As the Denver Nuggets are facing the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the team is going through a myriad of ups and downs, whether it be coaching changes or even some players being benched. As Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. was benched in the Game 1 win over the Clippers, one who cleared up the situation was interim head coach David Adelman.

Speaking before Game 2 of the series, Adelman would be asked about Porter and spoke about the “reality” of it all since there has been a lot of theorizing about the reason. Adelman gave an in-depth response with the thesis being that the staff will “play guys that are going to play well in that game.”

“I talked to Mike. Mike's fine,” Adelman said via Vinny Benedetto. “This is the reality of it: we're going to play guys that are going to play well in that game. Believe me, there were multiple times when they changed their defense – I'm not stupid – I was like, ‘I cannot believe I don't have Michael Porter in the game right now, standing in the corner,' but you have to go off feel. I thought our defensive intensity and energy were what won us the game.”

“It felt like those five guys, it just felt like the right answer,” Adelman continued. “Maybe it was; maybe it wasn't. I just know we won the game. I'll have the same thing tomorrow. I'll look at it the best I can and make the most unselfish decision I can make for the group to try to score more points than the Clippers in Game 2.”

In Game 1, Porter would only score three points, 26 minutes before being benched in overtime.

Nikola Jokic on Nuggets benching Michael Porter Jr.

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Besides Adelman, Nuggets star Nikoka Jokic spoke about Porter and in general about players being engaged with the team as the franchise has been through the ringer. The reason being is that the team decidede to pull the plug on the coaching stint of Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth.

However, there will be no excuses from Jokic as when asked about Porter and players being engaged, he wouldn't hold back and say if people aren't locked in, they should not be “playing this sport” according to video from MrBuckBuck on social media.

“If you’re not going to be engaged right now, then you’re not supposed to be playing this sport,” Jokic said.

Game 2 between Denver and Los Angeles is on Monday night.