3 draws/decisive kills in the playoffs! Gordon: From the uncrowned king of dunks to the soul of the Nuggets!

If you want to choose the "most underrated key gentleman" for the 24-25 season playoffs, Aaron Gordon will definitely rank in the top three.

This man who once regretted 9 points in the dunk contest now seems to have changed his individuals at critical moments - in the first round against the Clippers, he used an all-time kill to save the desperate situation; in the second round against the Thunder, he scored a three-pointer in a row and a three-pointer, pulling the Nuggets back from the edge of the cliff. The origin of "No. 50": A 9-point pain hidden his unwillingness and ambitions in the 2020 slam dunk competition, Gordon flew 2.2 meters tall Taco Fal, and that cross-player dunk shocked the whole game. Wade ended up giving nine points and he lost to Jones Jr.'s free throw line dunk. Then, he changed his jersey number to No. 50 - not protesting to the referee, but saying to himself: "I want to prove that my value is much more than dunks."

This strength is hidden in his growth.

was born into a sports family (the father is a basketball + rugby, and the mother is an ice hockey player), Gordon practiced ball under the "suppression" of his brothers and sisters since he was a child. He averaged 21.6 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.3 caps per game in high school, and was called "Next Griffin"; he entered the NCAA quarterfinals in his freshman year, and led the team to win the championship with 16.2 points per game in the U19 World Youth Championship. In 2014, the Magic chose him with the No. 4 draw, and they were interested in 2m 06 height, 2m 13 wingspan and top bounce - he was the answer to the "defense + sports forward" that the Magic rebuilt.

But Gordon during the Magic period was like a "unpolished diamond": 5.2 points in 47 games in the rookie season, started to stabilize double-double in the second grade, lost to LaVine in the 2016 slam dunk contest, and lost to Jones Jr. in 2020. In the 6-year Magic, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game, but he couldn't even touch the threshold for the second round of the playoffs - 37.5% of three-pointers and inefficient ball holding, he became the negative textbook for "potential stocks".

Denver, he found the "Second Life"

and was traded to the Nuggets in 2021, and Gordon finally breathed a sigh of relief. Coach Malone did not let him be the core, but instead positioned the "defensive sharp knife + empty cutter terminator" - the main defense of the opponent's forward line, using a height of 2.06 meters and a 107 kg body as a "meat shield"; the offensive end followed Jokic to run and cut at the basket.

This adjustment completely activates him. In the 22-23 season, he averaged 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3 assists, with a true shooting percentage of 60.7%, ending 70% of the league's top spot at the basket. The playoffs are even stronger: 13.4 points and 7 rebounds in the first round, 23 points against the Suns in the second round (9 of 13 shots), 22 points and 5 assists against the Lakers, G4 in the Finals hit 27 points - 16 wins and 4 losses in 20 playoffs, he is the most stable "invisible engine" around Jokic.

24-25 Season: The ultimate transformation from "dunk" to "Key Mr."

The Nuggets failed to defend their title last season, and the management renewed Gordon for 133 million yuan in four years. The outside world questioned: "He has 29% of three-pointers, why?" But this season, he slapped everyone in the face with his actions - 43.6% of the regular season three-pointers (career high), averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game, and his condition was at its peak.

The playoffs are even more amazing:

against the Clippers in the first round, when the Nuggets were behind, Jokic missed a three-pointer, Gordon had a "smell" in place, and he got the best shot!

The second round against Thunder G1, the Thunder's last moment "penalty tactics", Chet missed two free throws, Westbrook passed the ball, Gordon scored three-pointers to be the final kill!

G3 against the Thunder, 99-102, he scored another three-pointer and dragged into overtime to win!

The data is more convincing: So far in the playoffs, he made 19 of 35 in the fourth quarter + overtime (54.3%), 7 of 15 three-pointers (46.7%), and 8 of 8 free throws - How is this a "dumper"? It is clearly "Mr. Big Heart".

Jokic said: "He is the soul of the team and the adhesive." Indeed, Gordon did not grab data, but did the most tiring work: preventing the opponent's arrows, giving Jokic a pick-and-roll, cutting the empty cake, and solving the key ball hard. His value is not something that can be measured by 133 million.

From "9 regret" to "3 final kills": He lived his own "No. 50"

5 years ago, he was the uncrowned king of dunks stabbed by 9 points; 5 years later, he was the key gentleman who saved the team three times in the playoffs. The "potential not realized" in the magic era, and the "team philosophy" in the Denver era, he used his efforts to turn his talent into "stable output".

This is Aaron Gordon - without super data, but using defense, empty cuts, and key balls, he has become the most irreplaceable "Robin" of the Nuggets. The number on the No. 50 jersey is no longer a protest against the dunk contest, but his promise to himself: "I don't just know how to dunk, I can stand up at the most critical moment."