Denver, CO
When Nuggets struggled to find offense against Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. delivered: “I’ve done that my whole career”
Michael Porter Jr. didn’t want the Nuggets to go back to Los Angeles for Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series. He said it might’ve been spooky if they did.
So on Monday night when Denver faced a third-quarter deficit against the Lakers, Porter took it upon himself to make sure his team wasn’t preparing for another plane ride.
Down by four points, Porter drove to the rim for a layup. Moments later, he had the ultimate green light, catching a pass from Nikola Jokic and draining a corner 3-pointer that cut Denver’s deficit to one.
Jamal Murray’s game-winning jumper secured Denver a spot in the second round and continued the Nuggets’ dominance over Los Angeles. But Porter’s impressive shooting effort, which had been on display throughout the series, helped set Murray up to be the hero in the 108-106 victory in Game 5.
“I was knocking down shot (after) shot. I’ve done that my whole career,” Porter said.
As Denver struggled to find offense in the first round against the Lakers, Porter was a model of consistency. He averaged 22.8 points per game while shooting over 50% from the floor.
Against Los Angeles in Game 5, he scored 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Not only was he a sniper from the 3-point line, he attacked the rim and showcased his entire offensive bag.
“Michael Porter’s offense in this series was incredible,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “Buckets were hard to come by but Michael hit some timely shots. And when he didn’t have his shot, he was able to get downhill and get pressure on the rim.”
Whenever the Nuggets struggled or were in a tight situation, they turned to Porter.
Denver was down by six in the first quarter when Porter’s 3-pointer ignited a 10-0 scoring run that gave the Nuggets a four-point lead at the end of the frame.
In the third quarter, as the Lakers attempted to grow a three-point halftime lead, Porter scored 12 points to push Denver ahead. With 1:35 left in the third, Aaron Gordon found Porter wide-open on the corner, where he buried a 3-pointer to give Denver a 74-69 lead.
In the fourth quarter when Lakers guard Austin Reaves scored a go-ahead basket, Porter answered by knocking down his fifth 3-pointer on the other end.
“Every time we needed a big shot (or) went on a drought, he was there,” Gordon said. “(He’s) so solid.”
The Nuggets’ two-man game of Murray and Jokic has been a driving force of their success. But in Denver’s quest to repeat as champions, it might require Porter to continue being a microwave scorer.
Up next is a second-round series against the Timberwolves, one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Porter shot 46% from the floor and 38.1% from deep in four games against Minnesota during the regular season. His steady performance against the Lakers offers hope he’s ready to rise to the challenge.
“He settled us (down) all series long,” Gordon said.
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The Denver Broncos are in the market for a running back.
Just two days after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Denver wants to have the running back position addressed before the draft, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Broncos are “poised to make a splash” at running back during NFL free agency.
“Denver is the reason why the Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall rather than the transition tag, according to sources, making sure Denver wouldn’t get the opportunity to put together an offer the Jets would refuse to match,” Jones wrote for CBS Sports.
Jones said the Broncos would be an obvious potential landing spot for Kenneth Walker, and he noted that Travis Etienne could be a cheaper alternative. The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider also reported this week that Denver is expected to “closely examine” the RB market, and he name-dropped Walker, Etienne and Rico Dowdle.
The Broncos also have an in-house free agent at RB in J.K. Dobbins, who has expressed his desire to remain in Denver. The Broncos can begin negotiating with pending free agents from other clubs on March 9, but no deals can become official until the new league year begins on March 11. In-house free agents can be re-signed at any time.
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.
At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.
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Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.
Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.
Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.
Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.
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Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.
Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win
In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.
Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.
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Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller
The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.
New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.
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