The Denver Nuggets began their playoff journey with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, winning 114-103 on Saturday night.
Amidst the celebration, Nuggets’ forward Michael Porter Jr. shared his efforts to balance the demands of postseason basketball with significant personal family issues.
Recently, Porter’s younger brother, Jontay Porter, who played for the Toronto Raptors, received a lifetime ban from the NBA for gambling—the first active player to face such a ban in 70 years. Shortly after, another brother, Coban Porter, was sentenced to six years in prison for a DUI-related car crash in Colorado in January 2023, which resulted in a fatality.
Despite these heavy personal matters, Michael Porter Jr. delivered a strong performance in Game 1, scoring 19 points and grabbing eight rebounds. When asked about handling his off-court challenges, he responded, “I definitely tried to compartmentalize — some bad and sad stuff happening with a couple of my brothers. But I’ve got, you know, 15, 16 more brothers in here. I knew I had to be here for them, and come in and do my job and prepare to do it at a high level.”
RELATED: Sources Reveal Jontay Porter Operated Betting Account, Wagered Millions Over Multiple Years
Porter Jr. also expressed gratitude towards his Nuggets teammates for their support during this difficult time. “Each one of them texted me separately, told me they’ve got my back — if I need anything, they got me. A lot of people have been reaching out. Friends. Family. To have these guys understand why I missed practice yesterday and just have my back has been big for me.”
Best of luck to MPJ on navigating his tough family issues.
