UPDATE: Aaron Gordon will start, play in Game 7 against Oklahoma City

UPDATE: In the face of a report that Aaron Gordon has a Grade 2 hamstring strain that should sideline him for a month, Gordon will start Game 7 on Sunday and play for the Denver Nuggets in Oklahoma City.

How well Gordon will move and how well he can play are up for debate, but he will be out there. Expect the Thunder to test him early, dragging him into pick-and-rolls and making him move laterally.

What follows is our story on ESPN’s report that Gordon was unlikely to play on Sunday due to his hamstring.

—————————————-

Officially, heading into Game 7 in Oklahoma City Sunday, Anthony Gordon is listed as questionable. Denver coach David Adelman talked up how Gordon would go through the morning walkthrough with the team and would be a game-time decision.

Reality is Gordon has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and not only will he be out for Game 7 but he would need weeks to heal and would miss the Western Conference Finals if the Nuggets advance, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. The reality is he will be out closer to a month.

Gordon strained his hamstring in the final minutes of the Nuggets’ Game 6 win on Thursday, going so far as to check himself out in the final minute. There was concern in Denver about the injury after the game, although Gordon said he would be okay, and he has searched for a way to be able to play Sunday. It just will not be possible.

Gordon has averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a game while playing strong defense in these playoffs, and he hit the game-winning shot in Game 1.

Without him, it’s a big ask for Peyton Watson and other Nuggets reserves to step up on a big stage.