“Yeah, Mike!”

Among the many Denver Nuggets fanbase, this two-word meme has come to embody a notion of Michael Porter Jr.’s sport and mindset on the courtroom, and every part it entails may be troublesome to elucidate to these much less initiated within the methods of MPJ.

“Yeah, Mike!” is used principally affectionately, albeit with maybe a contact of eye-rolling, and often in moments when, if given even a sliver of an opportunity, Porter goes forward and shoots his shot. It folds within the nuances of each his tendency at instances to get a laser-focused tunnel imaginative and prescient on the basket, and a simultaneous protection of that the place, as a profession .404 three-point shooter with an elite .631 true taking pictures proportion, he arguably ought to have the inexperienced gentle to fireside away, even when his shot choice may be lower than optimum at instances.

Porter himself could have defined it finest in his postgame presser after Denver’s win over the Los Angeles Clippers in sport 5 of the second spherical of the 2020 NBA playoffs, by which he drilled an extremely clutch three-pointer that helped ice the victory. The Nuggets at that time had been down three video games to at least one within the sequence, and Porter’s massive shot was a pivotal turning level of their securing a historic and inconceivable second-consecutive 3-1 playoff sequence comeback victory that carried them to the Western Convention Finals.

“Everyone is aware of it is wasn’t one of the best shot choice,” Porter mentioned with an enormous smile, “however one thing made me shoot it, so I shot it.”

“One thing,” whether or not utterly subconsciously, purely intentional, or someplace in between, has tended to “make” Michael Porter Jr. shoot it at a excessive quantity a lot of the time when the ball involves him. And little epitomizes the “Yeah, Mike!” essence greater than when he runs the courtroom in transition and pulls up for the three-pointer early within the shot clock.

The outcomes of those fast quick break threes are, in fact, hit or miss, and vary from, at finest, igniting the house crowd at Ball Enviornment right into a frenzy to, in worse circumstances, head coach Michael Malone calling a fast frustration timeout to go away Porter sitting on the bench some time to ponder his selections.

However all of this institution of the “Yeah, Mike!” expertise which each highlights Porter’s superlative taking pictures ability whereas additionally elevating eyebrows about his generally questionable decision-making is to put the inspiration for the case that, if early indicators this season are any indication, he’s really displaying marked enchancment in studying learn how to higher function inside the movement of Denver’s offense, and being extra selective – and maybe much less impulsive – about taking these opportunistic shot makes an attempt.

Earlier than attending to some examples of this under, particularly with respect to assists, it must be acknowledged that Porter’s help price is definitely down from 8.9% final season to six.1% to date this time round, based on Basketball-Reference. He has, in truth made seven assists in six video games, and it stays very early within the season, so that is all about early indicators that needs to be taken with grains of salt.

So in making the case that Porter is bettering his understanding and skill to higher play inside the movement of a Nuggets offense which revolves round back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic, an adjustment which he has tended to battle with early in his NBA profession, the suggestion is just not that Porter has grow to be a dramatically higher playmaker, and the argument depends extra on the “eye check” than a development that’s identifiable in his statistics.

However his willingness, and possibly even eagerness, to correctly match into Denver’s offensive schemes as they’re conceived has been obvious at instances this season with extra frequency and consistency than he’s proven earlier than.

Feeding Jokic within the submit is a vital part of Denver’s offense when he’s on the courtroom. Within the first clip above, fairly than jacking up a three-pointer when Jokic delivers him the ball on the perimeter (a bent he’s proven earlier than), Porter accurately reads the play and hits Jokic on the reduce for the layup. And once more on the second possession proven right here, fairly than taking pictures the contested three as Damian Lillard closes out on him, MPJ strikes the ball alongside to Bruce Brown, who Lillard left to cowl Porter, and Brown drains the triple. This play exhibits not solely a willingness from Porter to cross up a worse shot for a greater one, but additionally a greater consciousness of how his personal gravity on the courtroom can open up his teammates.

I categorized the 2 assists above as “unselfish” performs, as they’re conditions the place Porter has previously proven extra of an inclination to fireside at will as quickly because the ball touches his fingers, however right here he exhibits not solely the disposition to maintain the ball shifting, however a greater courtroom consciousness when it comes to how and the place his teammates are shifting.

Within the first clip, Porter makes a terrific learn because the protection strikes to double-team him, dishing to Brown on the baseline reduce for a pleasant reverse layup. Subsequent, after receiving the ball from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the quick break, he passes up the floater try (you’ll be able to nearly visibly, tangibly seeing him eager to shoot and deciding to not), as an alternative flipping a artful behind-the-back help to Jamal Murray for the bucket. And whereas it’s most likely not a terrific concept for MPJ to aim too many extra behind-the-back dimes, the salient level right here is, once more, that he handed up a worse shot for a greater one.

Usually all through his profession, the ball has tended to be “sticky” when it reaches Porter’s fingers, as given the choice (even when it’s not the optimum one), he’s most popular to hold onto the rock and shoot his shot. Within the first clip right here, fairly than working to the arc and pulling up for a transition three-pointer we noticed many instance of above, Porter scans the courtroom and finds rookie teammate Christian Braun in nice place on the run-out, sending the ball up the courtroom his means for the layup and the foul. He equally seems to make the short lead cross on the subsequent play to Bones Hyland, who drains the uncontested three-pointer.

Porter’s apparently elevated understanding and willingness to play withing Denver’s prescribed movement advantages each himself, because the ball will inevitably hold coming again round to him, however with higher seems and better belief from his teammates, and the Nuggets, whose offense will perform at a better stage with all components working easily collectively.