Michael Porter Jr. has made 48.9% of his three-point attempts this season while shooting a high volume (7.8 per game). The Nuggets forward believes the pace is sustainable, as he told Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “Fifty percent (from) three, to me, is not an unrealistic number,” Porter said. “I’m not saying that that’s easy to do, but I missed a lot of shots that I feel like I should make, and I’m at 50%. … I think in high school I shot like 75% from three. Like, literally.”
We have more from the Western Division:
- Nuggets rookie Christian Braun has guarded a wide variety of players in the first two weeks and held his ground, Sean Keeler of the Denver Post writes. The coaching staff has been impressed by the first-round pick. “He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t get rattled,” coach Michael Malone said. “He’s just really, you know, a Cool Hand Luke, calm, cool, collected … aggressive, drives and finishes. A fun kid to watch.” Braun is averaging 17.7 minutes off the bench.
- The revamped Jazz have surprised a lot of people but not one of their former All-Stars. Donovan Mitchell says Utah still has plenty of talent, the Cavs guard told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “They got hoopers,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know why everybody was so quick to write them off. I think they got phenomenal leaders in that locker room. Mike Conley is a phenomenal leader. Jordan Clarkson is a phenomenal leader. Then they got Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen, guys who can really go … Malik Beasley. Like, they’re just not some slump. They have guys that can really go.”
- Tari Eason has brought a much-needed defensive mean streak to the Rockets, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. Eason, a rookie forward out of LSU, is averaging 16.8 minutes off the bench and one of his coaches draws a comparison to a well-known agitator. “He’s a prime example of a better Dennis Rodman,” Rockets lead assistant John Lucas said of the 17th overall pick. “That is a good fit for him. I have been trying to see who he plays like. You don’t have to run plays for him, but you can pencil in 16 to 18 points for him, and he is getting better. He is crashing the offensive glass. He is running the floor and getting steals.”
MPJ Still has a chance to be the 3rd best player of that draft. Since he is 3rd fiddle in Denver, he will never overtake Luka or Trae.
That’s not the only reason he won’t overtake them.
He could be more efficient than Trae, with the ability to be a much better defender.
He will likely never put up a bunch of double-doubles like Trae can, but that’s more due to their differences in the positions they play and their respective roles on their teams.
Even if MPJ hits his ceiling, I don’t think he can overtake Luka, but I think he could eventually surpass Trae due to being a better all-around defender and a much more efficient scorer.
He certainly has a ways to go defensively, but if Wiggins can turn into a good defender there is no reason MPJ cannot.
At one point, players averaged a lower FG% wide open than they did when they were guarded by Wiggins…lol From a numbers standpoint, Wiggins was historically bad…
Plus, MPJ has typically had to use his offseasons just simply getting healthy. Now that he is healthy, and hopefully his injuries are behind him, he can use his offseasons to train and to improve upon some of his weaknesses. He can focus on his handles and his versatility, continuing to add to his game offensively. Plus, with him being healthy, he should be able to really hit the weight room, add a little miscle to his frame, get stronger, and it should help him become a better defender, and it should also benefit his ability to hit the glass and pull down more rebounds..
I’m sorry he’s not even the best performing “Porter Jr” let alone Trae or Luka. He is/will be a good 3&d third option man maybe strong 2nd if he keeps improving.
Trae is overly underrated because he’s short. With the exception of Steph & Luka he’s the best PG in the league(yes better than current Ja, Kyrie, Dame etc) deffo best in east and he’s not a terrible defender, just not Jrue or Smart level.
Trae is not a good defender, he’s not even an average defender, he’s below average at best.
He’s really good offensively, but he’s inefficient. If he could become a more efficient scorer, and improve his turnovers then AND ONLY then will be become one of the best PGs in the league.
There is a reason Atlanta desperately needed to go out and get Murray. They needed an answer as a second ballhandler for when Trae gets trapped, and they desperately needed someone to pair with him that is a strong perimeter defender with size…
I love me some ice Trae, I live in Georgia, they are always on TV, and I watch him frequently. He can be very exciting, and a real clutch player at times, and he does set up his teammates well. There are also times where he turns the ball over, throws up unnecessary deep threes way too early in the possession, and gets picked on and purposely targeted defensively..
Until he’s able to mature his game, that’s the only thing holding Trae back..
Firstly I have to point out im far from Atlanta fan.
But I wouldn’t say he’s a poor defender, he’s just as good as first few years Steph, or other guards that are undersized. He’s a better perimeter defender than Mitchell, Brunson or most others his size. Even Ja is weak as a perimeter defender, he just has the hops to get a chase back block or two to hide it.
No argument his D won’t make a deep PO run and the Murray deal In my eyes is one of the best deals of the off and will show later this year. Especially at the cost!
I think you’re right with the deep 3 efficiency, it looks like he’s desperate to hang with Steph and Dame as a deep3 guy but his floater game is the best in the league, focus on that kid!. It’s down to maturity as you said, we saw it in the AS game trying to go toe to toe with Stephs shooting, it didn’t work.
What I will say outside of Luka he’s the guy I’d want on my team at the point. And he is deffo underrated in the league. (However, ask me in 2 years I may say Cade or Scoot)
Completely agree…BTW Trae’s float game is on point, and one of the best like you said. He doesn’t need to be a lock down defender in the perimeter, especially with Murray, and I completely agree with you. The Murray acquisition was quietly one of the best deals any team has made recently. Murray is severely underrated for what all he brings to the table.
If those two really get to gelling together, and if Hunter can play at a borderline all-star level as a solid two-way player, then the Hawks could very well make another run. Except this time it won’t be due to other teams suffering injuries, and it will be because the Hawks are simply just that good and complete of a team.
I also think Cade could be a top PG in the league, but he has a LONG way to go from a maturation standpoint before he can be considered one of the top guys. He has ALL the tools, he just has to put everything together, gain some more experience, slow everything down, and learn how to better mix up his game between passing and attacking. Right now, he seems to go in phases of being too aggressive, and then becoming too passive at times. He just needs to find that happy medium, while also getting Bojan, Ivey, Stewart, Bey, and his other teammates involved and going. They have alot of the pieces already in place, the Pistons just have to learn to gel together, and when their shots aren’t falling use their defense and athleticism to help their offense.
Also, I’m definitely intrigued by this upcoming class with Scoot and Windybanana or whatever his name is..lol
I’m jk, Wembanyama’s tools are just so tantalizing GMs have to be drooling over the possibility of adding him to their franchise. Not that Scoot is some consolation prize, as he’s just as likely to become a star, except he doesn’t come with all the risks that you’d expect from someone Wembanyama’s size. (Possible knee troubles, back troubles, foot problems, etc.)
It isn’t just those two either, as there are about a handful or so of other prospects that could legitimately become potential perennial all-stars in the league, Plus, between now and the draft you never know which players are going to significantly improve their draft stock, so this upcoming draft class is definitely going to be one of the more entertaining to follow in recent years for sure!! I don’t think any of then have the pure, raw talent to match Wembanyama nor Scoot, but there will be quite a few studs from this draft definitely
.
Btw, I’m not a Hawks fan either, I’m a Bulls fan..lol
But the Hawks are an I triguing team to watch, and they’re always on, so I get to see them alot more, and it is alot more convenient than having to stream the Bulls off my phone..lol
Murray is a top player, it was a big snub him not getting AS last year, but that backcourt is title contender, I’d say it’s more if Capella can prove his worth defending the Jokic&Embiids of the league that will be the main question from the Haws.
And completely agree, my issue with Cade is his ability to show up. Especially with another top guy, his usage rate is sky high RN but how good can he be on a good team having to share the ball more? He’s similar to Green’s hot&cold form but Green has Porter to take the lead when he’s off(the last 3 games). One thing is true both cade&green can be AllNBA level if they mature right.
Wemby has up to 10 teams tanking this year but the real reason is Scoot is the best consolation prize anyone could get and there are a few good prospects onwards. I would struggle to Scoot in 21&19 drafts but every other recent draft he goes 1 based on pre nba scouting. It’ll be fun to see how the tankathon affects the league this year.
MPJ has accepted being a “role” player alongside of Jokic. He is doing what he is best at. Shooting with size. He is no longer trying to prove he is the best player in the world. He got his Rookie Max contract, and is playing the role that is best suited for his game, and the role that is the best for the team.
Denver is dangerous!
They have the 2nd best player in the world currently in Jokic. Denver has done a great job of building the right pieces around the franchise.
Giannis vs. Jokic in the Finals will be compelling to watch. Two best players in the world currently. Going head-to-head for the title. I believe it will happen. Milwaukee vs. Denver
They’ll be even more dangerous when their big three stays healthy enough to use their offseasons to grow and truly gel together.
Instead of just having to focus on getting healthy, imagine Murray and MPJ actually getting an offseason to train, get stronger, evolve their games, mature, and improve mentally and physically.
Those three could be scary for a long time if they can stay healthy, especially if Gordon continues playing as an excellent, two-way complimentary piece…
Agreed! Denver is far, far from playing their best basketball right now. Murray and MPJ will only get better. They even got 13 rebounds out of DeAndre Jordan the other night.
MPJ is, as expected, earning every cent of his new max contract, fantastic to see him balling out!
Way to go Christian Whooo. Micheal your welcome.