With Aaron Gordon out, the Nuggets are in trouble

In addition to that, Gordon has incredible offensive chemistry with Nuggets star and reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Gordon is only the fourth-leading scorer on the Nuggets this season, but his 15.4 points per game will be severely missed. Gordon has also been super efficient this season, shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three. 

Nuggets Already Are Barely Scraping By

Without Gordon, the Nuggets are in a lot of trouble. Not only is he a key piece for them on both ends of the floor, but they have already barely been staying afloat this season. 

Even though the Nuggets are 4-3, all four wins have been against weak opponents. On top of that, three of those four wins came down to a single possession. The Nuggets' margin for error has been slim this season, and it just got smaller. 

Gordon's absence is going to put an even brighter spotlight on the Nuggets' declining defense. They are known for the incredible offensive flow around Jokic's playmaking, but last season, they were a top-10 defensive team as well. They've fallen from eighth in defensive rating last season to 17th this season. Gordon missing a few weeks with a calf injury will only further tank the Nuggets defense. 

Too Much Pressure on Jokic

As amazing as Jokic is, the Nuggets are relying too heavily on him. With Gordon out, this trend will likely get even worse, and it doesn't bode well for the team. 

Jokic is already averaging three more minutes a game from last season and has taken on a heavier scoring load as well (29.6 points per game). He will have even more pressure on him without Gordon as a stopper on the defensive end and the team's best cutter on offense. 

The Nuggets' lack of depth is the main issue for the extra stress on Jokic. Players like Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson are going to be relied upon heavily with Gordon out, and they are young and inexperienced. 

During the Nuggets' championship season, a hot start, a deep roster and a rested and healthy Jokic were all key factors in their dominant NBA Finals run. With Gordon set to miss a few weeks, the Nuggets are going to struggle to get wins and have to put extra stress and minutes on Jokic. This isn't a good start for their championship hopes.