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Michael Porter Jr.'s status for Game 5 of the Denver Nuggets' first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers is very much up in the air after Porter momentarily left the bench during an on-court altercation that resulted in half of a dozen technical fouls.
Per NBA rules, any player who leaves the bench area is susceptible to being fined and suspended by the league. The exact term used in the rulebook for the area players must stay in is “immediate vicinity,” which, regardless of interpretation, is not where Porter was before Nuggets assistant coaches pushed him back toward the bench. Porter reached to just about the basket area, effectively crossing nearly half of the court.
Is MPJ going to be suspended?
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“During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be subject to suspension, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $50,000,” says Rule No. 12, Section VII, Part C of the NBA rulebook.
According to the letter of the law, Porter should be suspended without pay for Game 5 and fined up to $50,000. However, the rule is not always strictly enforced, especially when the players do not come near or further escalate the altercation, which is the case here. The NBA also likely does not want to have to suspend Porter, one of the Nuggets' starters, and potentially affect the outcome of the series.
MPJ postagme: ''Sorry. I didn’t know the rule. I’m glad I didn’t make it very far, To see my guys get in it like that, I’m just glad I didn’t make it very far. The coaches and my teammates were aware. Because I wasn’t fully aware of any type of rule, but I’m very thankful that I didn't get tossed.''
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As for Porter, he seemingly made the case that he had already learned his lesson.
“Sorry,” Porter said with a smile. “I didn’t know the specific rule. I’m glad I didn’t make it very far. That's what the team is for, that's what the coaches are for, to pull you back. It's an intense game, an intense moment. I had had a double foul with [Norman] Powell earlier, and then to see my guys get in it like that, I mean, I’m just glad I didn’t make it very far. The coaches and my teammates were aware. Because I wasn’t fully aware of any type of rule, but I’m very thankful that I did not get tossed from this game or anything like that. So yeah, definitely a learning experience for sure. I've never been on the bench when a scuffle has happened and had the opportunity to go off the bench, but definitely a learning experience.”
After Aaron Gordon's buzzer-beating dunk, the Nuggets will host the Clippers in a pivotal Game 5 in Denver on Tuesday. Porter will know whether he will be suspended or not today or Monday.
