Michael Porter Jr. didn’t even play in either game against Milwaukee in 2021-22, yet he still remembers the extra motivation he felt to beat the Bucks from the seat of his chair.
“When we would play them, it’s a different feeling when you’re playing the NBA champs,” Porter recalled Monday, on the eve of Denver’s first official game as a defending champion. “You just know if you can beat them, you’re up there with the best teams. So guys are gonna come in here and want to beat us just to prove that they’re one of the best teams as well. … I think we’ve gotta embrace that and realize, ‘Man, even the teams that we don’t feel like are threats to us, they’re gonna come out and try to beat us.'”
Then there’s the opening-night opponent — very much a threat to Denver — that has half organically, half artificially generated extra bulletin board material this offseason, as if spoiling a team’s banner night wasn’t already fuel enough.
The Lakers will have the best seats in the house to watch the Nuggets raise their banner Tuesday at Ball Arena, shortly before the 2023-24 season tips off with a Western Conference Finals rematch. Anthony Davis said recently that he and LeBron James have shared conversations about how “we can’t wait” to play Denver, citing excessive trash talk from the Nuggets this summer.
“I’m not sure about the offseason talk,” Porter said. “I haven’t heard anything.”
Indeed, the only evidence of salty chatter from Nuggets personnel was from coach Michael Malone’s appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” when Malone mockingly said he was contemplating retirement in reference to James’ similar comments made immediately after the WCF ended. (Malone, asked Monday if he ever believed James was actually considering retirement, left his answer to one word: “No.”)
In the days leading up to the prime-time opener, Nuggets players remained content to leave the potential beef alone. “That’s all for you guys (to focus on),” Jamal Murray said. “I just go play basketball and have fun.”
Although the team’s mindset about basking in the pregame ceremony varies from player to player, the encore will feel more appropriate now that Porter is set to be back in the lineup, meaning the championship starting five will once again be the first five on the floor. Porter missed every Nuggets preseason game with a Grade 3 sprained ankle that he suffered landing on a teammate’s foot during training camp, he shared.
“It’ll be sore for a while,” Porter said. “But we’ve got great trainers. Been doing treatment all day every day, so I’m ready to go. I wouldn’t miss tomorrow for anything.”
It was a frustrating setback for a former lottery draft pick with a history of debilitating back injuries. Porter says he felt especially confident in his offseason progress and fitness “until my ankle sprain,” which slowed him down and prevented him from reuniting with his fellow starters as soon as he would have liked. The Nuggets had to substitute Justin Holiday and a cast of backup wings in Porter’s position during the five-game preseason slate, mildly eclipsing a full view of whether the starting unit can click into place immediately.
The ankle has still bothered Porter in practice.
“I think we’ll see tomorrow (how I adapt),” he said. “I don’t think there will be a lot of rust. There may be a little bit of fatigue. I was gonna get out there and see, but I’m just going to have to play my way into shape, since I missed those preseason games. It’s all good. I think I’ll be alright.”
“I haven’t noticed him limping out here; I haven’t noticed him not being able to move,” Malone said. “It’s just kind of finding that rhythm. He and Christian (Braun) haven’t played in a while, and that’s probably the worst part about our preseason. We got a chance to look at a lot of other guys, but not to have two of your top six players getting minutes and playing with their teammates is obviously less than ideal.”
Nnaji on contract
Backup center Zeke Nnaji, who was going into the last year of his rookie-scale contract before agreeing to an extension Saturday, said he knew a deal would get done by Monday’s deadline.
“I’m super happy about it,” Nnaji said. “I’m ecstatic to have it officially done.”
The extension, which goes into effect next season, is worth $32 million over four years including a player option. As Nnaji discussed the contract and his preseason goals Monday, fellow backup center DeAndre Jordan strolled by the interview scrum shouting, “Rich-(butt) Zeke!”
“They have a trust and belief in me, and I’m ready to help this team win and to run it back,” Nnaji said. “I’m feeling great and healthy, so I’m ready to go.”
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