LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 10: Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the LA Clippers before a pre-season game on October 10, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets lost Thursday night, but Michael Porter Jr.’s NBA debut was a bright spot.
The Denver Nuggets 122-107 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans Thursday night led to head coach Mike Malone ripping their effort, which included allowing a high during his tenure of 37 fast-break points. But the NBA debut of Michael Porter Jr., and his immediate installation in the rotation, stands as a bright spot.
Porter entered his freshman season at Missouri as a contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. But a back injury limited him to just three games that season and led to the Nuggets getting him 14th overall in that draft. Recovery from the back issue cost Porter his entire rookie season, but the Nuggets didn’t really need him as they won 54 games and earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
After showing some promise during the preseason (9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game over 16 minutes per contest), Porter sat out the first four games of the regular season. But he made his debut Thursday night, entering the game during the first quarter.
Will Barton being out with a toe injury opened up potential minutes for Porter, and he not only got them but delivered nicely, Over 21 minutes of action, he had a team-high 15 points (5-for-8 from the floor,1-for-3 from 3-point range) with four rebounds, one assist and one turnover. He was the only of Denver’s 10 primary rotation players (those who played at least 15 minutes) to finish the game with a positive plus-minus, however marginally (+1).
A bad loss for the Nuggets, and Malone’s decision to empty the bench just over halfway through the fourth quarter would have invited garbage time minutes for Porter in his NBA debut. But that was not the case, as Porter was immediately a primary part of the rotation coming off the bench.
Given how well he played, health seems to be the only thing that will keep Porter from being a primary and effective part of a team that expects to be toward the top of the West standings again.