Before a pivotal game, the Nuggets receive a significant Aaron Gordon injury update.

Gordon suffered the injury early in the Nuggets’ Nov. 4 encounter with the Toronto Raptors. It was right on the heels of Gordon putting together a string of performances that directly coincided with Denver getting back on the winning track.That began when Gordon posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and a block in an Oct. 28 win over the Raptors.The next time out, Gordon tallied 24 points in a 144-139 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets. He followed that performance by posting a season-high 31 points and 11 rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and put up 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists in a victory against the Utah Jazz.Even after the mere four minutes he played during the Nov. 4 game against the Raptors, Gordon is averaging 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made per game.Unfortunately, the Nuggets will have to find a way to replace that production for several weeks. More importantly, a massive void will be left on the defensive end of the floor, where Gordon has been helping to alleviate the burden from Christian Braun as he fills the void left by Caldwell-Pope.Up-and-comers Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson have been stepping up as of late, but on paper, it’s unclear who will occupy the expansive defensive role that Gordon plays for Denver.The schedule won’t do the Nuggets any favors during that time. After hosting the Thunder on Nov. 6, they’ll embark on a stretch of games against the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks—all potential playoff teams.The silver lining is that Gordon’s injury is occurring early in the regular season, but the Nuggets will have a massive void in the lineup ahead of a brutal stretch of the schedule.Gordon is averaging 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals per game against the Raptors. Unfortunately, the Nuggets will have to find a way to replace that output for a few weeks. More significantly, there will be a huge void on the defensive end of the court, where Gordon has been relieving Christian Braun of some of the pressure as he fills the void left by Caldwell-Pope. Although up-and-coming players Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson have been stepping up recently, it’s unclear on paper who will fill the expansive defensive role that Gordon plays for Denver. The schedule won’t help the Nuggets during that time. After hosting the Thunder on Nov. 6, they’ll set offAlthough Gordon’s injury is occurring early in the regular season, the Nuggets will have a huge hole in their lineup ahead of a brutal stretch of games against teams that could make the playoffs, including the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks.