited the Nuggets, who have reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. In their 104-93 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 on Thursday, Gordon shined, finishing with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while helping hold Jimmy Butler to just 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting.

The Nuggets acquired Gordon at the 2021 trade deadline from the Orlando Magic, who had selected him as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 draft. In Orlando, Gordon was the guy on a team that missed the playoffs five times and had two first-round exits. In Denver, he often works in the shadows, doing things that don't show up in box scores — chasing loose balls, rim-protecting and forcing guys to alter their shots.

When asked if he prefers his new job over his old one, Gordon smiled broadly.

"Winning?" he said to FOX Sports. "Yes. Most definitely. I'd much rather score 15 on a winning team than 25 on a losing team."

Nuggets coach Michael Malone has been deeply impressed with Gordon's willingness to sacrifice, especially this season, after Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returned from lengthy absences due to injuries.

"We always talk about Nikola embodying Nuggets' culture, and I think Aaron Gordon is a prime example of somebody who's truly selfless," Malone said. "He understood with Jamal and Michael coming back this year, being healthy, that his role was going to change. He never once fought it. He's embraced it from Day 1 of the season."

Gordon has excelled as a two-way player for the Nuggets, averaging 16.3 points on a career-high 56.4% shooting, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists during the regular season, which propelled him into the conversation of making his first All-Star team in 10 seasons.

But Gordon was passed over for the honor, with Jokic being the only Nuggets' player selected as an All-Star.

According to Malone, Gordon doesn't get celebrated enough.

"He does a lot of the dirty work for us," Malone said. "And a lot of times he doesn't get the credit that he deserves."

This postseason, Gordon has poured himself into guarding the best players in the NBA.

According to NBA.com, when he guarded Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns in the first round, he held him to 10-for-27 shooting (37%). In the second round, he held Phoenix's Kevin Durant to 26-for-68 shooting (38.2%). LeBron James had more success against Gordon in the Western Conference finals, shooting 12-for-20 (60%).

Now, Gordon might be facing his fiercest challenge yet in Butler, who has led the Heat to become just the second 8-seed in NBA history to reach the Finals.

"Jimmy's a really, really tough guard just because he does so much on the floor, just always so elusive," Gordon told FOX Sports.

But on Thursday, Gordon got the best of Butler, holding him to the fewest points he has scored this postseason. He did that while setting the tone for the Nuggets, scoring 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the first quarter to help Denver lead by as many as nine points over that period, and as much as 24 points in the game.

For Jokic, having someone with Gordon's skillset on the floor alongside him is a great and welcome complement.

"Oh, I love to play with him," said Jokic, who had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists. "I love to play with some, I want to say dominant big men, if that makes any sense. The best thing he did is accepting his role. And he's really doing a great job of that.

" ... He's our best defender probably, him and (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope). And just to play defense the whole game on the best player, I think that's really hard to do."

Gordon — who has a player option for the 2025-26 season — has devoted himself to being a dogged defender. He studies his opponents, analyzing scouting reports and pouring over film.

"I probably watch a game a day," Gordon told FOX Sports. "Maybe a game-and-a-half a day."

It's all paying off for Gordon, who is just three wins away from clutching the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

And for him, Thursday alone was surreal.

Before the game, he took a moment during the national anthem to process that he was finally playing on the biggest of NBA stages for his first time. And after the Nuggets won, he said he looks forward to being 90 and in a rocking chair, telling his children how he locked up some of the best players in the game.

Malone capped off the night by handing Gordon the defensive player of the game chain, a necklace he uses to reward efforts on the less-heralded side of the court.

For Gordon, his role may seem less lofty with the Nuggets. But for him, playing on this team is a dream come true.

"It's a [style] where everybody is so unselfish and the ball moves and there's energy around the ball," Gordon told FOX Sports. "So, it's a fun brand of basketball."

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.