Despite the loss, Michael Porter Jr. returns to Denver with a smile…and a season record
Smiles and a a warm hug. Arrival Michael Porter Jr in Denver, it started with a reunion with Nikola Jokić, ahead of the Nuggets and Nets meeting. “MPJ” was in the Rockies for the first time since being traded to Brooklyn last summer.
During a a hard-won encounter by locals, Michael Porter Jr. was given a belle “a standing ovation” from his former audience, after the screening of the classic tribute video. In the game, the winger posted his best production of the season with 38 points (13/28 shooting including 7/15 from distance), 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Production worthy of his new status as the number 1 option in Brooklyn, while in Denver he was one of the lieutenants of the Jokic-Murray pair. ” In Brooklyn, some of the shots I shoot that they expect from me are different; while in Denver, (…) we can work on getting a wide open shot, not a missed 3-pointer contested by two players », he smiled before the match.
« It’s about growing through that, through that opportunity. I still feel like I’m making progress because this is my first year in the NBA where I’ve been put in this situation, so I’ll continue to grow in this role », continues the winger who averages 25.6 points (14th best scorer of the season).
Denver, where his entire family is still based, will in any case remain the place where it all began for him. The Nuggets drafted him 14th overall in 2018, but he didn’t start his career until the following season due to serious back problems.
A useful exchange for everyone
« Denver was the last place I expected to be drafted, but it was the perfect place for me. They took their time with me, the team got stronger and stronger, and in the end we won the title. So this group of guys that I find when we play against them, they will always be my brothers », says the 2023 NBA champion.
The latter is trying to get as much as possible out of this winning experience to help his new training. “ Now I’m a team leader and I get help to supervise 19, 20 or 21-year-olds, to teach them what winning is, the habits, the culture of winning. These are the things I learned a lot during my time in Denver. »
So even if he collects far fewer wins than he did with the Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr., who doesn’t hold a grudge against his former club, believes this Cam Johnson trade was beneficial for everyone. He had a chance to say it in passing on the Nuggets players’ podcast.
« He feels the same as me. He is now able to play for the title, an opportunity he hasn’t had much in his career, and I can help young people explore their game. So it’s really great that we can both thrive in these new situations », term-t-il.
2026-01-30 10:22:00
