Why Aaron Gordon isn't invited to Nuggets team dinners this series - NBC Sports

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 12: Aaron Gordon #50 of the Denver Nuggets reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter of Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round Playoffs at Target Center on May 12, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 115-107. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

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“A player on a streak has to respect the streak... You know why? Because they don’t happen very often... If you believe you’re playing well because you’re getting laid or because you’re not getting laid or because you’re wearing women’s underwear, then you are!”—Crash Davis Bull Durham

Teams have to respect a streak, too.

The Denver Nuggets fell behind 0-2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their second-round series, dropping those first two games at home. The night before Game 3, veteran center DeAndre Jordan organized a team dinner at a local steakhouse in Minneapolis. The entire team attended, except for Aaron Gordon, something Sam Amick explained at The Athletic.

The team dinner worked — the players came out of the night feeling relaxed, and not feeling the must-win pressure. Then they went out and dominated Game 3 behind Nikola Jokic, winning by 27. Then the Nuggets won Game 4. Denver was playing like a champion again.

Players have to respect the streak, so when there was a team dinner at the same steakhouse after Game 4 — with the series tied 2-2 — Gordon was not invited. The Nuggets went on to win Game 5 at home. Now they are back in Minneapolis for Game 6 and Gordon had to fly separately and was not at the team dinner last night.

Gordon is good with all this — you don’t mess with a streak, and he knows it.