Nikola Jokic was on the bench, dealing with foul trouble. Jamal Murray was being hounded defensively, the ball forced out of his hands. If the Heat were going to get back into the NBA Finals, this was their chance. 

There was just one problem: Aaron Gordon wouldn’t let it happen. The versatile forward, an unsung hero in the Nuggets’ run to within one win of their first NBA title, didn’t forget about his history as an alpha, even though his role has changed in Denver. He showed that in Game 4, pouring in 27 points along with his trademark defense. It didn’t go unnoticed. 

“He won us the game today,” Jokic said after the victory. “He was our best player on the floor, and guarding the best player every night, that’s a tough job, and maybe he’s not going to get a lot of credit, but we know what he’s doing for our team, and we’re really thankful for him.” 

The No. 4 overall pick by the Magic in the 2014 draft, the 6-foot-8 Gordon has been the perfect complement to the Big 2 of Murray and Jokic, a defensive dynamo on the wing and strong third offensive option who has shot a lights-out 40.9 percent from 3-point range in the postseason. In Orlando, he was somewhat miscast as a go-to guy. With Denver, who acquired him in March 2021 for Gary Harris Jr., R.J. Hampton and a protected 2025 first-round pick, he has been a perfect fit. One of those lunch-pail guys who impacts winning without scoring big. He’s been the primary defender on stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Jimmy Butler in this postseason run where the Nuggets have won 15 of 19 games. 

“I felt like I was going to be a defender for this team, a defenseman for this team,” Gordon told reporters. “I knew they could score. [Michael Porter Jr.], one of the best shooters on earth. You’ve got a two-time MVP in Joker that can do everything on offense. You’ve got Jamal Murray that can go for 50 on any given night. I knew I was coming in to play defense and make their job easy. 

“I like to play defense. That’s my niche. That’s how I came into the league, defensive-minded. As far as the offensive side, it was just get in where I fit in, find cuts, find openings, find transition buckets, try and get easy ones, and then just — really just get in where I fit in.” 

There are a lot of reasons the Nuggets find themselves on the cusp of their first championship. It’s a nod to adept drafting, development and front office maneuvers. 

It is a team built the old-fashioned way, initially through the draft and expert development, then fortified through shrewd free-agent additions and one fantastic trade. Jokic is obviously the key, the 41st player selected in the 2014 draft who has developed into arguably the best player in the sport. But he’s only a piece of how this team was developed into such a complete product. 

Murray, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 draft, wasn’t viewed as a no-doubt star at the time. Porter Jr. was considered a risk at No. 14 overall in 2018, a talented prospect who was going to need a redshirt year as he dealt with back and hip injuries. Denver made one key addition on the free-agent market, finding Bruce Brown Jr. last summer, and trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. 

The Gordon move feels as important as any of them, when you consider how little the Nuggets gave up. Harris is what Bill Parcells used to call a JAG — Just Another Guy. Hampton was waived by the Magic and played limited minutes this year for the Pistons. The first-round pick is nothing more than a flier, considering the Nuggets look like they aren’t going anywhere, their five starters all signed through next season and only Caldwell-Pope eligible for free agency the following year. 

Gordon, under contract through 2025 at an affordable $22 million per year, is a big part of that. He may not draw headlines, but his value is obvious to the Nuggets. 

“He’s sacrificed himself,” Jokic said, “and that’s why he’s a great teammate.”