Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon played very well in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Not only did the former Orlando Magic star put up 16 points and six rebounds in 36 minutes while shooting 7-of-10 from the field, but he also played tough defense on Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler.
Butler finished with only 13 points in Game 1. The All-Star also didn’t shoot any free throws.
“You just have to be alert at all times,” Gordon told Marc J. Spears of Andscape about defending Butler. “You have to be aware of Jimmy at all times. He is dangerous all over the floor. I don’t know why I get all the big defensive assignments. I guess it’s the versatility. The want. I just want to help my team win. That’s all it truly is.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
The Nuggets won Game 1 versus the Heat by a final score of 104-93. Denver has yet to lose at home in the 2023 playoffs and Gordon has played a massive role in the team’s success.
“I’m not here for the credit. I’m here for the wins,” Gordon said in the postgame presser. “Playing with guys like the guys that are on this team is just a blessing. It’s a beautiful opportunity to play with guys on the team that have so much talent, have so much skill and have so much passion for the game of basketball. That’s what I’ve always loved is to play the right way of basketball, and we do that here. I don’t care if I score 50 or 0, as long as I’m helping impact the game and we’re winning.”
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
Gordon is averaging 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the 2023 postseason. He’s had to guard Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, LeBron James, and now Butler.
“Aaron Gordon is a prime example of somebody who’s truly selfless,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said after Game 1. “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 one of the season and gone out there, whether it’s guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and now obviously guarding a guy like Jimmy Butler. He does a lot of the dirty work for us, and a lot of times he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves.”
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