Gordon has constructed an All-Star case this season, as he’s been a two-way demon for a red-hot Denver staff. He’s third on the staff in scoring regardless of taking the fifth-most pictures. And he’s their most rugged perimeter defender, taking up the opponent’s greatest scorer on a near-nightly foundation.

Offensively, Gordon’s chemistry with Nikola Jokić permits him to search out straightforward bucket after straightforward bucket. If Jokić has the ball on the elbow and assist defenders begin creeping towards him, Gordon will sprint alongside the baseline and lower to the ring for a straightforward two earlier than the assistance realizes they’ve misplaced him. He’s additionally develop into a lethal screener, particularly when he units picks for Jokić. Gordon is adept at profiting from the larger our bodies that guard Jokić and aren’t as used to navigating screens as guards. He usually finds fast twos slipping screens in opposition to facilities that begin to look panicky when he approaches. And good luck placing a smaller physique on Gordon, as he’ll instantly bully them into the paint and get in place for an entry move.

On the opposite finish of the ground, Gordon is often tasked with slowing down high-powered wings, whether or not or not it’s Kawhi Leonard one evening or LeBron James on one other. Not precisely known as upon as a fringe stopper throughout his Magic days, it’s a task Gordon has embraced with the Nuggets, describing himself as a “piece of the puzzle” to the staff’s success. And it’s that willingness to do regardless of the staff wants, from slicing to setting screens to hounding scorers, that has put Gordon within the All-Star dialog.

“They know I’m a Swiss Military knife; I might do a whole lot of various things on the court docket,” Gordon says of his function. “They wanted someone that may very well be the glue. I can play one by 5, and if you happen to want that that evening, I might do it.”

The Magic have been by no means fairly in a position to harness Gordon’s expertise the best way the Nuggets have. Gordon admits his expertise in Orlando was irritating, the place the staff was in fixed upheaval each on and off the court docket. The Magic by no means discovered the correct mix of gamers round Gordon to assist him play his greatest basketball. (They curiously added a whole lot of forwards to the roster regardless of having Gordon already on the staff.) This yr for the Nuggets, Gordon is averaging the second-most factors per recreation of his profession regardless of not being the primary, second or perhaps even third possibility on offense.

“There’s a tradition right here,” Gordon says. “In Orlando we have been looking for a tradition, looking for an identification, and it was robust. We had 5 completely different coaches in 5 years. Two completely different units of GMs. Coming into the league, it was arduous to determine that out.

“Once we was right here, we knew what was up. It’s a successful group. You bought an MVP and a number of All-Star–caliber gamers. Coming right here, it was straightforward to be myself, and go on the market and get in the place I slot in.”

“What I’m most likely most pleased with him for is he hasn’t fought it,” Malone mentioned about Gordon in December. “Final season we didn’t have Michael [Porter Jr.] and Jamal [Murray], and we’ve got some gifted offensive gamers again, and Aaron hasn’t fought the touches, the play calls. If I’m not calling his quantity he’s not pouting; he’s not moaning, ‘I’m not getting sufficient play calls.’ He’s discovering methods to influence the sport, rebounding, operating, getting large on the rim, posting up; that’s why all these numbers are so excessive.”

Gordon relishes enjoying for a staff just like the Nuggets. He emphasizes that everybody performs the correct method, making the correct move for the following man and feeding off Jokić’s unselfishness. (Gordon says his personal motivation is to win a championship for Jokić. “He deserves it.”)

And so far as his particular person enchancment, Gordon says his recreation is rather more lean than it was in Orlando. He’s higher now about selecting his spots and realizing when to go to sure strikes.

“I nonetheless sort of have the identical strikes,” he says. “I had so much in my bag however didn’t know when to make use of it.”

Gordon’s particular person success is now additionally impacting successful like by no means earlier than. Throughout Denver’s 18–3 stretch, the staff has had by far the perfect offense within the NBA and, maybe extra essential, the eighth-best protection, higher than the likes of Cleveland, Milwaukee and Golden State since Dec. 8. And whereas he repeatedly brings up the purpose of successful a championship, when pressed immediately on the subject, Gordon admits it will imply so much to him to make the All-Star staff after the changes he’s made in his profession.

He would even be prepared to do the one factor individuals preserve bothering him about if it will safe his place.

“If I’m within the All-Star Sport, I’ll do the dunk contest,” says Gordon, who competed within the 2016 and ’20 competitions however controversially misplaced each.

Gordon’s All-Star case shouldn’t have to come back right down to that, although. If he retains enjoying the best way he’s been all season—if Gordon retains being himself—then preserving him out of the All-Star Sport shall be a tougher promote than placing him in.