During a tense Game 4 between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers on April 26, things got pretty heated on the court. In the middle of the chaos, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. left the bench — something that usually gets any player an automatic one-game suspension in the NBA.
This time, however, Porter didn’t face any consequences. That decision has many fans and analysts talking, and they question whether the league is being consistent with how it enforces the rules.
Michael Porter Jr.’s Bench Exit Raises Eyebrows
During the scuffle, Porter stepped onto the court from the bench, but coaches and teammates quickly restrained him before he engaged further. Reflecting on the events postgame, he expressed his surprise at the specifics of the rule.
“Sorry. I didn’t know the specific rule. I’m glad I didn’t make it very far. … To see my guys get in it like that, I’m just glad I didn’t make it very far,” Porter said. “The coaches and my teammates were aware. Because I wasn’t fully aware of any type of rule, but I’m very thankful that I did not get tossed from this game or anything like that. Definitely a learning experience for sure.”
I don’t expect any discipline coming for Porter Jr. on this. The rule says the NBA takes into consideration “the distance the player traveled from his team’s bench, and the extent to which he entered the immediate proximity of the altercation.” Porter didn’t go very far , nor did… https://t.co/HKIp0RG1CX
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 29, 2025
The NBA has had a clear rule in place since the 1994–95 season: If a player leaves the bench during an on-court fight, they will automatically get hit with a one-game suspension. They put it in to keep things from getting out of hand, and they’ve enforced it pretty strictly before.
One of the most famous examples came during the 2007 playoffs, when the league suspended Suns players Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw just for stepping off the bench, even though they didn’t actually jump into the fight.
Now, with Porter’s situation, fans and analysts are bringing up the old debate again. A lot of people feel like what Porter did was pretty much the same as past cases where players got suspended, and they’re wondering why the rules suddenly seem flexible, especially with so much on the line in the playoffs.
On the other hand, it sounds like the NBA might have considered a few things, like how far Porter actually went and how quickly the team staff pulled him back, before deciding not to suspend him.
Fan Reactions: Outrage Over Inconsistent Enforcement
People all over the NBA world have been pretty loud about this on social media. A lot of fans are frustrated, saying it feels like the league isn’t applying the rules the same way for everyone.
Some are pointing back to what happened with the Suns in 2007, wondering how almost the exact same move back then led to suspensions but leads to just a shrug in this case. It’s got a lot of people scratching their heads about why similar situations keep getting handled so differently.
One fan didn’t hold back, simply stating: “Shameful.” The single-word reaction captures the sentiment of many who feel the NBA’s leniency toward Porter undermines the spirit of the game and sets a dangerous precedent for future altercations.
Shameful
— mikless (@mikless94) April 29, 2025
Another fan took aim at Porter’s explanation, commenting, “’Sorry I didn’t know’ surely buddy enjoy that suspension.”
The sarcasm in their response highlights the disbelief that a professional athlete could be unaware of such a longstanding rule, with many feeling that ignorance should not excuse a potential violation, especially in the high-stakes environment of the playoffs.
The criticism continued, as one fan remarked: “Just shows he doesn’t watch bball. This has been a rule since forever. Young athletes not knowing history and/or the employee manual will never be ok.”
This reflects a deeper frustration with Porter’s lack of awareness, pointing to a broader issue of accountability among younger players who are expected to understand the history and rules of the sport they play professionally.
Finally, one fan went as far as to question the integrity of the league itself, stating, “nba is rigged if this bum isn’t suspended for game 5.”