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Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. erupted for a career-high 39 points in their 129-116 victory over the Houston Rockets. With Porter Jr. taking on and thriving with his larger role in the offense, his teammates have coined the perfect nickname for him: Showtime.
Via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports:
PJ Dozier on Michael Porter Jr. stepping into a bigger offensive role: "You're talking about 'Showtime.' We call him 'Showtime.' He's definitely ready."
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) April 25, 2021
Like the 1980s Lakers?
Michael Porter Jr. put on an absolute clinic against the Rockets. He scored in a variety of ways from inside and out and showcased his entire offensive repertoire. MPJ went 13-of-21 from the field, converted a career-best eight 3-pointers, and made all of his five shots from the foul line. Including Saturday's performance, Porter Jr. has made 15 triples over his last two contests for the Nuggets after dropping seven against the Golden State Warriors the night before.
The 6-foot-10 wing has certainly made the leap in his sophomore season. Denver is finally seeing the gifted multi-faceted scorer tap into the enormous potential he had as one of the top prospects coming out of high school. Injuries initially derailed the Missouri standout's draft stock heading into the NBA and he fell to no. 14 in the 2018 draft with the Nuggets.
Porter Jr. showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign in 2019-20, especially throughout the Bubble games in Orlando. He took the next step this season, becoming the Nuggets' third scoring option behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
With Murray unfortunately suffering a season-ending torn ACL, the Nuggets have elevated the soon-to-be 23-year-old as their second option. Since Murray went down, Porter Jr. is averaging (including Saturday) 24.8 points while shooting 58.2 percent from the field and 54.9 percent from three.
