Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe makes bold criticism towards a Denver Nuggets player after the defeat vs Oklahoma City Thunder

The Denver Nuggets’ elimination against the Oklahoma City Thunder sparked controversy across the NBA. Despite fans praising the efforts of assistant coach David Adelman and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, not everyone escaped criticism. Several players faced strong criticism for their performance. Among them, Michael Porter Jr drew the most attention. The former NFL star Shannon Sharpe addressed the situation aiming harsh words directly at the Nuggets forward.

“He only had five shot attempts–I mean nine shot attempts. Yeah, so in order for him, you need him to be somewhere in the 20s. You wouldn’t have been disappointed if he had 25 shot attempts…I understand he’s injured, but bro if you can’t give us any more than that, bro you got to sit down. Yeah, he’s giving us nothing, he gave us nothing,” stated Shannon Sharpe on The Club Shay Shay.

Although many agree with Shannon’s remarks, others offer a different perspective. They believe Michael’s need to play through discomfort highlights the team’s lack of depth. David Adelman often struggles to find reliable contributors off the bench. Because of that, it becomes difficult to establish an effective rotation. As a result, players like Michael cannot get proper rest, even when they are not fully healthy.

Despite dealing with a Grade 2 shoulder sprain, Michael Porter Jr played all seven games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in the series. These numbers marked his worst playoff performance since joining the NBA.

However, this does not mean Michael caused the team’s elimination. Aaron Gordon also played through an injury, and the roster struggled as a whole. Only Nikola Jokic delivered consistent performances throughout the series.

Michael Porter Jr reflects on his performance after Nuggets’ Game 7 loss to Thunder

In the Denver Nuggets’ Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Michael Porter Jr played 23 minutes. He scored 6 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and recorded 1 assist. This was well below his usual level of production with the team. However, instead of offering excuses, Porter took a self-critical stance and acknowledged his underwhelming performance throughout the series.

“I mean, I’m really devastated personally for just not being able to contribute how I wanted to and not being able to play the way I wanted to…I felt a little helpless out there, like I’m trying, but I just can’t go rebound how I want to, I can’t box out how I want to…That’s hard because if you can’t do all the other little things and you also don’t feel comfortable shooting, it was tough for me mentally,” stated Michael Porter Jr.

However, Michael addressed the reason behind his struggles after the game. “At the end of the day, I had a rough injury, that was kind of a longer injury, and I tried to play through it, but it is what it is,” he added during the postgame interview. Under normal circumstances, he likely would not have logged as many minutes in the series.

Still, he pushed through the pain to help a team that was already dealing with a thin rotation and inconsistent performances from key players. Fans recognized his commitment and, despite the disappointment of the elimination, showed appreciation for his effort.