With a dominant displaying, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder crushed the Denver Nuggets 149-106 in Sport 2. The sequence could also be tied 1-1, however momentum is clearly shifting towards the West’s high seed. Dealing with an OKC workforce loaded with depth and power, Nikola Jokic is making an attempt to carry the road with barely a full squad—particularly with Michael Porter Jr. banged up and providing little assist.
“Since I’ve been part of this workforce, we’ve accomplished a terrific job of responding when one thing like this occurs to us.” Porter Jr. remarked in his post-game interview.
Can Michael Porter Jr. depend on his physique when the Nuggets want him most? That’s the $35 million dilemma in a playoff battle that’s grown more and more bodily. With Denver backed right into a nook, Porter’s damage points have gotten a transparent legal responsibility for a workforce already stretched skinny.
Porter Jr. performed 25 minutes in Sport 2, making 2 of 8 three-pointers, ending with 8 factors and 5 rebounds.
Michael Porter Jr.’s troubling post-season with the Nuggets
Denver started the season optimistic that Michael Porter Jr. was lastly able to elevate his recreation. The expectation was for him to develop right into a reliable offensive risk alongside Nikola Jokic—somebody who may create for others, rating with regularity, and tackle a bigger function inside the workforce’s system.
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That perception was clearly shared by Denver’s entrance workplace once they handed Michael Porter Jr. a five-year, $179 million rookie-scale max extension in 2021. The deal pays him greater than $35 million this season, over $38 million subsequent 12 months, and tops $40 million in 2026-27—the form of contract reserved for gamers anticipated to ship star-level impression.
However up to now, Porter Jr. hasn’t fairly delivered on that funding. The 2025 playoffs have mirrored a lot of Porter Jr.’s profession—flashes of promise clouded by inconsistency and unmet expectations. Sure, the shoulder damage he sustained late in Sport 2 in opposition to the Clippers deserves point out, however even earlier than that, his performances lacked the reliability Denver wants from a supposed second possibility.
Porter’s left shoulder has been an issue since early within the first-round sequence in opposition to the Clippers, when he hit the ground laborious diving for a unfastened ball. However that’s not even the complete story. After the brace he depends on broke, Porter brazenly admitted he’s nonetheless scuffling with power drop foot—a lingering impact of the three again surgical procedures that may’ve ended one other participant’s profession solely.
Can Porter Jr. present up in opposition to the Thunder?
There’s no doubting Porter’s toughness, however for the second straight season, he’s disappearing within the playoffs. Final 12 months, he put up solely 10.7 factors per recreation as Minnesota ended the defending champs’ season. This 12 months, via 9 playoff video games, his once-accurate leap shot is just connecting at a 39 % charge, and his scoring has dropped to 9.6 factors per recreation, practically half of his regular-season common of 18.2.
Porter deserves credit score for enjoying via the damage, however his poor protection, lack of power, and inconsistency stay points. Regardless of hitting some pictures, he’s had disappointing performances, particularly in Video games 1 and a pair of in opposition to the Thunder.