By Josh Cohen

Jan. 12, 2017

Aaron Gordon has been doing an excellent job taking advantage of mismatches. He’s effective posting up and backing down smaller defenders and using his quickness and agility to drive by slower foes. Watch him use his length and a Dirk Nowitzki-like step-back to knock down a jumper over Chris Paul:

It’s hard for defenders to keep up with Gordon up and down the floor. He’s extraordinarily athletic and constantly active and mobile. He’s one of the NBA’s leaders in transition alley-oop dunks as shown on this jaw-dropping play:

Earlier this season, Gordon was a tad too reckless when he attacked the basket. He typically wasn’t balanced or polished enough to avoid traffic on his drives inside. This is starting to improve. AG is developing good body control and an assortment of moves to evade shot blockers. WATCH:

Gordon has already made more 3-pointers this season than he did all of last season. He’s more confident and he has better form. He’s starting to make opponents pay for sagging off him. He also has a good pump fake to get defenders off their feet. WATCH:

Gordon is an elite defender. He literally can guard every position at this point and is typically asked to guard the other team’s best perimeter player at the most crucial moments of games. AG did an admiral job chasing J.J. Redick around screens against the Clippers like on this possession: