Nuggets Star Gets Honest About Playing Through Injury

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Suffering an ankle sprain prior to the season starting, Denver Nuggets star star Michael Porter Jr. is still not 100% recovered. Wanting to be out there for his teammates, Porter has been playing through injury, and recently got honest about where he is health-wise right now:
Michael Porter Jr. again says he suffered a Grade 3 ankle sprain in the lead-up to the season. He says his ankle was around 50% on opening night. Now, it's at 75%. He says it's sore after games but continues to get better.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) November 4, 2023
Despite feeling around 50% healthy on opening night and just 75% healthy now, Porter has been doing a lot to help Denver get off to such a great start. Competing on defense while his offensive game catches up, Porter has been impressive on that end so far this season. This is something head coach Michael Malone has praised, especially while the known sharpshooter works to regain his usual form from beyond the arc.
Just 35% from deep so far this season, Porter is below his career 41.5% clip from deep, but is still having a major impact on the game. With a bad ankle, it makes sense why Porter's shot would be impacted, as his overall balance is not where it would normally be. This is something he and the team know will iron itself out as he gets healthier, but for now Porter is finding other ways to contribute.
This start to the season for Porter has also helped combat some of the narratives about his inability to impact the game outside of his scoring. Doing a lot of little things, it's been a great start for the talented wing.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.