The Denver Nuggets just got steamrolled by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and interim head coach David Adelman didn’t sugarcoat anything. After a historic 149-106 blowout loss in Game 2 that tied the series 1-1, Adelman opened up about Michael Porter Jr.’s ongoing health concerns — and followed it up with a not-so-subtle challenge to the locker room ahead of Game 3.

Porter Jr. played just over 25 minutes in Wednesday’s game, finishing with eight points on 2-for-10 shooting and a -25 plus/minus. His struggles were noticeable, and Adelman acknowledged there’s more going on behind the scenes. “It is [affecting him],” Adelman said when asked about Michael Porter Jr’s fitness. “You can tell when he shoots it — he’s having a hard time with a full release. It’s almost like it’s stopping at 90%, 85%.”

Adelman also pointed to Porter’s rebounding efforts, especially in a game where OKC dominated the glass and the paint. “The two-handed rebound against this team is so important… And he is affected that way,” he added. “But again, I think it was really good to see the ball go in for him in the second half. That’s kind of why I left him out there.”

Michael Porter Jr. has been toughing it out—playing through an injury that usually sidelines players for 4–5 weeks. He even took a pain injection to suit up for Game 7 against the Clippers, though swelling forced him to skip them in other games. At one point in the series, Porter admitted he was running at just ’20 or 30%’ capacity.

But here’s the hard truth: grit alone won’t be enough against the OKC Thunder. If Denver wants to topple the No. 1 seed in the West, they’ll need more than a compromised MPJ. His shooting, spacing, rebounding, and perimeter defense aren’t just helpful—they’re vital. And OKC? They’re going to test every bit of it.

Locker Room Message Goes Public After Historic Beatdown

The Nuggets didn’t just lose — they got embarrassed. Oklahoma City dropped an NBA playoff-record 87 points in the first half, held a 49-point lead at one point, and left Denver scrambling for answers. Nikola Jokic fouled out in the third quarter, Jamal Murray was a quiet 14-point contributor, and even Russell Westbrook’s 19 off the bench couldn’t lift them.

Adelman’s message to his players after the loss was crystal clear: take it personally. “I’m not sitting here tonight talking about the 1-1 thing,” he said. “Not tonight. We’re not going to flush that. We’ve got to be better. We know that. That being said, it’s nice to know that you got a win underneath your belt.”

The interim coach pointed to fundamental basketball breakdowns — from failed box-outs to sloppy turnovers — that let the game slip away early. “When I say punked, I’m talking in a basketball term,” Adelman explained. “Twenty-four fast break points, 20 second-chance points… they dominated the paint.”

Jokic echoed that sentiment, bluntly admitting, “Basically, it was one team playing tonight.” The reigning MVP finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 turnovers — including a career-worst -36 plus/minus.

Denver’s spacing and scoring dry up fast when Porter Jr. isn’t a threat, and it showed. With OKC loading up on Jokic and Murray, Michael Porter Jr’s weak-side contributions are crucial, especially when the Thunder are shrinking the floor and cutting off driving lanes.

Adelman said it plainly: “Michael has to eat on that weak side. So if he can see the ball going [in], that’s really gonna help us.” He’s not 100%, but Denver needs him to be productive — even in short bursts — if they’re going to counter OKC’s length and energy.

Despite the rough showing, Adelman sees an opportunity to reset back home. Game 3 tips off Friday night at Ball Arena, where the Nuggets hope to respond to their worst playoff loss in recent memory.