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'Finally unleashing the potential?' Yokichi has a new ally
Michael Porter Jr. is on fire.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the New York Knicks 113-100 in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season at the Pepsi Bowl Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday (Feb. 22).
Denver's one-two punch led the team to victory. Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. Jokic was his usual self, scoring 30 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists. Porter Jr. on the other hand, was nothing short of amazing. Porter Jr. scored 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds, the most of any player in the game.
What made his performance so impressive was his efficiency. Porter Jr. made 13 of his 16 field goals, showing tremendous accuracy from deep. He missed just 3 of 6 three-pointers and was 10 of 10 from two-point range for a 100 percent success rate.
The chemistry between Porter Jr. and Jokic was incredible on this night. There were several plays where Jokic would grab a rebound and make a pinpoint pass to a sprinting Porter Jr. for an easy bucket.
There were also times when Porter Jr. was the ball handler himself and played 2-on-2 with Jokic. After getting a feel for the game with mid-range shots and fast break points, Porter Jr. exploded for three-pointers.
It was a perfect game that made you wonder if Jokic and Porter Jr. have ever been this good together.
What makes Porter Jr.'s performance even more inspiring is that it was against New York. Tom Thibodeau's New York is one of the best defenses in the NBA. Against such a team, Porter Jr. had a dominant performance.
But the celebration was short-lived, as Denver suffered a setback. Jamal Murray left the game with an ankle injury. The injury appeared to be serious, which is a huge blow for Denver as they are in a tight race for the top of the standings.
This made Porter Jr.'s performance all the more important. Denver has an overwhelming offensive weapon in Jokic, but the rest of the team is more of a role player. Murray and Porter Jr. are the only players outside of Jokic who can create cracks in the offense. With Murray expected to be out for the foreseeable future, the onus is on Porter Jr. to step up.
On a positive note, Porter Jr. has been playing very well lately. In nine games in March, Porter Jr. is averaging 19.6 points and 6.2 rebounds on 57% shooting from the field and 48% from three-point range.
He's averaging nearly 20 points per game, but he's also very efficient. His 48% three-point shooting percentage is among the best in the NBA.
Efficiency has been a consistent weakness for Porter Jr. Early in his career, Porter Jr. frustrated Denver fans with his poor shot selection and random long-range attempts. But this season is different. Porter Jr. is taking more easy shots off of Jokic's passes, and he's attempting fewer uncontested shots.
Denver is the defending champions, having won the NBA title last season. Denver was led by Jokic and Murray. Add to that the contributions of bench players like Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown, and you have the perfect combination.
This season, it's still going strong. The reigning MVP, Jokic, is healthy, and the role players are still there. Add to that Porter Jr. at full strength, and it's a scary thought for opposing teams. But for Denver fans, it's a dream scenario.
Denver currently sits in second place in the Western Conference with no games in hand on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The battle for first place is crucial to the MVP race. It's a head-to-head matchup between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic. Both players are coming from behind, so the team standings will likely determine the MVP.
Will Porter Jr. be able to fill Murray's void and help Jokic win the MVP award?