Is Michael Porter Jr. playing tonight against Minnesota Timberwolves? Looking at Denver's forwards status for Game 1 (May 4)

Denver Nuggets standout Michael Porter Jr. is listed as available for the upcoming marquee Game 1 clash against Minnesota Timberwolves of the Western Conference’s semifinals on Saturday.

Despite claiming a 4-1 series victory over the LA Lakers, Denver struggled to perform as expected. The Nuggets found themselves trailing by double digits in the first half of nearly every game, relying on significant second-half comebacks to secure their wins.

Nikola Jokic excelled throughout the series, averaging 28.2 points, 16.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray, despite hitting two game-winning shots and averaging 23.6 points per game, had difficulty finding consistency in his performance.

Murray struggled with his shooting accuracy, making only 40% from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc. Michael Porter Jr. stood out as the most efficient player in the series, averaging 22.8 points per game while shooting 55.3% from the field and an impressive 48.8% from beyond the arc.

Aaron Gordon also delivered strong performances, particularly on offense, where he used his driving skills well and was aggressive on the offensive rebounds. Gordon averaged 13.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

The Nuggets have struggled with depth this season, a challenge that was evident in their series against the Lakers. Without a true backup for Jokic, Denver failed to secure consistent contributions from Christian Braun, Justin Holiday and Peyton Watson.

Denver managed 108.6 points per game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 30.8% from three. While the Nuggets demonstrated their ability to close out games, improving their first-half performances will be crucial for advancing further.

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What happened to Michael Porter Jr.?

Michael Porter Jr. had a remarkable season throughout in terms of availability, missing just one game against the Sacramento Kings in the 135-106 loss on Feb. 9 due to a right knee tendinitis.

Despite a standout 81-game season outing, he dealt with heel, ankle, knee, illness and quad injuries.

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Michael Porter Jr. stats vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Michael Porter Jr. has appeared in 13 games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, going 9-4. He has averaged 13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists with 0.5 steals and 0.4 blocks on 45.3% shooting from the field, including 35.9% from beyond the arc and 86.7% from the free-throw line.

However, his averages notably improve in the playoffs with 16.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists, including 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks on 49.2% shooting from the field, 42.4% from the distance and 66.7% from the free-throw line.