Will Michael Porter Jr. be suspended for Game 5? Nuggets forward leaves bench during Clippers altercation

The tension is rising in the first-round series between the Clippers and Nuggets.

Tempers flared near halftime of Game 4 between LA and Denver, and while six technical fouls were doled out, there were no ejections. Despite that fact, there was a question of whether or not a suspension could come from the first-half fracas.

Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was not in the game during the altercation, but his actions from the bench put his availability for Game 5 in question. Here is the latest on Porter's status for a pivotal game in Denver.

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Will Michael Porter Jr. be suspended for Game 5?

Porter will not be suspended for Game 5, a league spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic's Law Murray.

Porter left the bench area during the first-half fight in Game 4, which, by rule, subjects a player to an automatic suspension. Porter may have been saved by his distance from the altercation.

Here is an angle of the video that captures Porter's role.

Clippers-Nuggets Game 4 getting heated pic.twitter.com/vs7tvxnBWD

Porter leaves the bench area at the eight-second mark of the above video. He reaches the restricted area of the lane before being restrained by a Nuggets staffer.  

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The NBA rulebook states this about the role of bench players during on-court altercations:

During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be subject to suspension, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $50,000.

There is a historical precedent for the NBA enforcing these rules, particularly during the NBA Playoffs. However, each case is up to interpretation.

After the game, Porter said, "I didn't know the specific rule. I'm glad I didn't make it very far. … 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."

By the book, Porter could have been handed a one-game suspension, but the league did not hand out any further punishment. In Game 4, Denver fended off a furious LA comeback, winning in the final seconds thanks to a first-of-its-kind game winner from Aaron Gordon.

With the series tied 2-2, the Nuggets will have Porter to count on. He is averaging 34.3 minutes per game in the series despite being hampered by a shoulder injury.

Game 5 between Denver and LA will be played on Tuesday, April 29, at 10 p.m.

This story will be updated.