Aaron Gordon downgraded to questionable

MINNEAPOLIS — Aaron Gordon supplied an ominous one-word answer when asked how his body felt late Monday night, after the Nuggets lost Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

“Older,” the versatile power forward said.

“I’ve got some recovery to do.”

By opening tip of the next game, Denver’s first injury alarm of the playoffs had sounded. It was always going to happen at some point. But this was sooner than the Nuggets wanted.

Gordon was listed as probable with left calf tightness on Thursday morning, before Game 3 at Minnesota. Then he was downgraded to questionable in the afternoon. He had multiple hard landings in the first two games of the series, grimacing at times.

Gordon, 31, spent most of the regular season going in and out of the lineup with a recurring right hamstring strain. The left calf tightness first popped up on March 29, when he woke up feeling discomfort and reported it to the team. He sat out that night against the Warriors, a decision made out of precaution.