In his last outing, Aaron Gordon submitted the best performance of his career and hopefully set a new standard for himself in FanDuel NBA tournament play.
Aaron Gordon set plenty of career highs Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers while showcasing his ability to dominate on both ends of the floor.
While his defensive contributions may not have translated into points in FanDuel NBA leagues, as he finished the night without a block or steal, only the sixth time in 27 games that has happened for Gordon, his ability to guard multiple positions earned him additional playing time.
Most of the night Gordon shadowed L.A. guard J.J. Redick, resulting in a 3-of-11 shooting performance, and primarily spending the rest of his time on Blake Griffin.
The stellar defense enabled Orlando Magic coach Frank Vogel to leave the 21-year-old on the court for more than 40 minutes for the first time in his three-year career. Prior to Wednesday night, Gordon had played more than 35 minutes just five times in 151 career appearances.
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The extended stint on the floor led to the best offensive night of Gordon’s career, as he poured in 33 points, while attempting and converting the most field goals and 3-point shots of his career.
For just the second time this season, Gordon managed to convert over 60 percent of his attempts from the field, as he made 13-of-21, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.
When he wasn’t sinking long range shots, Gordon was punishing the Clippers at the rim, his most well-known asset.
Aaron. Gordon. Rinse, repeat. #NBAVine https://t.co/VeHYnUIZRa
— NBA (@NBA) December 15, 2016
The 33-point outburst was not only 11 more than his previous career high, but also one more point than Gordon had totaled in his five previous games combined.
Plays such as the lob pass from Evan Fournier, where Gordon doesn’t have to create his own shot, are when he is at his best. Quick cuts, immediate looks at the basket are where Gordon thrives.
When he shoots without dribbling the ball, Gordon is connecting on 48.4 percent of his attempts, 5 percent better than his season average. The figure drops to 40.9 percent after one dribble and down to 35.3 percent with two dribbles.
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On possession he has the ball two seconds or less, he is connecting on 48 percent of his attempts, from two to six seconds, he is shooting 36 percent and any time he has the ball more than six seconds, the percentage dips to 30.8 percent.
Wednesday night, Orlando routinely found ways to create scoring opportunities for Gordon, as nine of his 13 made shots (69.2 percent) were set up with an assist. For the season, only 44.8 percent of his shots were the result of an assist, the lowest percentage of his three-year career.
The roster in Orlando boasts numerous capable passers, and with Gordon coming off his best career performance, he should receive additional looks against Brooklyn Friday night.
Gordon managed 41.4 points in FanDuel NBA play, two more than his previous two outings combined.
While consistency has been an issue for Gordon, he is worth a look as a value play for FanDuel NBA rosters.