Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. knows his goals very well heading to the 2021-22 season: an All-Star berth and the Larry O'Brien trophy to pair with it. However, he understands that to achieve both things, he really has to step up his game.
“My goal is definitely to be an All-Star this year. But ultimately, my whole goal is for the team to win a championship. I think in order for us to do that, I’m obviously got to be a big part of that. That’s just the main goal: to win and win at a high level,” Porter said in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints for his upcoming show, “Curious Mike.”
Porter was a critical part of the Nuggets last season as they finished with the third-best record in the West (47-35), behind just the Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, a huge improvement from his 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in his rookie year where he saw a limited role for Denver.
Now that he's a key player in the team's rotation, Porter knows very well that the Nuggets have higher expectations on him. His consistency has been the major criticism on his game in the previous campaign, but the 23-year-old forward knows he can make that significant leap once again.
In fact, Porter sees the recent odds on the Most Improved Player for 2021-22 as a compliment to his skills. MPJ is among the frontrunners to win the award once again after being a finalist in 2020-21–one which saw New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle take the trophy.
“I was in the running last year. I think I was Top 3 Finalists last year for Most Improved, so to be a frontrunner for another Most Improved just shows that people see that I have another jump in me that I am capable of taking, so I just gotta do that,” the Nuggets rising star added.
Michael Porter Jr. on MIP odds for 2021-22: "I was in the running last year. … So to be a frontrunner for another Most Improved just shows that people see that I have another jump in me that I am capable of taking." #Nuggets @ClutchPointsApp
— Kit Guinhawa (@BeatKit22) September 21, 2021
Michael Porter Jr. and the Nuggets have a big year ahead, and with the uncertainty in Jamal Murray's injury status, the youngster will be leaned on more alongside Nikola Jokic. By the looks of it, he is more than ready to embrace that challenge.
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