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Michael Porter Jr.'s performance continues to make Nuggets smile

vinny benedetto, the gazette (colorado springs, colo.)
·5 min read

Feb. 7—Michael Porter Jr. just wants to play.

That was his stance prior to the season when he hoped to miss as few games as possible after recovering from a third back surgery. That remained the case as he dealt with a heel injury that forced him to miss a month, and it remained true when the Nuggets sent a shorthanded squad to Minnesota on Sunday.

That game started 22 hours after the Nuggets' win over Atlanta on Saturday, a game Denver's four other regular starters were sidelined for a series of minor injuries, as the team said.

"I kinda had the option to stay back or go, and I knew it would be a tough game, for sure, on a back-to-back in less than 24 hours," Porter said Tuesday before a 146-112 Nuggets win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. "But I just wanted to go out there and play."

The Nuggets lost that game by 30, but the circumstances allowed Porter to explore his game a bit. Though he made just 2 of his 10 attempts from 3-point range, Porter finished with a game-high 22 points. He drove to the basket for a couple of contested layups and made 6 of his 8 free throws.

"Definitely trying to be more creative and just take advantage of my opportunities more. Last game, it was just (that) we were all tired from the back-to-back, and, obviously, we were down big. I was just trying to make something happen," Porter said. "I was just trying to get downhill a little more."

Porter was back among the starters, sans Jamal Murray, with the Timberwolves in town Tuesday. He hit his first three 3-pointers, put down an alley-oop dunk and hit all four of his free throws, matching Minnesota's first-quarter output with 19 points. Porter reached 30 points before checking out for good with a few minutes left in the third. He made 11 of his 15 shots, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, and added five points, one assist and one steal.

"I thought Michael Porter was fantastic all the way around," coach Michael Malone said.

Malone said Porter's efficiency was what stood out most. The Nuggets won the 29 minutes Porter played by 43 points.

"The guy's got an amazing smile," Malone said. "And his smile when I told him he was a plus-43 was ear-to-ear."

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Off the court, there hasn't been so much to smile about. Tuesday was the first time Porter spoke to the media since his younger brother Coban was arrested following a fatal car accident near the University of Denver campus where Coban was on the basketball team. Coban Porter is facing four felonies, including vehicular homicide-DUI following the accident that killed 42-year-old Katharina Rothman, and made his first public court appearance Monday.

The Nuggets forward missed a few games in the aftermath of the accident, which took place in the early hours of Jan. 22, but has since used the basketball court as something of an escape.

"When I come in here, it's about trying to view it as like a workplace, a work space, and try to have my mind fully on basketball, because, obviously, there's stuff going on at home," Porter said. "But it's been good to be able to play these games, for sure."

NUGGETS 146, TIMBERWOLVES 112

What happened: The only thing that didn't go Denver's way in the first quarter was a charge call on Jeff Green that derailed the Nuggets' chance at a 50-point quarter. The Nuggets settled for a 49-19 lead to start the second behind Michael Porter Jr.'s hot start. Nikola Jokic completed his 19th triple-double of the season in the final minute of the second quarter, and the Nuggets led by 31 at halftime. Denver led by 35 to start the fourth, and the bench handled to entire fourth quarter. The reserves stretched the lead to 40 in the fourth, and Denver improved its conference-best record to 38-17.

What went right: The Nuggets used a 32-2 run in the first quarter to blow the game open. Porter made his first three 3-pointers, while Christian Braun used Denver's defense to get out in transition for a layup and a dunk. The Nuggets shot 79.2% in the first period compared to Minnesota's 27.3%. Denver registered 16 assists and two turnovers in the first 12 minutes. The Timberwolves started the second quarter with six turnovers. Denver finished the game with a season-high 44 assists.

What went wrong: In the hours prior to the game, Jamal Murray was downgraded from probable (left knee injury management) to questionable (right knee inflammation) and was eventually ruled out an hour before tipoff. Bruce Brown started in his place but left with an ankle sprain in the first 4 minutes before returning in the second quarter.

Highlight of the night: Ish Smith made the most of his early minutes. The Nuggets got out on the break after a missed 3, and Smith threw a between-the-legs pass to Michael Porter Jr., who finished the layup to give the Nuggets a 12-point lead seven minutes into the game.

Up next: The Nuggets head east to start a three-game road trip Thursday in Orlando.

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