LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Denver Nuggets will be without power forward Aaron Gordon indefinitely as he recovers from dog bite injuries to his face and hand, the National Basketball Association team said Wednesday.

In a brief statement the Nuggets said Gordon "is in good condition and will remain away from the team while he recovers."

According to the statement, he "suffered lacerations to his face and hand resulting from a dog bite on December 25th."

The Athletic website reported Gordon required 21 stitches.

The reigning champion Nuggets defeated the Golden State Warriors, 120-114, on Christmas Day in Denver.

Gordon scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the victory.

The 28-year-old is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field in 28 games. He missed four games with a right heel injury.

Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters after the team's practice on Wednesday that Gordon was "hanging in there" after a "very traumatic experience."

Malone said the Nuggets, who are 22-10 and second in the Western Conference behind Minnesota, wouldn't try to rush Gordon back.

"We need him to heal inside and out," Malone said.

"Going through something like that is not something you come back from easily. That's something where you have to heal from the physical, but you also have to heal from the mental and what you just kind of went through."

"We want him back. We know we're better off with him. But I want to support Aaron Gordon and make sure when he comes back, he's ready to come back and play at the level that we know he's capable of."