After winning five straight games, the Denver Nuggets are back to looking like the elite franchise that won the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season. Nikola Jokić has been easily the most impactful player on the Nuggets. His excellent play has allowed them to win five straight games, and his season averages are unparalleled. Despite Jokić getting the most media attention recently, Michael Porter Jr.‘s consistent play has flown under the radar. His play has opened the floor for Jokić to excel on the offensive end. Porter Jr. was the game-saver against the Dallas Mavericks as he knocked down the game-winning shot with seven seconds left.
Michael Porter Jr.’s Consistent Play is Powering the Nuggets’ Offense
Effective Playmaking and Opening Up the Offense
Known for his elite shooting, which is Porter Jr.’s primary role within the Nuggets’ offense, Porter Jr. is getting open shots and knocking them down at a 40.8% rate this season. This forces players to respect his shooting abilities and not sag off on defense. Porter Jr.’s improvement at playmaking has gone unnoticed but is impacting the Nuggets. He is dribbling the ball better, giving himself more options offensively. More importantly, he has been passing the ball more this season than ever. His average of 2.9 assists per game to start the season is nearly double what he averaged a season ago. As a deadly shooter, Porter Jr. shouldn’t pass open shots. This season, he has been passing up contested looks for better shots for his teammates, opening up the offense.
Porter Jr.’s gravity has already allowed Jokić to thrive, as he requires attention. Having two deadly offensive threats will give any defense problems, but adding a playmaking aspect to one of the best knockdown shooters is a recipe for an all-time offense. The Nuggets already have a deadly duo of Jokić and Jamal Murray. Adding an improved Porter Jr. to that duo is trouble for defenses. The trio has played 177 minutes, with a ridiculous offensive rating of 135.8, over 12 points higher than the all-time best 2023-24 Boston Celtics. Their offensive rating is fourth-highest among all three-player lineups, only behind three other Nuggets lineups. When the three share the floor, they shoot 54.3% from the floor and 47.8% from three.
Bouncing Back From a Poor Start
Porter Jr. opened the first three games of the season averaging just over 12 points per game on poor efficiency. He was clearly in a small slump and his play was more negative than positive. He has completely flipped the script in the seven games since then, averaging 20.4 points per game. His bump in scoring has come from phenomenal efficiency, as he is averaging 52.5% from the field and 48.2% from three. That percentage from the three-point line would rank sixth among all players who have shot at least 40 three-pointers this season. Porter Jr. has found a way to be effective within the flow of the Nuggets’ offense.
Hitting his groove has contributed to the Nuggets’ turnaround after a poor start. He has scored above 15 points in the last seven games after failing to get past that number in the first three. He has not shot below 43% from the field once during that span. Porter Jr. has developed into a consistent, reliable player, something the Nuggets hoped he would become. If Porter Jr. can retain this consistent play, the Nuggets will be a threat to make another run at the NBA Finals.
