The Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon has taken his game to another level in the playoffs.
• Play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo! >
Aaron Gordon came into the NBA with high expectations after being selected by the Magic with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 Draft. He became known as a high-flyer, finishing second in the AT&T Slam Dunk contest two times. However, his game has changed in many ways since he came into the league.
Improving numbers
Gordon struggled with his efficiency early in his career, which is not a huge surprise considering he came into the NBA at 19 years old. His best fantasy season with the Magic came in 2017-18 when he averaged 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 3-pointers. However, he shot just 43.4% from the field and 69.8% from the free-throw line that season. During his time with the Magic, he never shot higher than 47.3% from the field.
Gordon was traded to the Nuggets during the 2020-21 season and has become a key member of the team, even helping them win a championship. One of the main reasons for his success with the Nuggets has been his improved efficiency. He has shot at least 52.0% from the field in all four of his full seasons with the team. This season, he even shot a career-high 81.0% from the free-throw line. That helped him average 14.7 points to go along with 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 3-points per game.
Playoff hero
Gordon has taken his game to another level in the playoffs. Over eight games, he has averaged 19.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 3-pointers. He has shot 50.9% from the field and 88.9% from the free-throw line. He has already hit two game-winning shots, including in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Thunder.
One important note regarding Gordon’s improved production is that he has averaged 39 minutes per game in the playoffs. During the regular season, he averaged 28 minutes per game while dealing with injury flare-ups. That was his lowest mark since the 2020-21 season, when he split between the Magic and Nuggets and was done to keep him fresh for the postseason.
Fantasy outlook
When it comes to Gordon’s fantasy prospects for next season, it will be interesting to see what changes are made around him. The Nuggets will have a new general manager and head coach, so changes could be made to the roster. Still, Gordon figures to play a key role in their plans. If he can avoid injury, expect him to average closer to 30 minutes per game and provide better production than he did this season. His Average Draft Position was 106 heading into this season. If he continues to thrive in the playoffs, that ADP could be on the rise heading into next season.
