Aaron Gordon won't play in Nuggets' 3-game road trip; no timeline for return from calf injury

DENVER — Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon will not play on the team’s upcoming three-game road trip due to a right calf strain, coach Michael Malone said.

Gordon, 29, has missed the last three games and been unable to participate in practice since asking for a substitution four minutes into Denver’s win over the Raptors on Nov. 4. He had been dealing with calf inflammation in his right leg prior to that game.

“Those calf strains can be really tricky, really finicky, so you have to be careful how much you’re pushing it,” Malone said Wednesday as Gordon got shots up in the Nuggets’ practice gym. “Because you want it to heal. I think Aaron’s in a good place. He’s heading in the right direction. … I’m just happy he’s making strides. He’s in a good place mentally. And while he’s been out, we’ve been able to hold down the fort. And guys are stepping up.”

Peyton Watson has filled Gordon’s role in the starting lineup during his absence, averaging 14 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the last three games. The Nuggets (7-3) are fresh off an undefeated five-game homestand as they prepare to fly to New Orleans on Thursday, ahead of their first NBA Cup game against the Pelicans on Friday night.

Malone said there is no timeline for Gordon’s return as of Wednesday, eight days after ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported and a source confirmed to The Denver Post that Gordon will miss multiple weeks. The Nuggets will return home from their three-game trip right at the two-week mark of his absence.

Gordon is averaging 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists on the season, including a 31-point performance in Minnesota on Nov. 1. He was shooting 54.5% from beyond the arc prior to the injury, in what was one of the most encouraging developments of Denver’s season so far. The power forward, coveted for his two-way versatility, signed a four-year, $133 million contract extension in October.

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