The Denver Nuggets put up a total team effort in their NBA Finals Game 1 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night. It was the perfect start to the series as the Nuggets defended their home court against a relentless Heat side.
As expected, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray both balled out for the Nuggets in what turned out to be a dominant 104-93 victory for the home side. After the game, however, Murray was quick to deflect the praise as he pinpointed one specific teammate who played a key role in Denver's big win. Murray talked up Michael Porter Jr's strong performance on the evening as well as how important MPJ will be for the Nuggets in this series:
“Yeah, he's done amazing,” Murray said of Porter. “Just like playing an all-around game, 12 boards, 14 points with basically one or two threes, getting to the rim, playing great defense, pursuing the ball. He's 6-10, he's doing more than just knocking down shots, and that's dangerous.
When he's doing that, he's helping us a lot just being on the wing. Even if he's not shooting well, he's going to keep shooting and we're going to keep finding him.”
Jamal Murray on Michael Porter Jr.:
He’s been amazing…he’s 6’10”. He’s doing more than hitting shots. pic.twitter.com/6qRmQ1MDIc
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) June 2, 2023
Porter didn't exactly shoot the lights out on Thursday, going just 5-of-16 from the floor and a miserable 2-of-11 from the field. However, in spite of his off-shooting night, MPJ still found ways to help his team win. He finished with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, while also logging an assist, two blocks, and zero turnovers in 43 minutes of action.
As Murray said, the Nuggets are going to keep hitting Porter regardless of how well or how poorly he shoots the ball in any given game. This simply speaks volumes of how much confidence the team has in Michael Porter Jr.
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