Aaron Gordon is concerned about his team, and his team only.

Although the Los Angeles Lakers look different, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has no concerns. Despite the Lakers trading for Luka Doncic, it doesn’t phase the NBA champion. On NBA Today, the Denver forward explained how he has no concerns at all about the new-look Los Angeles team.

“[The Lakers] definitely have a new look to them,” Gordon said. “We don’t really concern ourselves with other teams… We focus on Denver Nugget basketball.”

While the response might be typical, it’s a good mentality. As mentioned before, the Nuggets are NBA champions. The championship mentality is to focus on yourself as opposed to others. However, the new-look Lakers that Gordon mentioned have a new look, to say the least.

Bringing in Doncic is a generational move. Even though the Lakers had to trade Anthony Davis away in the process, securing a generational star is unheard of. Doncic and LeBron James share the same court and vision, which is a scary sight for many teams. Both players are some of, if not, the smartest in the league.

However, the Nuggets have their generational superstar in center Nikola Jokic. The former MVP is having another MVP-worthy season this year. He’s put Denver on his back, and no one seems to have an answer to stop him.

Aaron Gordon and the Nuggets aren’t concerned about the Lakers

With Gordon’s comments creating skepticism around the Lakers, it makes sense. There’s been a small sample size with Doncic and James. Both players have been injured and have played only one game together since the trade. Either way, the potential is too great to dismiss what could happen.

Still, there’s a good amount of distance between the Nuggets and the Lakers. For instance, Denver is third in the Western Conference, while Los Angeles is fifth. They are currently separated by four wins. That statistic is crucial, considering how tight the conference is.

However, the Nuggets extended their winning streak to nine games on Thursday. They seem to be peaking at the right time. Other guys like Christian Braun, Jamal Murray, and even Gordon himself have stepped up in a big way. At the end of the day, this can be a pivotal game for the team.

They’re riding a winning streak and could face a likely opponent in the playoffs on Saturday. Luckily, Denver has experience and chemistry on their side with the starting lineup. Not to mention, the Lakers have had some issues with their center rotation. It can lead to a front-court frenzy on Saturday and allow the Nuggets to extend their winning streak.

Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from Arizona State University and recently covered the Mercury for