A key part of the Nuggets offensive and defensive system, why is Gordon indispensable?

According to Shams report: Denver Nuggets star Aaron Gordon suffered a grade two strain of his right hamstring and will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks! This casts a shadow on the Nuggets' regular season record. Fortunately, the Nuggets' reserve lineup for the new season is deep enough to alleviate the crisis to a certain extent.

But Fansidi still has to say that Aaron Gordon is too important to the Nuggets and is an indispensable part of the Nuggets team's offensive and defensive system.

Why is he so important?

He was traded to the Nuggets as a Magic star to fill the gap left by Grant; and the answers he handed over were much better than Grant's.

The Nuggets' pass-cutting system is centered on Jokic, the first support center in history, with Jokic and Murray as the tactical fulcrum. The teammates get air-cutting and three-point shooting opportunities in the opportunities created by the two-turn.

The Nuggets passing and cutting system is influenced by the Princeton system and European folding zone offensive ideas. The passing and cutting system is inseparable from five parts: passing, screening, air cutting, three-pointers and fast breaks.

Air cutting is Gordon's special skill. He is the player with the most air cuts on the team and can be called the essence of human air cutting.

Gordon has a very high basketball IQ and very precise running positions. Although the Nuggets Jokic is involved, Gordon's ability to run in a very suitable position also contributes a lot.

He has extremely incredible physical fitness, runs and jumps fiercely, and is highly confrontational. He is good at making air cuts that others cannot make and scoring smoothly.

The following two goals are classic baseline backdoor cuts. They use Jokic's positive attraction to sneak into the baseline and score, which is hard to guard against. This requires a strong sense of positioning.

The Nuggets' most classic air-cutting tactic is the back door. Gordon is very powerful.

In the picture below, he pretends to catch the ball, turns around and cuts to the basket to receive a pass from Jokic and score.

The following is another classic tactic of the Nuggets, air cutting from the ghost position and air cutting from the weak side. Gordon is also the best and can catch the opponent off guard.

I have to say that Gordon is the master of air cutting in the Nuggets' passing and cutting system.

The Nuggets have many air-cutting and fast-break experts such as Watson and Braun, but in terms of comprehensiveness, they are far behind Gordon.

What is underestimated in the Nuggets passing system is Gordon's passing function.

In recent years, a new trend has emerged in the league. Multiple ball-holding points are increasingly valued. The more players who can handle the ball, the better.

In addition to Jokic and Murray, the Nuggets this season have Cameron Johnson, Varan, Hardaway, and Bruce Brown all able to handle the ball.

Gordon's ability to handle the ball is underestimated. During the Magic period, he passed the ball pretty well. Now that the Nuggets have Yomu, he does not have so much possession of the ball, but when necessary, he can show off his face and back to the frame in singles, and he can also cooperate with Yomu.

When attacking, he can play a guest role at the fifth position and become the core of the team, and his passing level can be better reflected.

The ball below is an illustration of his passing skills.

In recent years, he has adjusted his shooting posture. His three-point level has improved significantly since last season. Although opponents often leave him short due to path dependence (his three-point production and resume are poor), he has repeatedly surprised his opponents, especially hard-hitting big shots, and even shot three-pointers.

Another underrated skill of his is the quality of cover, which is very important in the Nuggets system and can provide teammates with excellent scoring opportunities.

On the defensive end, he can defend five positions, and is especially good at defending heavy forwards. He can challenge opponents and consume physical energy. He can shrink to protect the basket, and he can also expand to guard forwards. He can also fight against big centers when necessary. He also did a good job protecting rebounds.

The picture below reflects his defensive resume.

To sum up, Gordon's strategic significance to the Nuggets is beyond doubt!