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. Porter was 5 of 8 on 3-pointers and hauled in seven rebounds.
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 Thursday night’s 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.”
The Nuggets played without starting point guard Jamal Murray, who sat out due to inflammation in his left knee. Given their recent schedule, the team decided getting Murray off his feet was wise. The team has been playing without guard Russell Westbrook, who’s 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.
“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. But its defense was rugged, holding the Magic to 40% shooting (including just 3 of 13 on 3-pointers) and 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.
Then Porter and Jokic took over. The duo combined for 42 of Denver’s 59 first-half points. Porter scored 16 points in the second, 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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