Denver Basketball Team, Nuggets, in Action
In a surprising turn of events, Michael Porter Jr. gritted his teeth and hit the court for the Nuggets' playoff showdown against the Clippers, despite a nasty shoulder sprain. Riding on a surge of resilience and an indomitable spirit, Porter Jr. put himself through a light practice session at Ball Arena before the team headed west for Games 3 and 4.
With his left shoulder taking a beating in Game 2, the star player's participation for Game 3 lingered in the air. "I've got an iron will, and I don't think people realize just how tough Porter is," interim coach David Adelman had declared, expecting the tougher-than-nails player to be ready to pounce if his body would let him.
Their pre-flight practice didn't exactly amount to a harsh workout. Adelman just wanted to get his troops limbered up and cover the strategies gleaned from the Clippers in Game 2, a match that saw the Nuggets fall 105-102.
Spilling the beans after a 15-point, 15-rebound performance, Porter Jr. divulged his struggle to adapt to a new leg brace. Accustomed to his old brace for the past few years, its recent breakdown caught him off guard.
Porter's shoulder injury had occurred when he coughed up the ball with just over a minute left in the last quarter. Adelman explained that this unfortunate turn was the reason Porter Jr. wasn't in the game for the tense ending, when the Nuggets attempted a last-ditch, timeout-less push up the court and missed a pair of last-second three-pointers. On the sidelines, though, Porter Jr. looked like he was raring to go.
"It was killing me that Mike wasn't on the court during the crunch time," Adelman reflected. "I wasn't sure if he'd return; he was in so much pain. He had taken himself out, understandably. I wouldn't want anyone on the court when they're in that much agony either."
Thursday's faceoff is set to tip off at 8 p.m. MT on NBA TV and Altitude Sports.
An unwelcome intruder – the flu – has been making its rounds inside Ball Arena, and even infiltrating the front office, Adelman reported. But it remains to be seen if anyone will be kept from participating in the Los Angeles faceoffs.
Jamal Murray faced the flu but managed to play through it on Monday. "He showed up, looking like he was hanging on by a thread," Adelman shared, "but he's a fighter. Hydration and medical intervention helped him push through, and he seemed to be on an upward swing today."
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[3] Enrichment Data: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34159875
[4] Enrichment Data: https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/porter-jr-outlines-health-status-clippers-series
[1] Enrichment Data: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10042603-michael-porter-jr-on-his-injured-shoulder-i-have-a-pain-threshold-and-when-i-need-to-grind-through-pain
[2] Enrichment Data: https://nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile/michael-porter-jr/13998443
- Michael Porter Jr.'s participation in the next NBA games against the Clippers is a subject of discussion due to his shoulder injury, but he demonstrated an indomitable spirit by gritting his teeth and hitting the court.
- Porter Jr.'s light practice session at Ball Arena before the team traveled for Games 3 and 4 was not a harsh workout, but it helped him get limbered up and cover the strategies from the previous game.
- Interim coach David Adelman expected Porter Jr. to be ready to pounce for the Nuggets' playoff showdown, citing his toughness and iron will.
- After the playoff game, Porter Jr. revealed his struggle to adapt to a new leg brace, a challenge that he confronted despite being accustomed to his old brace for several years.
- The flu has been circulating inside Ball Arena and even infiltrated the front office, but its impact on the team's participation in the Los Angeles faceoffs remains uncertain.
- In an earlier game, Jamal Murray played through the flu, looking like he was hanging on by a thread, but he managed to push through with hydration and medical intervention.
- NBA fans can stay informed about the Nuggets' journey by signing up for Breaking Nuggets News email alerts, which are subject to the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and emails from the website, and also by subscribing to the Nuggets Insider for deeper insights.
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