For the already shorthanded Denver Nuggets, a bad night turned into a potential crisis at halftime with Aaron Gordon missing. The Nuggets played the 2nd half against the Milwaukee Bucks without all five of their opening-game starters…

Why did Aaron Gordon leave the game? What injury did he suffer?

With about 30 seconds left in the second quarter, Gordon grabbed a rebound and drove the ball up the floor against forward Kyle Kuzma, before suddenly grabbing the back of his right thigh.

As soon as halftime break occurred, the forward left for the locker room, but never came back. The team announced that he was questionable to return due to his hamstring before ruling him out entirely. He was replaced in the second half lineup by DaRon Holmes II.

Gordon previously missed over a month due to a strained right hamstring, and the team will monitor his status carefully.

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How did Aaron Gordon perform before leaving?

Gordon performed very well in his limited minutes on the court. He scored 13 points, the Nuggets‘ leading scorer at halftime, along with six rebounds and three assists, as well as two steals. He also jointly leads the team in plus/minus with +12.

Gordon is having the best scoring season of his career, despite all his injury-related absences. He’s averaging 17.9 points per game on 51.1% from the field and 39.8% from three, adding 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He’s also solidified himself as a dead-eye shooter, unlocking new dynamics with superstar Nikola Jokic.

How did the Denver Nuggets adjust without Gordon?

DaRon Holmes II briefly replaced Gordon in the second half, playing spot minutes. However, the player who truly shone was Julian Strawther. The guard blew up in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his team-high 20 points, while also adding five rebounds, three assists, and a steal by the final buzzer.

Reserve sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. also came alive, scoring 17 points, including near-perfect free throws to gain a 4-point cushion with 10 seconds left that the Bucks never overcame, despite Ryan Rollins’ clutch three-pointer with about 6 seconds left.

Gordon rejoined the team this month against the Brooklyn Nets. He had been sidelined since injuring his hamstring against the Houston Rockets in November. Now, as it increasingly looks like his current injury is a reaggravation of the previous one, things are looking dire for the Nuggets.

Apart from the man known as Mr. Nugget and former MVP Jokic, the team is also missing offseason addition Cam Johnson and young guard Christian Braun, who is expected to return soon.

With Jamal Murray periodically sitting out, only time will tell whether the Nuggets can maintain their #3 seed in a tough Western Conference, with the Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers following close behind, just 2.5 and 3.5 games back, respectively.