Emotional Return for Porter Jr. Not Enough as Nuggets Survive Nets in Crunch Time
It wasn’t just another Thursday night at Ball Arena. The air was thick with nostalgia and the kind of tension that only comes when a former champion returns to the floor where he helped raise a banner. Michael Porter Jr., a key piece of the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 title run, came back to Colorado wearing Brooklyn black and white, determined to remind the city—and the front office that traded him—exactly what they were missing.
He did just that, pouring in a season-high 38 points in a dazzling individual performance. But in the end, the Nuggets, battered by injuries and missing their MVP, leaned on their remaining championship DNA to spoil the homecoming. Behind a clutch fourth-quarter takeover from Jamal Murray and unexpected contributions from the bench, Denver held on for a gritty 107-103 victory.
Murray Takes Over When It Matters Most
For three quarters, the story was Porter Jr.’s brilliance. But the fourth quarter belonged to Jamal Murray. With Nikola Jokic sidelined for the fourth straight week, the Nuggets needed an alpha to close the show, and their veteran point guard obliged.
Murray scored nine of his 27 points in the final 2:26 of regulation, essentially willing his team across the finish line. The defining sequence came with the game hanging in the balance. After Brooklyn rookie Nolan Traore gave the Nets a lead—their first since the opening minutes—Murray went to work. He hit a tough turnaround jumper to stabilize the offense, followed immediately by a fearless drive to the rim that resulted in a three-point play.
It was vintage Murray: quiet for stretches, only to become undeniable when the pressure was highest. He iced the game at the free-throw line, ensuring Denver snapped their frustrating three-game home losing streak.
Porter Jr.’s Bittersweet Homecoming
The night began with love. The Nuggets organization honored Porter Jr. with a video tribute during the first timeout, eliciting a roaring standing ovation from the Ball Arena faithful. Porter, clearly moved, acknowledged the crowd that watched him grow from a rookie with a bad back into a max-contract sharpshooter.
Once the ball was in play, however, the pleasantries vanished. Porter Jr. was aggressive from the jump, hitting 7-of-15 from deep and pulling down 10 rebounds. He seemed to take the matchup personally, torching his former teammates from every angle. It was a stark reminder of the “business” side of basketball—the Nuggets traded him in the offseason to navigate salary cap restrictions, a move that clearly still stings for the forward.
“He’s just so damn tall,” Nuggets coach David Adelman joked post-game, acknowledging the nightmare of guarding his former player. For a moment in the fourth quarter, when Porter stole the ball and laid it in to tie the game at 90, it felt like he might single-handedly steal the win.
Depleted Nuggets Find Strength in Numbers
While Murray provided the closing arguments, he didn’t keep the Nuggets in the game alone. Denver’s depth was severely tested Thursday night. They were missing four starters, including Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun.
In their absence, Tim Hardaway Jr. stepped up with his best performance in a Denver uniform. The veteran sharpshooter tied a season-high with seven 3-pointers, finishing with 25 points. His spacing was critical in the first half, allowing the Nuggets to build an early lead while the Nets struggled to find a rhythm.
Peyton Watson also proved vital, chipping in 19 points and providing the defensive versatility Denver desperately misses without Gordon. Watson nearly turned from hero to goat in the dying seconds, fouling Terance Mann on a 3-point attempt with Denver up five, but the Nuggets secured the rebound on the final missed free throw to seal the result.
Looking Ahead for Denver
This wasn’t a pretty win, but for a Nuggets team treading water without their three-time MVP, it was a necessary one. Improving to 32-16, they remain in the hunt for the top of the Western Conference, sitting just six games back of Oklahoma City.
The victory showcased the resilience of a squad that, even when stripped to its bones, knows how to win tight games. They weathered the emotional storm of Porter Jr.’s return and the physical toll of a depleted roster.
The Nuggets will look to carry this momentum into Friday night as they host the Los Angeles Clippers, hoping to get healthier as the playoff push intensifies. For now, they can take a breath, knowing they survived their old friend’s best shot.
