Michael Porter Jr. addresses warmup in slides before Game 4 / News - Basketnews.com

Michael Porter Jr. clarified that the pre-game shootaround in slides was due to human error and that Denver Nuggets players just did not have their shoes.

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Denver Nuggets couldn't seal the deal for a sweep against the Los Angeles Lakers, falling short in Saturday's Game 4 by 119-108. But signs of trouble appeared even before the game began.

Player of the Game EFF 43 Anthony Davis Points 25 Accuracy 11-17 Rebounds 23 Assists 6

A slight hiccup occurred when the team bus carrying the Nuggets players' shoes was delayed in reaching the arena prior to Game 4. Consequently, some players found themselves shooting around and starting their warm-up routines in slides.

This raised eyebrows on social media, with some interpreting it as a disrespectful gesture toward the Lakers. However, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was quick to clarify that it was simply a logistical issue.

"We definitely don't want to come off like we're taking anybody lightly, and I hope that wasn't. We just didn't have our shoes," he explained during the post-game conference. "Yeah, I didn't have my shoes to warm up, and I think the bus that the shoes were loaded onto was the last bus. I think there was some confusion, so all I had was slides.

"They said we either skip our warmup or go out there in slides, and I kind of knew then that people probably make a big deal out of it, but it was just because somebody forgot to put the shoes on the right bus.

"I'm frustrated about it," Porter went on to say. "A pre-game routine is very important, but everyone makes mistakes, everybody's human, so I'm not too mad, but it's obviously frustrating because those pre-game shooting times are very important."

Porter had 27 points and 11 rebounds over 40 minutes in the game, the Lakers managed to snap their 498-day losing streak against the Nuggets in Game 4.

The 3-1 series now returns to Denver, where Game 5 will tip off on Monday at the Ball Arena.

Game 4 highlights:

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