Nuggets guard Austin Rivers says forward Michael Porter Jr. was playing through back pain the entire season before being sidelined due to the issue, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
“He’s 23 years old,” Rivers said following Monday night’s loss to Dallas. “He’s just gotta take care of himself and get himself right physically and that way mentally he can come to the court playing the way that we know he can play. He’s playing hurt this whole season. It’s hard to do that. Hopefully he comes back soon because he’s a huge part of our team.”
Singer notes that the back problems could explain Porter Jr.’s slow start to the season. The Nuggets have been vague on updating MPJ’s status after saying he’ll be out for the “foreseeable future.”
Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:
- In a separate article, Singer writes that Nuggets guard Monte Morris has been playing through a nagging leg injury this season, but Morris says it’s finally starting to improve. “Today was the first time I was able to do (player development) probably since the second Memphis game (on Nov. 3), so I haven’t even been able to do that,” Morris said. “I’ve been getting treatment and just playing in games. I’m starting to feel better. Been able to play without pain and stuff like that.” Singer also notes that Will Barton, who’s been dealing with back soreness, has been improving, but is listed is doubtful for Thursday’s game, while Zeke Nnaji is out with a sprained ankle.
- Rudy Gay could make his season debut Thursday for the Jazz. The team listed him as probable on its injury report tonight (Twitter link). Gay has been recovering from offseason heel surgery.
- It doesn’t sound like Nicolas Claxton will be returning to the Nets‘ lineup anytime soon, tweets Brian Lewis of the New York Post. According to Lewis, coach Steve Nash said that, “Nic (Claxton) has a ways to go. He’s really got to work on his conditioning.” Claxton had been dealing with a non-COVID illness.
- Heat star Bam Adebayo is getting a night off for injury maintenance on a bruised knee, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Per Chiang, coach Erik Spoelstra says that it will be “really beneficial” for Bam to get rest and treatment in order to reduce swelling in the knee.
he got the extension and the back problems came back? how didnt the nuggets know about it
Umm.., “he played through the pain.”
Claxton is turning into Pervis “ Out of Service “ Ellison.
Frequently injured for being such a young player.
literally wasn’t even injured, he had an undisclosed illness.
One must feel so sorry for MPJ, a very nice young man & one of the most exciting players in the league!
I just hope he can get better soon as it is everyone’s loss that he ain’t playing!
That explains his bad start of the season, playing with a bad back must have been terrible for this young man!
I wish he hadn’t played at all, just trying to rest & recover… I am not a fan of players playing through injuries, that only works if they can perform at the same level than healthy, if their performance dips they shouldn’t play.
As one of the best managers in sports history once said “if you are 95% healthy, you are 100% not at 100% of your capabilities”
Thought he was going to be the gem of the 2018 draft, he’s like the 4th best tho of that class, which is a deep draft class. Hopefully he doesn’t have current Kevin Love back issues his entire career.
El Don Always Wrong, if that was the case then no one would play. They all get dinged up during the season and have ailments that (you are saying) would prevent them from being 100%. All the guys play through pain, but it’s INJURY when they should sit out.
But as Philly Ballers said, I sure hope he heals up and gets back on the floor. Definitely don’t want to see anyone out with back issues.
Nuggets really should get a medal or something for how they have performed thru a ton of injuries the past 3 seasons and have done something during those 3 that no other team I’m the west has come close to doing. And it’s constantly without at least 2 starters or a starter and 6th man. The way they draft, develop and coach these young men to be able to keep winning after losing stars and not just keep winning but progress in the playoffs. Once to the conference finals and the others include a second round exit last year after losing Murray and 3 other guys 2 of whom were starters and still beating Portland and their Allstar guards. Ran into a great team in PHX but u can’t fault them like everyone seems to be. What, they are supposed to win a chip 3 straight years without 3/4 important players?
And then they get hit again this year. Still keep winning without Jamal Murray and MPJ as well as Barton the 3rd starter, Nnaji, and Čančar. That’s a lot. Yet the reigning MVP has taken it upon himself to not only replicate his MVP year but his numbers are considerably higher than last season and as hot as Steph is its hard to argue that there is a clear #1 between those two. Not taking away anything from either. But you also can’t cherry pick stats and ignore the rest to back up your choice at #1. Because I guarantee neither of you would be wrong. Right now there is a 1a and 1b mvp but not a clear #1 this early on.
Back to mpj real fast. To reply to an earlier comment.The nuggets have known Mike’s injury status thruout the time he has been here and up until this year where he was obviously hiding the pain otherwise they wouldn’t let him start the season with his history. Plus the nuggets worked hard on injury provisions in the contract talks/negotiations. I do hope he will be fine because even if he’s not a Nugget, I think this league deserves to see what MPJ can accomplish with a basketball. It’s super rare to get two shooters like Durant and MPJ. Not saying MPJs complete game us close to Durant but he might have a prettier jumpshot! Either here nor there on that…I just want him to be healthy and happy. Kids gone thru a lot in his young age and us fans are here trashing him, judging him and making decisions about him that are based on nothing important. Get well soon Nuggets! This league would be amazing if it could prove two years in a row that small market or flyover cities can win titles too and back to back!
Nuggets really should get a medal or something for how they have performed thru a ton of injuries the past 3 seasons and have done something during those 3 that no other team I’m the west has come close to doing. And it’s constantly without at least 2 starters or a starter and 6th man. The way they draft, develop and coach these young men to be able to keep winning after losing stars and not just keep winning but progress in the playoffs. Once to the conference finals and the others include a second round exit last year after losing Murray and 3 other guys 2 of whom were starters and still beating Portland and their Allstar guards. Ran into a great team in PHX but u can’t fault them like everyone seems to be. What, they are supposed to win a chip 3 straight years without 3/4 important players?
And then they get hit again this year. Still keep winning without Jamal Murray and MPJ as well as Barton the 3rd starter, Nnaji, and Čančar. That’s a lot. Yet the reigning MVP has taken it upon himself to not only replicate his MVP year but his numbers are considerably higher than last season and as hot as Steph is its hard to argue that there is a clear #1 between those two. Not taking away anything from either. Bjtbyou also can’t cherry pick stats and ignore the rest to back up your choice at #1. Because I guarantee neither of you would be wrong. Right now there is a 1a and 1b mvp but not a clear #1 this early on.
Back to mpj real fast. To reply to an earlier comment.The nuggets have known Mike’s injury status thruout the time he has been here and up until this year where he was obviously hiding the pain otherwise they wouldn’t let him start the season with his history. Plus the nuggets worked hard on injury provisions in the contract talks/negotiations. I do hope he will be fine because even if he’s not a Nugget, I think this league deserves to see what MPJ can accomplish with a basketball. It’s super rare to get two shooters like Durant and MPJ. Not saying MPJs complete game us close to Duranta but he might have a prettier jumpshot. Either here nor there…I just want him to be healthy and happy. Kids gone thru a lot in his young age and us fans are here trashing him, judging him and making decisions about him that are based on nothing important. Get well soon Nuggets. This league would be amazing if it could prove two years in a row that small market or flyover cities can win titles too and back to back!
A message so nice you posted it twice LOL just kidding. Good take and yeah the nuggets are something special and Nikola jokic is amazing. Good post. Or should I say posts LOL. Keep them coming.