Nuggets news: Michael Porter Jr. on first game back from ankle injury

Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets looks to be at full strength following an injury during the hiatus. He played to impress in his first game back.

Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets looks to be at full strength following an injury during the hiatus. If his impressive scrimmage performance on Monday is any indication, he might even be better than before.

Per Harrison Wind of DNVR, Porter Jr. revealed that he tweaked his left ankle during the hiatus. Note that he also injured his right ankle in late-January but recovered quickly. In their scrimmage against the Orlando Magic, Porter Jr. dropped 19 points in 20 minutes of action.

MPJ said he tweaked his left ankle while playing during the hiatus (his right was injured in late-January), but is fully recovered and said he feels great. Obviously looked great tonight — 19 points (8-13 FG's) in 20 minutes.

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) July 28, 2020

Porter admitted that the scrimmage was his first time to play full court action against NBA-caliber pros since March.

Michael Porter Jr.: "It's the first time I've played 5-on-5 against NBA players (since March 11). The time off was good. I had that ankle injury. I healed that up and I feel great."

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) July 28, 2020

Porter was actually drafted two years ago as the 14th overall pick. However, injury concerns forced the Nuggets to redshirt him for the entire season. As such, the 2019-20 season is Porter's official rookie campaign.

At the onset, there were concerns about whether or not the young gun would find his place in the Nuggets roster. After all, the Mike Malone-coached became arguably a top-5 team last season. Many thought that it would be tough for an inexperienced Porter to find a spot in a deep line up filled with veterans. But as the season progressed Porter was able to adjust quickly. In 48 games (one start), he averaged 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14 minutes.

Porter's newfound health adds more depth into the Nuggets' already impressive lineup. Their core players such as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Jerami Grant, and Paul Millsap have already done wonders this season. When skinny Jokic emerged, the Nuggets' stock rose as fans and analysts believed that the team has gotten a whole lot better.

But then, rookie Bol Bol put up a series of great performances in the Nuggets' scrimmages. Now Michael Porter Jr. is reminding everyone that he's worth watching as well. The Denver Nuggets are looking scarier by the minute.