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Michael Porter Jr. and the Denver Nuggets became the first team in history this week to overcome two 3-1 series deficits in the same postseason when they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
The Nuggets have now won six straight games when facing elimination and outscored the Clippers 181-117 in the second half over the last three games to win the series. Denver is also the first team since 1997 to post four different 15-point comebacks in a postseason.
Simply put, the Nuggets are on an incredible run at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Porter spoke with the media on Thursday and emphasized that the Nuggets are not taking their run for granted. Porter pointed to the fact that some of the best players to ever play, like Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, never made it to the conference finals during the prime of his career.
It’s obvious that it is something special. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-year player or you’ve been in the league for 10 years, it’s a special feeling and it’s great to be a part of it. I was actually talking to someone and they just made the point that some of the best players ever haven’t made it to where we’re at right now. Tracy McGrady, I don’t think he ever made it to a conference final and I didn’t even know that; that’s mind-blowing. It just shows that we’re doing something special and we can’t take it for granted.
McGrady did play in the NBA Finals when he signed with the San Antonio Spurs in 2013 after returning from playing in China. Of course, the Spurs went on to lose to the Miami Heat in seven games that year, aided by Ray Allen’s iconic 3-point shot in Game 6.
Aside from his short stint with the Spurs, McGrady never advanced further than the first round of the playoffs with the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic or Houston Rockets. The Rockets went to the second round in 2009 but McGrady didn’t play after undergoing knee surgery that year.
Considering so many great players either never won a title or never consistently went far in the playoffs, the Nuggets know they must take advantage of their opportunity to look to keep their impressive run going versus the Los Angeles Lakers.
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