Following their decisive victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have taken complete control of first place in the Western Conference. However, things for the Nuggets might only get better from here, particularly with Michael Porter Jr.’s anticipated return from a heel ailment.
Given his extensive history of injuries, there may be several causes for concern over Porter’s health. The 24-year-old forward is not very concerned about his present physical state, though. On his day off, Michael Porter Jr. provided reporters an encouraging update on the heel ailment that has kept him out of the last 13 games.
“For me, if it has nothing to do with my back, I’m not really concerned… My back has nothing to do with anything, Porter said, according to Harrison Wind.
Porter’s back issues are undoubtedly the main cause for concern. Last season, he only participated in nine games due to a back issue that necessitated surgery. In addition, numerous league officials expressed concern about Porter’s long-term health back in 2018, with some referring to his physical as “the worst” they had ever seen. Given how bad MPJ’s back appeared, one member of the Clippers’ medical team actually doubted that he would ever play again.
Last year, Michael Porter Jr. underwent his third back surgery. He was only able to play 53 minutes for Missouri in his rookie season because of his first, which occurred in November 2017. Only eight months later, he underwent another surgery.
It’s not urgent for Porter to return to the court given how good Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are currently performing. The fact that Porter will resume practicing on Thursday means that Nuggets supporters might not have to wait long for it to occur. However, in order for the Nuggets to achieve their championship goals, MPJ must remain healthy.
