Quick Read
- Aaron Gordon scored a career-high 50 points in the 2025-26 NBA season opener against the Warriors.
- He hit 10 out of 11 three-pointers, tying the NBA record for most threes in a season opener.
- Gordon matched Terry Rozier’s record on the same day Rozier was arrested in a federal gambling probe.
- Despite Gordon’s performance, Steph Curry led the Warriors to an overtime win with 42 points.
- Gordon’s shooting spree set a franchise record and contributed to a record-breaking opening week for NBA scoring.
Aaron Gordon’s Unforgettable Night: 50 Points and a Storm of Threes
Some NBA moments unfold with such improbable drama, you wonder if the basketball gods are playing tricks. On October 24, 2025, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon turned a season opener into a personal masterpiece—and an evening that will echo through league history.
Facing the Golden State Warriors on their home floor in San Francisco, Gordon put together a performance that felt both inevitable and surreal. He poured in 50 points, shooting a blazing 17-of-21 from the field, and connected on 10 out of 11 three-point attempts. Not only was this a career high, it was a night when the numbers seemed to bend to his will.
Gordon’s shooting display wasn’t just hot—it was historic. By hitting 10 threes, he matched the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a season opener, a mark previously held by Terry Rozier. The fact that this record was tied on the very day Rozier was arrested in a federal gambling probe only added to the strange symmetry of the evening. As Ernie Johnson noted on the “Inside the NBA” broadcast, sometimes reality really is stranger than fiction.
Joining Legends: The Company of 50-Point Openers
Gordon’s 50-point eruption lands him in exclusive territory. Only a handful of players have ever scored 50 or more in a season-opening game: Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving. For Gordon, it wasn’t just about volume—it was about efficiency and timing. The Nuggets needed every bucket, and Gordon delivered, keeping his team in the thick of a wild contest against Steph Curry and the Warriors.
In the closing minutes, Curry responded with his own late-game heroics, rallying Golden State from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Curry’s 42 points—including six three-pointers and a 34-footer to force overtime—ultimately spoiled Gordon’s career night, but the spotlight was shared. NBA fans were treated to a contest that showcased the new season’s explosive scoring power.
According to NBA.com, Gordon’s outing marked the seventh 50+ point game in a season opener and set a franchise record for the Nuggets. The NBA’s opening week saw a scoring spree unlike any other, with five different players posting at least 40 points—a new record for the most 40+ point performances in openers.
The Odd Coincidence: Terry Rozier’s Record and Legal Troubles
Basketball isn’t played in a vacuum, and sometimes the stories off the court mirror those on it in uncanny ways. As Gordon tied Rozier’s three-point record, news broke that Rozier was among more than 30 people arrested in a federal gambling investigation. The indictment alleged that Rozier had pulled himself from a game in March 2023 to help bettors win player prop wagers. The probe also implicated Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and former NBA player Damon Jones, who allegedly provided inside information to the ring.
On the “Inside the NBA” panel, Ernie Johnson recited the odd stat before Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley quickly pivoted to a commercial break. The coincidence gave the moment a surreal edge, reminding fans that sometimes, the biggest stories happen on and off the hardwood.
Gordon’s Impact: Elevating the Nuggets, Inspiring the League
For Denver, Gordon’s performance signals more than just a hot start. It’s an exclamation point at the beginning of a season filled with high hopes. The Nuggets, still powered by Nikola Jokić—who notched his fourth career triple-double in a season opener—are looking to defend their place among the NBA’s elite. Jamal Murray contributed 25 points and 10 assists, while Gordon’s shooting stretched the Warriors’ defense to the breaking point.
Jokić’s triple-double tied Oscar Robertson for the most in NBA season openers, underscoring the level of talent on display. But it was Gordon who provided the spark, showing how a versatile forward can change the flow of a game with perimeter shooting and aggressive play.
As USA Today noted, Gordon’s 10-for-11 shooting from deep was not just efficient—it was nearly unprecedented for volume and accuracy in a single NBA game. The Nuggets franchise had never seen such a barrage in an opening night, and Gordon’s name now sits alongside the league’s legends.
The Larger Picture: A Season Promising Fireworks
This season’s opener wasn’t just about individual brilliance. The NBA landscape is shifting, with young stars and veteran leaders combining for record-breaking performances. Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Maxey, and Victor Wembanyama all joined Gordon in posting 40+ points in their own openers, signifying a new era of scoring prowess.
For Gordon, the 2025-26 season opener will be a career highlight—a reminder of what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity, and when the game’s rhythm suddenly syncs with a player’s skill. His performance didn’t end in victory, but the impact was undeniable, and the echoes will linger long after the final buzzer.
Gordon’s historic night was a perfect storm of skill, timing, and uncanny coincidence. It was a testament to his evolution as a player, but also a reflection of how unpredictable and intertwined sports and life can be. As the Nuggets press forward, Gordon’s opener sets a standard for excellence—and for the strange, compelling stories that only basketball can deliver.