Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon questionable for Game 6 as NBA Playoffs’ best series shifts to Timberwolves’ court
MINNEAPOLIS — While preparing for a new version of the Timberwolves, the Nuggets don’t fully know which version of themselves will be trying to stave off elimination on Thursday night.
Aaron Gordon’s status for Game 6 of Denver’s first-round playoff series is up in the air, coach David Adelman said after a light practice — he described it as more of a walk-through — at Target Center on Wednesday.
Gordon experienced left calf tightness after a Game 2 loss. He missed Game 3. He played Game 4 but was visibly struggling in 23 minutes of action. He sat out again for Game 5, a 125-113 Nuggets win that kept their season alive. He’s officially listed as questionable for Game 6, while Peyton Watson (right hamstring) remains out.
Down 3-2 to Minnesota, the Nuggets are still facing two more elimination games if they want to advance past the first round. If Gordon does try to play in Game 6 on Thursday (7:30 p.m. MT), his athleticism and mobility will be tested in a high-stakes, high-intensity environment. Can he stay on the court and be effective if he’s as limited as he was in Game 4?
“I thought Aaron in the first half (of Game 4) was very different from Aaron in the second half — and I know in both halves, he wasn’t moving great,” Adelman said. “So I’m not saying he looked great the first half. But I thought his mobility, the way he guarded Randle in the post, we need that. I thought in the second half, you could see the wear and tear. Not to mention, for me, one of the hardest parts of a guy like that with a soft tissue thing is that you’ve gotta get him back on the court quicker (after he subs out). And I think when you get to halftime, you sit there for 20 minutes, that doesn’t help anybody. So I’m not a doctor. I’m not a trainer. But obviously, you guys could see it. I could see it. There is a point where it’s not good for him; it’s not good for the team.”
Aaron Gordon (32) of the Denver Nuggets finishes as Rudy Gobert (27) and Naz Reid (11) of the Minnesota Timberwolves defend during the second quarter of game four of their NBA Playoffs series at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Gordon totaled nine points and one rebound on a 4-for-11 shooting performance in Game 4. Spencer Jones replaced him in the starting lineup for Game 5, amassing 20 points, three rebounds and three blocks in a home win.
“Everybody knows Aaron wants to play,” Adelman said. “The guy’s the ultimate teammate. He’s been so good for us over the years. But we have to do what’s right for him and the team.”
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are adapting to life without their starting backcourt as they prepare for their only chance to close out the series at home. Mike Conley and Ayo Dosunmu started in Game 5, while Chris Finch tried getting minutes from young guards Terrence Shannon Jr. (14) and Jaylen Clark (11) off the bench. A poor defensive showing cost Shannon more playing time in Minnesota’s loss, despite his 15-point contribution.
“I think you have to presuppose that Shannon saw the ball go in; I would think he would play more,” Adelman said. “So that’s a different kind of personnel you’re talking about. How does he drive the basketball? His offensive rebounding. … The nuances of a series are interesting. Not to mention, for us, if Aaron doesn’t play tomorrow, our spacing is completely different. It’s a different kind of defense. If they decide to double Nikola (Jokic) at the nail, whatever it may be, Aaron is very different than Spencer.
“That’s how these series are for both coaching staffs. … You pre-suppose, and you prepare the best you can.”
Adding one more wrinkle to all the uncertainty, Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland was also listed as questionable for Game 6 due to knee soreness. The former Nugget scored 15 points in 23 minutes off the bench in Game 5, helping Minnesota fill the void left behind by injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
“It’s not great. You wish those guys were healthy,” Jamal Murray said Wednesday. “Especially the way they went down. But it is what it is. We’ve just gotta make sure we get the job done … There’s so many guys on their team that can (impact) the game in a different way. We’ve just gotta be locked in on what they like to do and take away their energy while they’re at home.”
Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates dunking during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 125-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five of their NBA Playoffs series on Monday, April 27, 2026. The Timberwolves lead 3-2 as they head back to Minneapolis for game six. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Screen time
One of the least delectable narratives in this series’ headlines has been one of the most important talking points in the Nuggets’ locker room: screening.
Adelman and Murray have both pinpointed it as a critical missing piece when the offense has faltered. The term “physicality” is often associated with defense, but Denver’s lack of offensive physicality, the first-year coach said, was a major reason shots dried up in Games 3 and 4.
The Nuggets weren’t forcing Minnesota into tough defensive decisions enough, which can be accomplished by freeing up your best players from their primary matchups.
Players took the message to heart in Game 5. Finch took notice.
“I thought one of the biggest things they did was they set a ton of illegal screens,” the Wolves coach said. “They really came out and tried to screen well, and also separate Rudy (Gobert) in particular. I thought there were a lot of illegal screens called in that game, and they could’ve called double the amount.”
Denver was called for a whopping 10 offensive fouls. They were proof of concept.
“I mean, it goes both ways,” Murray said, “because then the other team starts to do it back, and then now we start to get the benefit of the whistle sometimes. So it’s good. It’s basketball. It’s competitive. You can’t control every single whistle, but you can set the tone and not allow the other team to get to certain spots, certain actions.”
Cameron Johnson (23) of the Denver Nuggets passes as Jaden McDaniels (3) of the Minnesota Timberwolves drops into coverage during the third quarter of game five of their NBA Playoffs series on Monday, April 27, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Cam Johnson attack mode
One of the players benefiting from good screening was Johnson, who went for 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists in his best game of the series. Denver’s 3-point shooting has plummeted from the regular season to the first round. But Johnson has been one of the most efficient inside-the-arc scorers in the series. He took advantage of not having Edwards defending him in Game 5, aggressively turning the corner and getting downhill on his dribble handoff opportunities.
He’s shooting 6-for-25 from downtown (24%) but 17-for-22 from 2-point range (77.3%) entering Game 6.
“I just feel like those opportunities are there,” he said. “Just gotta get the behind-the-arc to catch up. But that’s the life of a shooter. You shoot a lot of them, and if they feel good, they feel good. And you move on. But it’s just trying to take advantage of the fact that they don’t want me to shoot 3s. And if they do, I would appreciate that.”
Avoiding the role player heat check
Rule of thumb in the NBA playoffs: A random role player is generally considered more likely to have a big shooting game at home than on the road. Case in point? The 20 points Denver got from Spencer Jones in Game 5. Or the 43 Minnesota got from Ayo Dosunmu off the bench in Game 4.
Now the Wolves get another turn on home turf. Adelman knows the Nuggets have to be vigilant about not getting caught in rotation or punished for helping off of a shooter.
“We have to bring second defenders sometimes, especially with (Julius) Randle,” he said. “But you have to be really clean to make sure you’re getting quality contests. Role players at home play better. And I think the second part of the (help) rotations is: Why we lost here was second-chance points. It was way more possessions for them than us. And we have to avoid that. And those young guys they have off their bench can really offensive rebound. So your rotations aren’t just about contesting 3s. It’s also about getting a body on somebody.”
Ball-handling help for Murray
Tyus Jones was the biggest surprise of Game 5, giving the Nuggets 14 minutes at backup point guard after having been out of the rotation pretty much his entire time in Denver. He signed a rest-of-season veteran minimum deal in March after the Mavericks bought out his contract.
The idea behind bringing him into an elimination game, suddenly? Usually, when the Nuggets want to help release Murray from full-court pressure, they have Gordon bring the ball up the court, and they run Murray off a pin-down or another off-ball screen to get him a catch in the flow of the offense. But with no Gordon, Adelman had to get creative to find help for Murray.
“I just felt like we got Tyus for his ball-handling,” he said. “He’s a point guard. And I think in this series, with the pressure, he allowed Jamal to get off the ball a little bit more. And we felt like, because Tyus was playing, I really felt he needed a roller. And I think when Jonas (Valanciunas) rolls with Tyus when they’ve played together in the past, it opens things up for other people.”
