Michael Porter Jr. celebrated a standout performance in his first game against the Denver Nuggets, posting 27 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in Brooklyn’s 127-115 victory Sunday at Barclays Center.
“Yeah, I was looking forward to playing against those guys for sure,” Porter said. “It’s been circled on my calendar for a minute. I probably felt a little bit more nervous for this one than a lot of other games. So, it was fun though.”
Porter highlighted the Nets’ dominance on the boards as a key factor in their win. “Rebounding is part of our identity. We started off the season being the worst rebounding team in the NBA, and now we’re becoming one of the best. When we rebound the ball at a high level, we become pretty hard to beat.”
The forward praised Brooklyn’s coaching staff for instilling confidence across the roster. “When an organization believes in you… it can change a whole player’s production. Jordi [Fernandez] and the whole Nets organization do a great job instilling confidence in players. It doesn’t matter if you make or miss a shot; he’s telling you keep shooting.”
Porter also reflected on the unusual experience of facing his former teammates. “It was definitely an odd experience. Those are my brothers…we moved in a championship together. To compete against each other instead of with each other is different, but it’s cool that you can have friendships outside of basketball as well.”
On staying within his game despite defensive pressure, Porter said, “They were trying to take me away. I could tell early on they were chasing me at the ball screen. My mindset was just make the easy play…I never felt like I needed to force. We’ve got a lot of capable guys who can knock down shots.”
Porter addressed his increased role compared to his time in Denver. “Whenever you have a championship-caliber team, there are going to be guys who sacrifice. It’s good to show what I’m capable of and get some recognition for that. It can be tough when you’re asked to do something different and people criticize you for it.”
Brooklyn led 59-52 at halftime and broke the game open with a 41-point third quarter, shooting 7-of-9 from three-point range. Noah Clowney added 22 points, while Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe each contributed 17. Sharpe started at center with Nic Claxton unavailable and finished with six rebounds and four assists.
Denver was paced by Jamal Murray with 27 points and 16 assists, but Nikola Jokic’s absence and defensive lapses contributed to the Nuggets’ third loss in four games on their Eastern Conference road trip. The Nets improved to 11-22 and return home to face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
