DENVER (AP) — For nearly three weeks, Michael Porter Jr. has struggled to get out of his uniform on his own due to an injury.

sprained left shoulder

This has basically transformed him into a one-handed basketball player in these playoffs.

He can’t really guide his jump-shot with his left hand ever since he sprained his left A.C. joint in a scramble for a loose ball in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 22.

It’s hard for him to corral rebounds with both hands and he sometimes winces when passes drift to his left side.

In addition, on the evening he sustained his injury, he disclosed that the support brace on his left foot was damaged and that locating an appropriate replacement had proven challenging. This brace assists him in performing despite having a condition known as “drop foot,” which originated from previous spinal surgeries during his career.

Nevertheless, he stepped up when Nikola Jokic had an off night, as Denver won 113-104.

Game 3 overtime win

Friday night over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Even though playing through it makes it heal slower, they know it’s not something that’s dangerous to play with, per se,” Porter said. “So, they’re trusting me to go out there and space the floor, make it easier on other guys if I can and then I’ve just got to contribute on the glass and defensively as best I can and be ready to knock down open shots.”

With his left shoulder extensively wrapped and injected with Lidocaine, Porter managed even more than expected on Friday evening.

He scored 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting that included a 5-of-6 clip from deep and he pulled down eight rebounds, seven on the defensive glass, to counter OKC’s swarming defense and offensive prowess.

“When they take a shot, it seems as though the entire globe is focused on the painted area,” said the Nuggets.

interim coach David Adelman

He said, “All you need to do is secure those rebounds, even when the ball gets deflected or you have to battle against opponents’ arms near the basket. Winning these close defensive rebound contests helps control the tempo of the game and sets up a two-on-one situation for our team towards the end.”

As Porter made impacts on both offense and defense, the Nuggets stayed competitive against the Thunder until Aaron Gordon’s three-pointer tied it up towards the end. This forced overtime, during which Denver pulled ahead by outscoring Oklahoma City 9-2.

Porter showed his dissatisfaction after scoring only 10 points overall in Games 1 and 2 in Oklahoma City, where he managed to shoot just 3 out of 18 attempts.

He at least felt a little more like himself Friday night.

“It’s been tough, playoffs and I’m wanting to play at a high level,” Porter said.

Doctors told him sprained AC joints take four to six weeks to heal up enough for him to return to action. He said no way even knowing that he’d face severe limitations that would cut into his productivity and even playing time.

“Suiting up I knew there would be games where I couldn’t produce like I wanted to or maybe I didn’t play as much as I wanted to,” Porter said. “But this is the playoffs and I wanted to go out there and at least try.

“It’s been an up-and-down playoffs for me, but that’s OK because we’re in a good position as a team.”

The Nuggets can take a 3-1 lead with a win Sunday afternoon at Ball Arena.

“When he first got hurt, it was like, damn, he’s going to play through that? It’s kind of crazy,” teammate Jamal Murray said. “People don’t understand what he’s played through and how much he’s played through his whole career. It’s just a testament to his resilience and his love for the game and his will to win.”

___

AP NBA:

https://apnews.com/hub/NBA