THE REIGNING NBA champion Denver Nuggets will be without one of the star players after an accident on Christmas.

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, 28, is expected to be away from the team with no timeline for his return after suffering cuts and lacerations from a dog bite.

Aaron Gordon suffered injuries from a dog bite on ChristmasCredit: Getty

Gordon has no timeline for his returnCredit: Getty
The team revealed the news on Wednesday in a public statement shared online that Gordon was injured on Christmas:

“Injury Update: Aaron Gordon suffered lacerations to his face and hand resulting from a dog bite on December 25th.

“Aaron is in good condition and will remain away from the team while he recovers.

“Additional updates will be provided as necessary.” the statement read.

Gordon reportedly needed 21 stitches to repair the damage to his face and shooting hand, according to NBA Insider Shams Charania.

There’s no official date or timeline for his return, but there’s hope that his absence will be short-term, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Nuggets coach Mike Malone spoke about the situation following their practice on Wednesday and expressed Gordon has the team’s full support.

“He’s hanging in there. Obviously, a very traumatic experience and the most important thing I told him is that you take as much time as you need.

“We’re a family- wins and losses, and when people go through tough times like Aaron’s going through right now.

“We have his back. We love him. We’re here for him.

“So whenever he’s able to come back, we’re going to open our arms up and embrace him.

“I told all the guys to make sure they’re reaching out to him, to make sure he’s never feeling like he’s on an island.

“We need him to heal inside and out,” Malone shared.

The Nuggets defeated the Golden State Warriors on Christmas 120-114, and Gordon had a solid performance, scoring 16 points and grabbing ten rebounds.

On the season, through 28 games played, Gordon is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds for the defending NBA champions.

Denver is currently 22-10, in third place in the Western Conference, and will play the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.