Michael Porter Jr., whose single season at Missouri was limited to three games, has played a pivotal role in the Denver Nuggets dominant push to the NBA Finals.
Porter scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Tuesday night’s 113-111 series-clinching victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
In Game 3, Porter netted 14 points and chipped in 10 rebounds and six assists [a career high] in Denver’s 119-108 win.
Porter sparked one of the series’ biggest baskets in Game 2 when he dove for a loose ball after the Lakers’ Anthony Davis missed a tip-in. Porter wrestled it away from a pair of Lakers, and made a pass to teammate Kentavius Caldwell-Pope. It led to a fast-break two-handed Aaron Gordon dunk that put the hosts up six, 127-121.
“I just remember getting on the floor for it and easily could have been a jump ball,” Porter said. “I tried my hardest to look for my teammates through the crowd and found KCP. And then it started a break and (Gordon) had the big dunk.”
Back injuries, surgeries, and rehabilitation time have been Porter’s partners since the 2017-18 Mizzou season when he was injured in the season’s first game against Iowa State. He returned to play in a single game in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, which ended in losses for the Tigers.
The possible No. 1 pick tumbled to No. 14 in the 2018 draft because of health concerns. After signing a contract with the Nuggets on July 3, 2018, the team announced two weeks later he had undergone another back surgery.
He would not play that season and made his NBA debut in October 2019.
He played in 55 games that 2019-2020 seasonand followed that up with 61 in 2020-21, which was outstanding because the season was cut short by the pandemic.
In July 2020, the unvaccinated Porter told the world COVID-19 was “overblown” and being used to “control the masses.” He failed to read the room as Colorado had one of the highest per capita vaccination rates in the nation. It still does.
2021-22 was an injury filled disaster which saw Porter play in nine games. Nearing the end of his first contract, Porter entered this season as a mystery. Would he ever live up to his talent or would injuries send him to the sideline permanently?
He answered with a 62-game season in 22-23 and has been a force off the bench in the playoffs. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and assists per game during the regular season. His career averages are 15.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
If Porter can avoid injuries, he could find himself a highly sought free agent prospect. He could also soon find an NBA Championship ring on one of his fingers.
The Reid Roundup
Granted it is labeled as an “exhibition,” but Bubba Wallace finished second in last weekend’s NASCAR All-Star competition in North Wilkesboro, N.C., and is heading into the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 3 with a head of steam…During the race someone hacked into Wallace’s team radio and said, “Go back to where you came from. You’re not wanted in NASCAR.” According to Wallace’s racing team, 23XI Racing which is co-owned by Michael Jordan, the driver neither heard nor acknowledged the comments during the race. NASCAR is investigating…Washington Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray gave up five earned runs in five innings in his first start April 1. In his next eight starts he posted a 2.08 ERA, with 41 Ks in 47 2⁄3 innings pitched…Whether it was frustration with the umpire or himself, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty wasted an opportunity for a win last Sunday, lasting just 4 2/3 innings and giving up four runs. The Cardinals won 10-5.
