Nuggets Michael Porter Jr. took the game in his hands last night
INDIANAPOLIS — Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. took the game in his hands on his hometown stage Thursday night.
He repeatedly beat Pacers defenders and even occasionally the shot clock with his nifty drives to the hoop. He knocked down 3-pointers. He even upstaged All-Star teammate Nikola Jokic.
Michael Porter Jr. put up a career-high 25 PTS and went 11/12 from the field in the Nuggets W 🔥#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/4xNgyHjX9X
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 3, 2020
Porter scored a season-high 25 points, helping the Nuggets battle back from a double-digit deficit in the first half and leading them past Indiana, 124-116.
Porter helped the Nuggets get back on track after they gave up 37 first-quarter points, helped them take control late in the third quarter and was still playing well enough to help them close it out with some help from his teammates. Will Barton III had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Jamal Murray also had 22 points, and Jokic finished with 22 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and seven rebounds. But Porter was who drew the rave reviews.
“It’s another glimpse into a very bright future,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “He just got his first postgame water celebration,
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And another site for Pacers, who led the entire first half and never trailed until another Indiana native, Gary Harris, knocked down a 3-pointer with 9:16 left in the third quarter to make it 73-72.
Lamb answered with a 3, which turned the game into a back-and-forth contest until Monte Morris closed out the the third with a 3-pointer and an 18-foot jumper off a rebound and pass from Porter to give the Nuggets a 92-88 lead.
