Denver, CO

Michael Porter Jr. enjoys best game of season, expects to stay with Denver Nuggets after trade deadline

Published

1 year ago

February 4, 2025

Michael Porter Jr. enjoys best game of season, expects to stay with Denver Nuggets after trade deadline

There was a good reason Michael Porter Jr. looked mighty comfortable in Denver three days before the NBA deadline.

If the Nuggets want to make a big deal ahead of the Thursday afternoon deadline, Porter would almost certainly be involved. Nikola Jokic, who dialed up another triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, isn’t going anywhere. Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray can’t be moved after signing their respective contract extensions in September. That leaves Porter as the only player on the Nuggets’ roster who makes more than $9 million who could be moved.

That’s apparently something he doesn’t have to worry about.

“We’re not trading Michael Porter,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after his team beat New Orleans, 125-113, on Monday at Ball Arena. “So, I’m not touching base with anybody on that.”

Malone’s conversations with Porter have been about more meaningful parts of the game as it relates to the Nuggets’ success moving forward.

“I’m touching base with guys on better defense, better spacing, taking care of the ball,” Malone said.

Porter finished with 36 points on 22 field goal attempts and was perfect on five free throws. He made seven of the 12 3s he attempted and added seven rebounds, two assists and one block with just one turnover.

“Michael was great tonight,” Porter said. “I have to give him a lot of credit.”

Despite missing his first four shots, Porter got into double figures a little more than 10 minutes into the game and finished the first half with a team-high 20 points to go with six rebounds thanks to a four-point play and a couple of free throws late in the second quarter.

“I didn’t let that deter my aggressiveness,” Porter said of the inefficient start. “That was a positive. I think I got a lot of 3s by the way they were guarding our team.”

Porter hit his fourth and fifth 3-pointers in the third quarter and put Denver up 14 with his sixth early in the fourth. The seventh 3 of Porter’s night gave him his first 30-point game of the season. Many other teams would like that kind of offensive production, but Porter also believes he’s in Denver for the foreseeable future.

“As long as I’m here, I’m going to be here, and I’m going to be happy, and I’m going to play hard and try to be available and try to help win games,” Porter said. “If the day came where they wanted to trade me and they wanted to go a different direction, then I’ll be excited for the new opportunity, but it’s not something I think about at all. It’s nothing that I’m stressed about, anxious about. I let my agent have those conversations with our front office. From what I’ve heard, they’re not interested in moving me, but that can change. Regardless, I’m blessed to be able to play this game, and I’m blessed to be able to be here in Denver. I’m happy to be here, for sure.”

The last time Porter had a 30-point game was last March’s win over the Knicks. One more 3-pointer would’ve matched his career high in points and made 3s in a game, but it’s looking like he’ll have plenty more opportunities to record more career-highs in a Nuggets uniform.

“If there’s something coming, obviously, (general manager) Calvin (Booth) will talk with me, and I’m sure we’ll communicate with whatever players, but Michael is a really important piece,” Malone said. “Michael helped us win a championship.”

NUGGETS 125, PELICANS 113

What happened: Denver took a 10-point advantage to the second quarter and extended the lead to 68-50 at halftime. Trey Murphy III’s massive third quarter helped New Orleans close within eight to start the fourth, but the Nuggets held on to improve to 31-19 on the season.

What went right: The Nuggets dominated inside, finishing the night with a 60-38 advantage in points in the paint. New Orleans had no answer for Nikola Jokic, who made 8 of 10 shots inside the arc.

What went wrong: Pelicans kept it close by outscoring the Nuggets by 18 from 3-point range. New Orleans went 18 for 38 (47.4%) to Denver’s 12 for 33 (36.4%).

Highlight of the night: Trey Murphy III’s windmill finish off a lob from Zion Williamson early in the third quarter was the most impressive individual feat of the night. Michael Porter Jr.’s put-back dunk after an unsuccessful alley-oop attempt from Jamal Murray to Christian Braun was Denver’s best play of the night.

Up next: The Pelicans stay in Denver for Wednesday’s rematch at Ball Arena.

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Related Topics:denver nugets Featured michael malone Michael Porter Jr.NBA basketball New Orleans Pelicans Nikola Jokic

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Denver, CO

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic finishes 2nd in MVP voting; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeats

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic finishes 2nd in MVP voting; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander repeats

Two of the top three players in the NBA will face each other Monday. The other, according to MVP voters, will be watching from the couch.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic finished in second place in the 2025-26 MVP vote, the league announced Sunday night. In what was widely regarded as a three-horse race, Jokic was a distant runner-up but extended his streak of top-two finishes to six consecutive years, joining Bill Russell and Larry Bird as the only players to do so.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was crowned MVP for the second straight season. San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, just 22 years old, placed third. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year last month. The Spurs and Thunder are set to compete in the Western Conference Finals starting Monday night.

The award is decided by a panel of 100 voters who cover the NBA and its teams for various local, national and international media outlets. Jokic appeared on all 100 ballots, earning 10 first-place votes and 48 second-place nods. He was third on 37 ballots, fourth on four, fifth on one.

Gilgeous-Alexander received the lion’s share of the first-place votes with 83. Wembanyama got five votes for first. Ballots are submitted before the playoffs begin, ensuring that only the regular season is taken into account — meaning that Denver’s first-round exit had no bearing on the tally this year.

Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game, marking the seventh time in NBA history that a player has averaged a triple-double. Jokic, Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson are the only players to accomplish the feat. Jokic has done it two seasons in a row.

He shot 56.9% from the field, 38% from 3-point range and 83.1% from the foul line, good for a 67% true shooting clip that ranked fifth in the league. At 66.5%, Gilgeous-Alexander was the only non-center to rank in the top eight. He averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the defending champion and first-place Thunder.

Jokic’s season was split in two parts by a knee injury he suffered on Dec. 29, 2025, in Miami. Before he limped off the court with a bone bruise, he was averaging 29.6 points on 67% shooting inside the arc and 43.5% shooting outside it. After he returned a month later, his scoring dropped to 25.8 points per game at a 60.3% clip from 2-point range and an inefficient 31.9% mark from deep.

His shooting splits were even worse in the playoffs — 55.3% from two, 19.4% from three as the Timberwolves eliminated Denver in six games. The Serbian big man struggled to contend with four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert for most of the series. The Nuggets failed to advance to the second round for the first time since 2022.

Jokic has won three regular-season MVPs in his career, in addition to NBA Finals MVP in 2023 when he led Denver to its first championship. He’s eligible to sign a contract extension this summer.

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Denver, CO

Match Report: Orlando Pride drops 3-1 decision to Denver Summit FC | Orlando Pride

Published

17 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Match Report: Orlando Pride drops 3-1 decision to Denver Summit FC | Orlando Pride

DENVER, Colo. (May 16, 2026) – The Orlando Pride (3-5-2, 11 points) were defeated by Denver Summit FC (3-3-3, 12 points) via a 3-1 scoreline in the Club’s first-ever visit to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.

Denver opened the scoring early when Eva Gaetino crashed in at the far post to finish off a corner kick in the 10th minute of play. The home side doubled its advantage in the 54th minute via a Janine Sonis penalty kick.

Orlando was reduced to 10 players in the 63rd minute after Angelina received a direct red card. Despite their numerical advantage, the visitors pulled a goal back in the 76th minute when Barbra Banda broke through on goal from Haley McCutcheon’s pass and slotted home her league-leading ninth goal of the season.

The Summit responded just a minute later as Sonis tallied her second of the night after capitalizing on a rebound inside the Pride’s box, effectively putting the game out of reach.

The Pride will complete their three-game road trip with a visit to San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, May 24 (7 p.m. ET; Victory+).

Head Coach Seb Hines:

“Frustrating. I sound like a broken record right now. Disappointed with the goal that we conceded, a set piece. We struggled with the way Denver were playing out from the back, playing through the lines. We made some good adjustments at halftime. I thought we started the second half really well. The sending off changes the whole game, but I won’t talk about that. And yeah, we were just battling until the end. There were obviously some gaps that started opening. We put ourselves in a really good position at 2-1 with a lot of time left and then let ourselves down with the third goal. We’ll analyze it and move on. We’ve been on the road now for about a week. It’s not gone our way—we’ve got to bounce back, show some resilience and come out stronger against San Diego.”

The Pride will complete their three-game road trip with a visit to San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, May 24 (7 p.m. ET; Victory+).

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Denver, CO

Forget Denver, Retire To An Underrated Utah City Near Gorgeous Canyons Instead (And It’s Affordable) – Islands

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Forget Denver, Retire To An Underrated Utah City Near Gorgeous Canyons Instead (And It’s Affordable) – Islands

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If you’ve ever made the scenic drive from Las Vegas to the popular Zion National Park, home to one of the five most beautiful canyons in the American West, you’ve likely passed through the city of St. George, Utah, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. For many travelers, St. George is little more than a smattering of gas stations and fast-food joints visible from Interstate 15. Look closer, though, and you’ll find that tucked into the area’s striking red cliffs is an underrated and historic destination, southern Utah’s largest city, and one of America’s top retirement destinations.

Retirees drawn to Denver’s outdoorsy vibe may want to instead consider the canyon views of St. George. Located near several state and national parks, it offers a smaller and generally more affordable alternative to the Mile High City. Plus, while both St. George and Denver get a lot of sunshine — averaging more than 250 sunny days annually — winters in southern Utah are typically milder than in central Colorado.

What makes St. George such a desirable place for retirees? And how is it more affordable than Denver? Let’s look at that and more in this guide to one of Utah’s most gorgeous yet underrated cities.

Retirees can explore mountains and canyons in St. George

Snow Canyon State Park near St. George, Utah

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St. George is famous for the red sandstone-ridged cliffs that hug the city’s edges and glow bright fire red at sunset. Outdoor lovers can explore the city’s stunning landscape through the numerous hiking and cycling trails, with nearby Snow Canyon State Park (pictured above) being a popular local spot for adventure. Sometimes called Zion’s “little sibling,” Snow Canyon State Park has soaring sandstone cliffs and 18 hiking trails that wind through black basalt, lava tubes, and a slot canyon. It also has four picnic areas, a campground, and a 4.3-mile scenic drive for those wishing to see the sights without having to hike. Whiptail Trail is paved and fairly level, making it a good choice for those unsteady on their feet or in a wheelchair. Snow Canyon State Park is only a 15-minute drive from St. George, and entrance to the park is affordably priced, costing just $10 per vehicle for Utah residents 65 and older.

St. George offers a number of paved and well-maintained walking and biking trails accessible to those with mobility issues. The 5.2-mile loop trail, Mayor’s Loop, tops AllTrails’ list of wheelchair-friendly trails in St. George. And “Nice paved trail, mostly flat. Great for birding,” one reviewer on AllTrails wrote about the 5.3-mile Virgin River Loop, which links to Mayor’s Loop.

In all, St. George boasts over 72 miles of paved trails, allowing retirees to easily partake in a range of outdoor recreational activities — from walking and jogging to cycling and birdwatching. With 14 golf courses located in and around it, this sunny southern Utah city is also becoming well known among golfers as an affordable year-round golf vacation destination.

A variety of affordable activities and a charming, walkable downtown

A woman standing in front of antique store in downtown St. George

Todd Bigelow/Shutterstock

While St. George may be a city of more than 100,000 residents, its walkable downtown feels charmingly small-town. From the park fountain and old-timey carousel to the Mormon temple and quaint antique shops, St. George has the vintage shine of a bygone era. However, its location less than two hours from Las Vegas and just 30 minutes from Zion National Park means that, small-town vibe or not, St. George is far from isolated.

The community also offers plenty of free and low-cost activities. The Red Hills Desert Garden has trails that wind through more than 5,000 plants and trees, Town Square Park offers free movie nights and an annual art festival, and the St. George Active Life Center provides seniors with more than 100 activities each month, many of which require only a small donation. Moreover, St. George and the surrounding area have several budget-friendly museums, including the free McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum and the Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum, which charges seniors $6.

Whether you’re looking to live in southern Utah year-round or just visit for a vacation, life in St. George is generally more affordable than in cities like Denver. Expenses are about 15% lower in St. George than in Denver, including things like food costs and public transportation. For example, a 10-ride bus card costs $5 for seniors in St. George and $13.50 in Denver.

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