Most of the Denver Nuggets' roster has not yet played in the NBA Finals. Only guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and forward Jeff Green have previously reached the championship round.
Forward Michael Porter Jr. is playing in the Finals for the first time. He spoke to the media Wednesday and talked about his confidence, something that should inspire Nuggets fans before they play the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Finals Thursday night.
Via DNVR Sports' Harrison Wind:
“I don't ever really need to get my confidence up,” Porter Jr. said. “It stays with me… I like watching my mistakes more than my highlights.”
Porter Jr. had very high expectations before college. He was ranked the No. 2 prospect nationally by the 247Sports Composite for the 2017 class.
He played only three games at Missouri in the 2018 season after he suffered a lower back injury in the season-opener. Even though he missed most of the season, he declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.
Porter Jr. fell to the No. 14 pick, but he was still expected to be a “sleeper” who could grow into an NBA star.
That took time. Michael Porter Jr. underwent a second back surgery and debuted in the 2019-20 season. He asserted himself in 2020-21, averaging 19.0 points on 54.2 percent shooting (44.5 percent from 3-point range).
Porter Jr. underwent a third back surgery in 2021-22, putting his long-term success at risk. However, he returned and played well this season, averaging 17.5 points on 48.8 percent shooting (41.6 percentfrom 3-point range) with 6.6 rebounds.
In 10 playoff games, he has averaged 17.4 points on 47.4 percent shooting (39.7 percent from 3-point range) and 6.2 rebounds.
The Nuggets need Porter Jr. to be confident with his shot in the NBA Finals. He is perceived to advantage over the Heat's smaller wing defenders, something that could make him an X-factor.
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