The Denver Nuggets prepare to host the winless Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, looking to improve upon their 2-2 record. The Nuggets are coming off a blowout loss to the unbeaten Portland Trail Blazers in the Pacific Northwest on Monday and now play their next two contests at home. With Jamal Murray already sitting last week due to injury management, could that be the same case for Michael Porter Jr here? Is he playing against the Lakers?

Is Michael Porter Jr Playing vs Lakers

The answer is no, Michael Porter Jr will not suit up as the Nuggets play it safe with their young sharpshooter, who missed most of last season with a back injury. But, there is optimism he could play on Friday versus Utah, per Woj:

“Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (lumbar management), will miss his first game of the season tonight vs. the Lakers (ESPN, 10 ET), but there’s optimism he could be back vs. Utah on Friday, sources tell ESPN.”

Porter Jr has dealt with back issues for most of his young career, dating back to his college days at Missouri. In four games so far, he's yet to miss a beat though, averaging 18 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting an impressive 50% from three-point land.

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Denver surely wants him to stay healthy throughout the course of the campaign, which is why it makes sense to limit his playing time this early in the season. If Porter Jr does remain on the floor alongside reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and Murray, the sky is truly the limit for the Nuggets.

So to answer the question, is Michael Porter Jr playing tonight? He is not.