The Brooklyn Nets are on a winning streak. Following Monday's win over the Charlotte Hornets, the Nets took down the Chicago Bulls, 113-103, on Wednesday at the United Center. Once again, it was Michael Porter Jr. leading the way.
Porter Jr. poured in a game-high 33 points, ten rebounds and five assists on 10-of-20 shooting. The Nets led by as much as 19 in the fourth quarter, holding the Bulls to 38-of-90 (42.2 percent) shooting and forcing 16 turnovers.
“We’re on a winning streak! Yes, sir,” Porter told YES Network postgame. “I just think we’re getting better. We're starting to learn how to play with each other. We’re starting to get some continuity. We're starting to get some sets we can get into quick when things get rough. That’s what was missing early on. I just think everyone is kind of finding their rhythm.”
Porter Jr.'s performance in Chicago comes after he scored 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field and 7-of-11 from three during Brooklyn's win over Charlotte.
Michael Porter Jr. fueling Nets' recent improvement in lead offensive role
The Nets have averaged 114.5 points and 31.5 assists on 47/40/80 shooting splits across the pair of wins. Porter Jr.'s scoring production has been the engine, with supporting pieces such as Noah Clowney, Nic Claxton, Egor Demin and Danny Wolf playing key roles.
“We're enjoy being out there playing with each other,” Porter Jr. said. “Me and Clax kinda got a good connection on the handoffs. He's setting good screens, [and] I'm able to shoot the ball. We're just causing some confusion [for defenses]. And then if I'm drawing some defenders, then Noah might be open. Then we got Egor, who can also shoot. So I just think the more that we play together, the better we'll get. It's been it's fun for sure.”
Following a 0-7 start, the Nets have posted a 5-7 record across Porter Jr.'s last 12 appearances. The forward's off-ball movement and scoring gravity have fueled Brooklyn's dramatic improvement.
Porter Jr. has averaged 27.6 points (11th in NBA), 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 50/41/83 shooting splits over his last 12 games. His 64.4 true shooting percentage during that span ranks third among 15 players attempting over 18 shots per game, trailing only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (69.4) and Stephen Curry (65.6).
While Porter Jr. joined the Nets as a salary dump from the Denver Nuggets this summer, he's playing his way into the All-Star conversation early this season. Jordi Fernandez, who coached Porter Jr. for two seasons in Denver, isn't putting a ceiling on the 27-year-old's potential.
“I think he's going to keep getting better and better,” Fernandez said postgame on Wednesday. “I think right now it's less dancing, more finishing cuts, more keeping it simple… The line is incredible. He led us in rebounding with 10 rebounds overall, nine defensive. The shot making. We all know it, but he just creates so much attention, and then it opens the three-point line for others, and he touches the paint. So [he's giving] all that effort.
“If he needs to play 33 minutes instead of 38 because he's playing [with] non-stop cutting and moving, and then defensively, he's in the right spot, he's chesting drives, he's rebounding, he's engaged, [that's fine]. I'm very happy to see the growth, and I believe he'll still keep growing because he's having fun and he's engaged.”
Porter Jr. wasn't alone in his production in Chicago. After shooting 0-of-5 in the first half, Clowney drained 6-of-7 three-point attempts in the second half. Claxton put together another well-rounded performance, posting 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocks on 6-of-7 shooting.
“At first, it was a defensive slugfest,” Porter Jr. said. “Then we started to hit some shots. And then when they started to come back a little bit, I thought our guys hit timely shots. Noah Clowney [hit threes]. Nic had a big layup and one, a timely bucket. I thought it was a complete four-quarter win.”
Brooklyn's rookies also continued to show promise during the win. Demin posted 10 and four assists on 3-of-8 shooting in 25 minutes. Wolf added eight points, four rebounds and three assists on 3-of-5 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench during his homecoming. Both hit timely threes late in the fourth quarter to halt a Bulls run.
Ben Saraf added six points and three assists on 2-of-3 shooting in 14 minutes. And Drake Powell chipped in five points and two assists on 2-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes.
