Michael Porter Jr. – A+
Michael Porter Jr. knocked down his first six shots against Donte DiVincenzo and the shorthanded Knicks, taking the first five inside the arc. DiVincenzo is half a foot shorter than Porter, yet the Knicks and other teams around the league are comfortable giving up size in that matchup. They’ve gotten away with it for most of his career. Times have changed. Porter is no longer just a shooter.
DiVincenzo was determined to deny open threes, shadowing Porter off-ball and avoiding screens accordingly. Porter adjusted, cutting hard and attacking the rim with newfound confidence. He’s improved his handle, evolved into a mid-range assassin, and developed a penchant for the floater. The full arsenal allows him to do what he set out to do at the beginning of the season. Porter isn’t interested in subverting Denver’s established hierarchy. But he is interested in growing within it. If you face-guard him, he’s going to cut. And he will gladly take you off the dribble if you close out too hard. He’s brimming with confidence.
Porter finished with 31 points on only 16 shots, leading all scorers. After the game, he learned he’d set the team record for most 3s in a single season. In addition to the production from two-point range, MPJ shot 3/6 from deep, vaulting him past Dale Ellis for the franchise record. He was proud of the accomplishment, explaining that the record reflects availability. He’s played in 69 of 70 possible games this season. And he looks healthier than ever late into the season.
Porter is playing his best basketball amid the rule changes made in the dark. Free throws are down league-wide, and the players notice the difference. Grifting is out. Scoring right now requires both skill and physicality. And here’s MPJ, finding another gear.
Nikola Jokić – A+
Jokić was incredible against a berserk Knicks defense. Old friend Isaiah Hartenstein and his new buddies grabbed, pulled, and hacked at the two-time MVP. Jokić is used to this. The new officiating style is old news to the best player alive. He lost focus in that recent loss to Dallas, but that’s a rarity in 2024. It is a prominent area of improvement for him across his career. The new Jokić puts his head down, eats the contact, and goes to work. After all, despite the talk of his skill and IQ, he’s also a battering ram. Most couldn’t guard him with a baseball bat and Tony Brothers on the call.
Jokić struck that beautiful balance against the Knicks. He was both a wrecking ball and an artist. When he wasn’t knocking walls down in the paint, he dipped deep into his bag for ridiculous passes. This look to Aaron Gordon is staggering:
Jokić finished with another 30-point Triple-Double. He trails Magic Johnson by 11 for the third most in NBA history. He is inevitable. He is unforgiving.
Jamal Murray – A-
Michael Malone said pregame that he hoped his players would bring a physical mindset to the matchup. Murray obliged. He looked flustered with a few no-calls to open the game but quickly adjusted. He sought contact, and not in hopes of a whistle. He lowered his shoulder to free space and willed himself to 23 points. It was a fiery performance in front of a passionate crowd. Murray pumped his fist and screamed as he made plays on both ends. Murray did turn it over four times. But he also played hard defensively. His energy played a direct role in the win.
Unfortunately, Murray turned his ankle in the final minutes and left the game early. There was no word on his status for Portland.
Aaron Gordon – B
We know Gordon as a finisher in Denver. He finishes the alley-oops that finish games, but he’s also a playmaker. Gordon’s passing prowess pops when Denver’s scorers are all engaged. In the win over New York, he posted eight assists to zero turnovers. Six of those assists went to Porter.
Now we can talk about the finishing. I can’t stop watching that Jokić pass, not just because it’s genius. Somehow, Gordon knows it’s coming. He stepped up in anticipation, sealed off Brunson, and caught a laser with one hand.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – B+
KCP earned yet another DPOG chain for his work guarding Jalen Brunson. Malone lauded his effort and success on that end across the entire season. He implored the national audience to take note of his work. The Nuggets are unabashedly campaigning for the man they call First Team. They believe he’s earned it.
Reggie Jackson – C+
Jackson had four assists playing alongside Jokić. This is the statistic I’m most invested in with this new and improved rotation. He doesn’t need to create something out of nothing right now; he needs to keep the wheels turning as a point guard.
The Rest – F
Every remaining player, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Justin Holiday, and Deandre Jordan, finished with an ugly plus-minus. Denver got crunched with those guys on the floor. Malone hoped Jordan’s rebounding prowess would prove handy against the Knicks, but his presence was more detrimental to the defense than anything. That group combined for nine points and six rebounds. All told, Denver’s bench, including Jackson, got outscored 30-13.
