Coach Michael Malone wants Michael Porter Jr. to shoot early and often.
So he did.
Porter scored 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the Nuggets’ 112-90 victory over the offensively-challenged Orlando Magic on Thursday night at Ball Arena.
“He’s one of the best shooters in the league and has one of the prettiest jump shots I’ve ever seen,” Malone said before the game. “He’s an artist out there, and when he’s open, we want him to let it fly.”
It was Porter’s third straight 30-point game — the first time in his career he’s scored 30 in three straight. He scored 36 against New Orleans on Monday night and tied a career-high with 39 against New Orleans on Wednesday night. He went off again on Thursday despite sitting out the fourth quarter. Porter was 5 of 8 on 3-pointers and hauled in seven rebounds.
Despite his 30-point trifecta, Porter insists he’s just one cog in Denver’s offensive machine. But with guards Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook out with injuries, Porter said he’s been more aggressive looking for his shot.
“I shoot the shots that I feel like I should shoot,” he said. “We’ve got too much talent on this team to try and force stuff. Once I get going a little bit, I can shoot the tougher ones and hit some of those.”
Nikola Jokic (28 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) notched his NBA-best 24th triple-double of the season.
The Nuggets’ overall numbers are looking pretty right now. They have won five games in a row, matching their season high. They are 8-3 in their last 11 games and improved to 10-1 in the second of back-to-back games. Denver routed New Orleans, 144-119, on Wednesday night at Ball.
The Nuggets moved into third place in the Western Conference after spending more than a month in fourth.
“We started off the season 11-10, and since then, we are 21-9,” Malone said before the game. “We’ve been playing a lot better basketball and a lot more consistent basketball. Obviously, we are far from being where we want to be, but throughout the season, guys have shown what they are capable of.”
Michael Porter Jr. (1) of the Denver Nuggets scores over Franz Wagner (22) of the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Murray, the starting point guard, sat out due to inflammation in his left knee. Given their recent schedule, the team decided getting Murray off his feet was wise. Russell has been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
With Murray out, Jokic and Porter formed a dynamic duo, and it was clear Porter’s teammates were looking to feed him the ball. Porter said his two-man game with Jokic is starting to find a rhythm.
“It’s been so much fun to watch Michael having these breakout games,” Malone said. “I said it a few days ago, ‘We don’t win a championship (in 2023) without Michael Porter Jr.’ He’s been such an important, integral part of our team and what we are trying to accomplish.”
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Denver, playing its third game in four nights, looked a bit heavy-legged early on and its offense was ragged for much of the first half against the Magic’s physical defense. But Denver’s defense was equally rugged, holding the Magic to 40% shooting (including just 3 of 13 on 3-pointers) as Denver took a 59-50 lead.
Christian Braun’s hustle sparked a second-quarter run. He hit the deck to corral a loose ball, and the sequence finished with Porter hitting a tough, running jumper in the lane to give the Nuggets a 34-32 lead with 7:07 left.
Braun thrives when streaking down the court for fastbreak buckets or driving to the hoop off screens.
“That’s my specialty and what I’m good at, and when I do get out in transition, I’m going to score, ” said Braun, who’s averaging 18.3 and 6.3 rebounds over his last 11 games while shooting 60% from the field. “I think that’s good for us when I’m aggressive in transition because sometimes when I’m aggressive and I run to the basket, I might not get (the ball), but Michael (Porter) will get open in the corner.”
Porter and Jokic took over early in the game. The duo combined for 42 of Denver’s 59 first-half points. Porter scored 16 points in the second quarter, including two dunks and two 3-pointers. Jokic, whose 13 points constituted much of the Nuggets’ first-quarter offense, popped in 10 more in the second when he drained two 3-pointers.
The Nuggets’ next game is Saturday night at Phoenix.
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Originally Published: February 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM MST
