Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets is proving to be a valuable asset to the team in the NBA Finals. Despite missing nine of the 11 shots he attempted from 3-point range, Porter contributed 14 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks in Game 1 against the Miami Heat. His defensive rebounding rate in these playoffs has increased by more than seven points from his work in the regular season, and his 11 blocks in Denver’s 16 games this postseason are two more than he had during the 29 games that encompassed his first two playoff runs.
Porter’s progress is evident in his willingness to do anything to help the Nuggets win. He is impacting the game in different ways, even when he’s not shooting the ball well. His gritty performance in Game 1, full of swatted and contested shots, dominance on the glass, and stubborn refusal to lose his edge as his jump shot betrayed him, is proof of his dedication to the team’s success.
Porter’s journey to the NBA Finals has not been easy. He underwent his third back surgery in five years just 18 months ago, which kept him out for virtually all of his third season, including Denver’s five-game loss to the Warriors in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. However, Porter’s unrelenting will and determination have brought him to this moment. He is not taking the fact that he reached the NBA Finals for granted and is hunting his own ring.
In conclusion, Michael Porter Jr.’s performance in Game 1 of the NBA Finals is proof of his dedication to the Denver Nuggets’ success. Despite missing most of his third season due to back surgery, Porter has shown an unrelenting will and determination to reach this moment. He is impacting the game in different ways, even when he’s not shooting the ball well, and is hunting his own ring. Porter’s progress is evident in his increased defensive rebounding rate and blocks in these playoffs.