Michael Porter Jr.’s performance is not unusual.

The Denver Nuggets won the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game against the New York Knicks 113-100 at the Denver Bowl Arena in Colorado on the 22nd (Korea time).

Denver’s one-two punch led their team to victory. They were Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. Jokic. On the other hand, Potter Jr.’s performance was amazing. Porter Jr. recorded the most points among the players in the game, with 31 points and eight rebounds.

The reason for his great performance was his efficiency. He was very sensitive, making 13 of 16 field goals. He missed 3 of 6 3-pointers and made 10 of 10 2-pointers, boasting a 100% success rate.

Potter Jr. and Jokic’s teamwork was truly incredible on the day. There were several cases where Jokic caught the rebound and accurately passed the ball to Potter Jr., who was running on a fast break, to easily score a point.

There was also a scene where Porter Jr. played the role of ball handler and played 2-2 against Jokic. Porter Jr., who had a good sense of mid-range shooting and fast break scoring, exploded his scoring ability with a three-point shot.

Do you think Jokic and Porter Jr. looked so good together? It was a perfect match for curiosity.

The reason why Potter’s performance was even more encouraging was that his opponent team was New York. New York, coached by Tom Thibodeau, is considered one of the best defense teams in the NBA. Against such a team, Potter Jr. performed overwhelmingly.

However, when bad news broke out in Denver, the joy was briefly interrupted. Jamal Murray left the game with an ankle injury during the game. The injury looked serious, so it would be a big blow to Denver, which is in a fierce ranking competition.

So, Potter’s performance has become even more important. Denver has overwhelming attack weapons on the Jokic, but it should consider other players as role players. Besides the Jokic, Murray and Porter Jr. are the only players who can crack the offense. With Murray expected to be out of power for some time, Porter Jr. has become more responsible.

The positive is that Porter Jr. has been playing very well lately. Porter Jr. has been outstanding in nine games in March, averaging 19.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 57% of field goals, and 48% of his 3-pointers.

Not only is he scoring 20 points on average, but he is also highly efficient. It is fair to say that his 3-point shooting success rate of 48 percent is the highest in the NBA.

Potter’s lasting weakness was his efficiency. From the beginning of his career, he annoyed Denver fans with his over-the-top shots and sudden long-range shots. However, this season has been different. Potter Jr. received more passes from the Jokic, making light shots, and reducing over-the-top attempts.

Denver is the defending champion, who won the NBA Championship last season. The players who led Denver were Jokic and Murray. In addition, bench players such as Aaron Gordon, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown worked hard, creating the perfect combination.

The season has remained strong. Jokic is the MVP and his role players are still doing well. What if Potter Jr. was in full swing here? The mere thought of it is terrifying for the opposing team. On the other hand, it is a dream scenario for Denver fans.

Denver is currently in second place without a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 player in the Western Conference. The battle for No. 1 between the two teams is very important in the path of MVP. This is because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are competing. Since both players are outstanding performers, there is a high possibility that the MVP will be determined by team ranking.

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