Michael Porter Jr. looks soft, but no one is harder on the list of nuggets

The loads are intended for the shoulders strong enough to wear them. Even if the left requires a needle full of lidocaine.

Maybe if Michael Porter Jr. was not so candid. Maybe he didn’t look so exasperated and hopeless in the interviews. Maybe then, we will realize that he is capable of almost anything on the basketball field. Even with a good arm.

After using the first two games in this series to settle as a liabilities, MPJ forced criticism to swallow their languages ​​on Friday evening.

The guy who missed 15 of the 18 shots at Oklahoma City could barely miss. He scored 21 points. He drained a team record of 5 out of 6 in the 3 -point range. He caught eight rebounds – seven with two hands.

The only player that fans wanted on the bench – I did not call for this, although his inconsistency is exasperating – guaranteed that the nuggets woke up with a 2-1 advance in the semi -finals of the West Conference.

Aaron Gordon made another blow. Over a two -week period, he became more clutch than Mr. Goodwrench. And Jamal Murray received a 10 of X-Game judges for its degree of difficulty on dismissals.

But these things, although brilliant, are not uncommon. What MPJ did was as unexpected as hitting the lottery. Yes, it seemed dark. Be honest.

So what has changed?

“A few days in both of them help at this stage. I felt a little better overall today. I was trying to go from space and not to injection in each match, but right now, it is necessary,” said wearing. “I still don’t have the impression of being able to play physically or guys as I would like. But I can do what I can. “

MPJ has a face made for magazine blanket. Even his shadow beard is elegant. He seems to be ready to cut an album or drop another podcast.

He looks soft. Don’t fall for that.

There is no longer any more difficult on the list of nuggets. Diagnosed with an AC joint joint, he can only play if his shoulder is numb. And wrapped. He transforms training staff into MacGyver, using adhesive tape, patches, pain relievers – anything except adhesive tape and chicken wire.

When he was injured in diving for a loose ball in match 2 of the Clippers series, he was told that he would need 4 to 6 weeks of recovery time.

“I knew I didn’t do that,” said wearing.

Basketball has healing powers to wear. He did not miss a match – even if there was a strong argument to rest – and that paid dividends.

He made a few buckets at the end of the debacle of match 2. And when he drained his first 3 just three minutes after the first quarter of Friday, this undoubtedly triggered the best performance in the playoffs of his career.

He transformed frustration into inspiration.

“You don’t even know what he is going through. I can’t even believe he is playing,” said his teammate Peyton Watson. “He makes large -scale games, bouncing. I am super happy for him.”

Porter could have drawn the curtain of his season without any perspective. His career, however, was defined by overcoming the chances. He has undergone several back surgeries and must wear a special shoe to relieve the pain in his foot.

Every day, he learned to navigate physical obstacles. But what about mental demons? It cannot be easy to hear fans and, yes, sports columnists, trigger criticisms like paint balls in its direction.

“I knew there would be games where I could not produce as I wanted or not play as many minutes as I wanted, but it is the playoffs. I wanted at least to try,” said Porter, who has an average of 10.7 points per match in the playoff series. “It was from top to bottom (eliminatory series) for me, but it’s ok because we are in a good position as a team. And I had games where I got gunshots to lower.”