The Nets have successfully beaten the Nuggets at home tonight in a 127-115 thumping in Brooklyn. This game marked the first game that Michael Porter Jr. played against his former team after his trade this summer.
He finished the game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 8-of-17 from the floor (47.1%) and 2-of-6 from the three-point line (33.3%) to lead scorers for the Nets.
Following the game, Porter Jr spoke to the media during the press conference about facing his former team. He admitted that he had this fixture marked on his schedule.
“I think I mentioned during the summer time that I was excited to have my first matchup against them. Really, ever since I’ve been traded, I’ve always been looking forward to playing against those guys, so it’s been circled on my calendar for a minute.”
“I probably felt a little bit more nervous for this one than for a lot of other games, but it was fun, though,” said Porter Jr. in his initial assessment.
This is why, despite having missed the last two Nets games due to illness, Porter Jr. likely ensured his availability tonight to go up against his former teammates.
The former Nuggets forward went from being the third option in Denver to the first option in Brooklyn after he was traded to the Nets for Cam Johnson this summer.
Since Porter Jr. was drafted by the Nuggets in 2018, he developed a personal connection to the people in that franchise that was much deeper than just basketball.
“Yeah, it was definitely an odd experience. I think, before tipoff, Jamal [Murray] mentioned it, like ‘yo it’s so weird actually going against you instead of being with you,'” Porter Jr. further added.
“Those are my brothers. I was with those guys for so many years. I was with them more than I was with family every single day. We won a championship together, and a few of those guys are some of my best friends.”
“So to compete against each other instead of with each other is definitely a different experience. But it’s the nature of the sport, and it’s cool that you can have friendships outside of basketball because they’re still my guys,” concluded Porter Jr.
The Nuggets were also shorthanded without Nikola Jokic, who has been sidelined with a hyperextended knee. But this game marked the return of Aaron Gordon from injury as well, who played in limited minutes tonight and still contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and two assists on 53.3% shooting from the field.
They had four players with 20+ points (Jamal Murray, Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Aaron Gordon), but no other players scored in double digits. Therefore, it was not enough to be at par with Porter Jr. and the Nets’ ancillary offense units (five other players scoring in double figures).
The Nets have improved their season record to 11-22 as the 13th seed in the East and move on to face the Magic in their next game at the Barclays Center on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets have fallen to 23-12 after their third game without Jokic and will face the 76ers on Tuesday (January 5).
