The injury-depleted Nuggets were able to mentally reset this week, getting three days at home between games for Thanksgiving. Simultaneously occurring, the NBA season crossed the one-month mark, with trends and storylines growing increasingly recognizable.Let’s take a look around the league at five topics outside of Denver but related to the Nuggets.
MPJ finding fulfillment in Brooklyn
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You always wondered, throughout Michael Porter Jr.’s six years in denver, whether he had some lingering untapped potential as a ball-in-hand scorer. He was a lethal off-ball weapon in the Nuggets’ system, and he bought into that role enough to help them win a championship, much to his credit.
But he always wondered the same thing. This is a former No. 1 high school recruit in the country, after all, back surgeries or not. What would he look like as a first option on a bad team?
We’re all watching that experiment play out in real time. in his first 15 games of the season, Porter averaged 24.8 points (6.6 more than last year), 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists as the front-man of an aimless Nets squad. Even without Nikola Jokic’s gravity to enhance the quality of his shots, he’s still shooting 38% from 3-point range on a career-high 8.6 attempts per game, and 58.3% from 2-point range, remarkably consistent with his 58.5% mark over his last three seasons in Denver combined.
I use that sample size because it encompasses everything after his third surgery, a critical demarcation point in his career. Porter touched the ball 41.8 times per game across those three years, taking a backseat to Jokic and Jamal Murray’s two-man game. he’s averaging 61.9 touches so far in Brooklyn,the most on the team. As of early this week,he was one of eight players in the league with at least 50 touches per game and 0.4 points per touch. That collection of players included the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard.
Is the individual production amounting to winning basketball? Not exactly. But for a shot-making talent who said he wanted to use the prospect in Brooklyn to “explore” and “expand” his game,it looks that trade has been fulfilling. Maybe Porter will find another home eventually where his role can be a happy medium between the two he’s played so far in the NBA. Both experiences can be informative.
I was wrong about L.A.
Specifically, about which team ther would be the more serious contender.All the offseason moves that made the Clippers look so much deeper on paper have backfired spectacularly. Bradley Beal is out for the year and John Collins hasn’t made a meaningful impact, while Norman Powell thrives in Miami; Brook Lopez looks mighty old at backup center; and Chris Paul hasn’t even been an everyday rotation player in his final season.
oh,also,Leonard is hurt again after purportedly coming into the season fully healthy. My fault for falling for the Clippers onc again.
Downtown, the Lakers keep finding ways to win games despite LeBron James’s sciatica. I had my doubts before the season about how all the pieces would fit together, and I still do – they rank outside the top 10 in offence and defense. But I’m not going to argue with the results. Anyone can recognize that Luka Doncic’s Lakers have one of the highest ceilings in the league.
Sadly, the Nuggets won’t be seeing them untill late January. Something worth monitoring in the meantime: L.A.’s net rating is zero when Doncic and his new roll man Deandre Ayton share the floor; it’s 14.6 when Doncic plays without Ayton.
West is weaker than we thought
Owing partly to that sinking Clipper ship, the Western Conference is nowhere close to the gauntlet Denver was prepared to face this season. Several teams that expected to be competitive have been disasters.
NBA notebook: Pistons’ Trade Targets, Injury Concerns, and a Farewell to a Denver Post Editor
Here’s a breakdown of the latest happenings in the NBA, covering potential trades, the impact of injuries, and a note on a departing sports editor.
Pistons’ Pursuit of Frontcourt Help
The Detroit Pistons are actively seeking frontcourt improvements, and several names are circulating in trade discussions.While Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic is performing exceptionally well, exceeding even his teammates in production and chance creation, acquiring him seems unlikely.
Utah’s Lauri Markkanen is a potential target, but his value will command a significant price. The possibility of Dallas shopping Anthony Davis has been mentioned, but his injury history makes him a risky acquisition for Detroit’s developing team. DeMar DeRozan, currently with the Chicago Bulls, presents a more affordable contract option, and sacramento is reportedly open to moving players. Other intriguing options include Trey Murphy III from the New Orleans Pelicans and a potential short-term rental of Michael Porter Jr. from the Brooklyn Nets. https://www.espn.com/nba/trade-rumors
Nuggets Eyeing Ball-Handling Depth
The Denver Nuggets, after a productive offseason, are now looking to add secondary ball-handling to support Jamal Murray. aaron Gordon’s recurring injury concerns highlight the need for additional playmaking options. https://www.nba.com/nuggets
Injury Crisis Threatens Awards Races
A surge in calf strains and other soft-tissue injuries is becoming a major concern across the NBA, echoing the Achilles tendon injuries that impacted the 2024 playoffs. This trend could significantly influence the upcoming awards races.
The new collective bargaining agreement requires players to appear in at least 65 of 82 games to be eligible for awards like All-NBA teams, which have substantial financial implications. The increased physicality of the game is making it challenging for players to meet this threshold. This raises the question of whether the actual All-NBA selections will truly represent the league’s 15 best players if injuries continue at this rate. https://www.nba.com/news/nba-injury-report-week-13-2023-24
The MVP race is currently shaping up to be a tight contest between Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Nikola Jokic (Denver nuggets), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – provided they can stay healthy. https://www.nba.com/mvp
Farewell to Matt Schubert
The Denver Post recently said goodbye to sports editor Matt Schubert, who departed on November 22nd. Schubert was instrumental in the quality of sports coverage at the Post and provided strong leadership to his team.
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