The Denver Nuggets come into Wednesday's contest against the Houston Rockets severely hampered by myriad injuries to their roster, now with forward Michael Porter Jr. joining the ranks of those who have their status up in the air.
Porter is dealing with back tightness and has been reported to be unlikely to take the floor.
Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is unlikely to play against the Rockets due to back tightness that he experienced during his pregame routine. He's expected to be day to day.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 22, 2020
Should Porter be really forced to the sidelines, Jerami Grant would likely see an even larger workload in the frontcourt than originally anticipated. With both Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee already ruled out, Porter's absence would challenge the team's depth against the high-octane Rockets offense.
Any time that Porter and his back are linked in the same sentence as it pertains to soreness of any kind, Nuggets fans (and those around the league) collectively hold their breath. Chosen with the 14th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Missouri, Porter missed the entirety of his first year in the league as he recovered from multiple back surgeries that stemmed from ailments he sustained in college.
After being slowly eased into the team's rotation during December, Michael Porter Jr. has exploded into the scene over his last five games. He has averaged 16.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in that span, including delivering the first two double-doubles of his career. He has also been a beacon of offensive efficiency, shooting 55.8 percent from the floor overall, including 52.6 percent from behind the three-point line.
Should he ultimately be held out, Porter's next chance at returning to action would come Friday as the team concludes it's mini-road trip in New Orleans.
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