Denver Nuggets Star Reveals Added Motivation vs. Phoenix Suns

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns after being swept two years prior

The Denver Nuggets were swept by the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 Western Conference Semi-Finals, but got their revenge last season in route to a championship. Speaking about this on a recent episode of his podcast, Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. revealed the added motivation he had for that series.

"That series that Phoenix swept us - Jamal [Murray] had gotten hurt earlier that year, so we didn't have Jamal in that series, but they end up sweeping us, and that was an embarrassing playoff series. We knew we had to be in the gym that summer, we knew we didn't wanna feel that again... That was not a good feeling being swept in a playoff series... To get swept in the playoffs was the most embarrassing thing to me, so to be able to get Phoenix this past year in a great series, they're a really good team, felt really good."

The Nuggets followed that sweep in 2021 with a first round exit in 2022, but they didn't have Murray or Porter in that opening round against the Golden State Warriors. Despite this, people still ran with different narratives about Nikola Jokic, which he silenced entirely this past postseason.

It was a playoff run filled with redemption for the Nuggets, which included a series win over the Phoenix Suns that meant a lot to Michael Porter Jr. and his teammates.

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