The Denver Nuggets kicked off their playoff run with a wild overtime win over the Clippers, and sure, the scoreboard says it was a good night. But let’s be real—it wasn’t smooth sailing. Not even close. And after all the chaos on the court, it wasn’t the stat sheet or the buzzer-beater moments that had everyone talking. It was what Nikola Jokic said afterward, especially when asked about one of his younger teammates who, well… kind of vanished during the game.

50 seconds into game 1 against the Clippers, Jokic was screening, and Jamal Murray wheeled. Meanwhile, Jokic fell against the Clippers’ switching Kris Dunn. The big man quickly found Michael Porter Jr., who made no mistake in draining a three. That earned the Nuggets their first points of the game. Little did the squad know that they were also going to be MPJ’s last points.

So here’s the deal. Porter Jr. was barely noticeable in Game 1. We’re talking 3 points. Four shots and a worrying lack of offensive involvement. This is a guy who’s supposed to be a serious scoring threat, and yet, it was like he just faded into the background. Naturally, reporters asked Jokic if he wanted to see more from Porter. Jokic didn’t hesitate. No dancing around it, no fluff. “Of course,” he said. “when someone is preparing for you. We definitely can find him a couple more looks or this and that, but I think, like, if that happens, like, you need to sacrifice. I think that the goal is to win a game. It’s not about minutes, and about shots. I think you need to support your team.”

That’s the kind of thing you say when you’re done sugarcoating. Jokic didn’t throw MPJ under the bus, but he made it real clear—this is the playoffs. You don’t get to go missing. If your shots are not falling? Fine. But that doesn’t mean you get to tap out. The Denver Nuggets didn’t hand Michael Porter Jr. a $179 million contract for heat-check threes in high-pressure playoff moments — at least not just for that. The stakes are much bigger now, and in this second-apron CBA era, so are the expectations.

Back in August, Porter was refreshingly honest about what comes with being paid like a star. “The money almost honestly sometimes makes it a little bit harder to enjoy the game,” he admitted. “With a max contract comes a lot of expectations on consistency… you’re supposed to be an All-Star.” That brings us to the real pressure.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s two-way reliability was a key cog in 2023’s title run — and now, Denver is relying on MPJ to help absorb that void. That doesn’t mean Porter has to be a defensive stopper, but he has to be more than a rhythm shooter. His rebounding, off-ball movement, closeout reads — all of it — has to rise to meet the moment. But apart from lackluster shooting, his defense was equally concerning. The Clippers repeatedly hunted him on switches, with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Nic Batum being particularly successful.

Jokic, as generational as he is, can’t do it alone. And in the playoffs, every possession magnifies value. If Porter can elevate his impact, he helps stretch defenses, stabilizes Denver’s scoring, and keeps the floor spaced for Jokic and Murray to operate at full capacity. And he’s right.

In a league where salary cap flexibility can make or break a championship window, Porter Jr. represents more than just a floor-spacer next to Nikola Jokic — he’s taking up nearly 25% of Denver’s cap. In CBA terms, that means he must play at an All-Star level, or close to it, for the Nuggets to maximize their title aspirations. Even interim head coach David Adelman did take note of Porter Jr.’s lack of productivity and the reactions were quick.

Porter Jr. was benched during vital moments in overtime while Russell Westbrook replaced him. “I’m going to say it again, like I’ve said last week — if Mike comes out, and he plays, and he’s engaged defensively, he’s knocking down shots — Michael will be out there,” Adelman was cutthroat after the game. “just like everybody else in that locker room.”

The Nuggets aren’t just betting on talent — they’re betting on MPJ becoming indispensable. The next few weeks will reveal whether that investment pays off.

Jokic’s Warning to the locker room: “If You’re Not Engaged…”

Now here’s where things really turned icy. Someone followed up and asked Jokic straight up—when a teammate isn’t locked in, do you pull them aside between games? Do you have that talk? And that’s when Jokic dropped a line that’ll probably live in Nuggets playoff lore for a while. “If you’re not going to be engaged right now, I think you’re not supposed to play this sport.”

That right there? That’s not just about Porter. That’s a full-blown locker room warning. Jokic did add that sometimes a bad night just happens. But the urgency in his tone said everything. You can slip up, but you better bounce back. Fast. All this tension kind of overshadows what was actually a wild game. The Clippers came out swinging, dropping 35 in the first quarter and looking like they had everything under control. The Nuggets trailed for most of it, but once the fourth quarter hit? Everything changed.

Russell Westbrook hit a huge corner three to give Denver the lead, James Harden answered with a floater to tie it, and then we headed to overtime with hearts pounding. That’s when Aaron Gordon stepped up big, scoring six of his 25 points in OT. And Westbrook, who’s becoming a cult hero in Denver, sealed it by deflecting an inbounds pass off Harden with 9.6 seconds left. Talk about redemption arcs.

Of course, Jokic was everywhere—29 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds. Just another day in the office. Jamal Murray added 21. Christian Braun even hit a clutch three in the extra period. Denver found a way to win. But that low-key tension from MPJ’s disappearance? It hung over everything. Now the Nuggets are up 1–0, but this thing is far from over. Game 2 is set for Monday night at Ball Arena, and Jokic’s comments guarantee the energy in that locker room is gonna be different.

With the series heading to Los Angeles right after Game 2, this next one feels even more important. Michael Porter Jr. has a shot at flipping the script. The Nuggets have a shot at tightening their grip. But one thing’s for sure—Nikola Jokic isn’t letting anybody coast. This is playoff time. And there’s no room for ghosts.