The hardwood education of Michael Porter Jr.

1. I’ve mentioned this before but Jerami Grant has a dribble crutch and it is his right to left neutral dribble that he uses on most of his dribble drives. I haven’t seen a team sit on it too much yet but it is certainly the type of thing that will pop up in a playoff scouting report. More importantly, it renders the threat of his dribble drive game much less effective. Learning to catch on the move and/or set his feet to attack in a more direct line will make him a much more effective weapon in the offense.

2. Another example of the Denver Nuggets using Grant in the post against smaller defenders and another example of Grant making a great read out of the post to facilitate an easy layup or dunk.

3. So much of playing off ball is about reading the spacing and geometry of the court in real time, making quick reads based on the shifting position of the defense and your teammates. In the clip below, Grant’s focus should be on two things. First, his man is trying to protect the rim and is clearly setting up to fully commit to the driving Nikola Jokic. Secondly, Michael Porter Jr. cuts into the dunker spot and has an excellent shot at an offensive rebound against a defender who is completely outsized. If Grant properly read those two things, he would’ve caught a wide open corner three-point opportunity.

4. It isn’t just that Michael Porter Jr. is so tall and athletic it’s that he uses that size so well by utilizing well-timed cuts, phenomenal angles, and patience to pick the perfect moment to grab favorable position. In the clip below, if he goes too early he risks grabbing a 3-second violation or allowing a help side defender to stunt down before the pass can arrive.

5. Veteran players like Damian Lillard are so good at predicting exactly how a young player like Porter Jr. will react in the pick and roll. The two clips below, which happened on back to back plays to end the 3rd quarter, are a perfect example of an NBA PhD teaching the first year freshman a few lessons.

6. In the last edition of THE LIST, I highlighted how Grant has a size advantage against most small forwards and guards on the block but the same thing is often true of Torrey Craig when playing the shooting guard position. Longbois.

7. This play seems unremarkable but it is a great example of how a great cut can pull the defender exactly where you want them. PJ Dozier does a nice job of pulling his defender over the screen on his first cut and around the screen on his second one before driving hard away from the angle of his defender.

8. Jokic gets no love from the officials and I will never understand it.

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