The Denver Nuggets kept their season alive Monday night with a 125-113 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Unfortunately for Denver, reinforcements are not on the way soon as Aaron Gordon (calf) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) remain sidelined.
After the Game 5 win, Nuggets head coach David Adelman said he has “no idea” whether either Gordon or Watson will be cleared for Thursday’s Game 6.
The one positive factor for the Nuggets is the two-day break before Game 6, a luxury they didn’t have in between the last three games of the series.
Aaron Gordon Injury Update
Gordon, who braved his calf injury in the Game 4 loss, was a game-time decision before Monday’s Game 5. He reportedly did not feel healthy enough during shootaround, prompting the Nuggets to start Spencer Jones in his place.
Jones definitely stepped up in Gordon’s absence. The Stanford alum had 20 points, three steals and three blocks in Monday’s win, while shooting an impressive 4-for-5 from three and 7-for-9 from the floor. Cameron Johnson, the other starting wing, also had a productive night with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists.
Gordon is still itching to return, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
âIâm told heâs expected to be out tonight,â he told “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday. âHe wants to play, I think the team is going to have to protect him from himself.â
Peyton Watson Injury Update
As for Watson, the fourth-year wing has missed 11 consecutive games for the Nuggets with a recurring hamstring injury. After sitting out the final six games of the regular season, Watson has failed to get himself cleared for the playoffs thus far.
Ahead of Game 3, ESPNâs Anthony Slater provided a hopeful update on Watson.
âPeyton Watson getting some court work after Nuggets shootaround this morning in Minnesota,â Slater wrote, while sharing a video of Watson at shootaround.
âRemains out tonight with a hamstring injury, but Denver hopeful to get him back in this Minnesota series. Swing factor.â
The Nuggets will try to tie up the seven-game series against the Timberwolves on Thursday. With the Timberwolves also banged up, Denver may have a golden opportunity to overcome a 3-1 deficit and advance to the second round. Nikola Jokic and Co. overcame a 3-1 deficit on two separate occasions in the 2020 playoffs.
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