Denver Nuggets: The success of Michael Porter Jr.’s blunder

Rookie Michael Porter Jr. may have spoken out of turn after Game 4…but the Denver Nuggets rallied to win a playoff series in his prescribed fashion. Coincidence?

Just days ago, Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

“To beat this team, we’ve gotta get more players involved,” Porter said after Denver’s Game 4 loss to the LA Clippers, as he launched a highly-publicized postgame rant highlighting the errors of his organization.

He went on to describe Denver’s Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray-heavy offense as predictable, and then questioned head coach Mike Malone’s play-calling. The reactions across the NBA were overwhelmingly negative, and the national media showed some interest in the Denver Nuggets, for once. Almost all agreed Porter should do this behind closed doors, if at all – certainly not at a media event.

But what if this public scolding saved the Nuggets from a larger punishment, such as a meek second-round exit?

What if this Denver team needed its predictable strategies, simple offense, and foolish attempts to defeat Kawhi Leonard and Paul George via battering ram to be condemned in the ridiculous form of a slouched rookie bashing his own team through mouthfuls of packaged post-game snack?

It looked bad. But this star-studded, championship-favorited LA Clippers team blowing a 3-1 lead and headed home at the hands of a massive underdog looks worse.

And the flaws Porter mentioned, most notably the team’s top-heavy offense, improved immediately following his remarks.

Porter’s words drove action from the Denver Nuggets

Let’s look at the numbers:

Denver’s Game 4 offense was, in fact, predictable. Only Murray and Jokic attempted more than eight shots, and Denver totaled just 85 points, its second-lowest output of the postseason. Although Porter scored 15 points in the first half, he attempted just two shots in the second, as he was inexplicably frozen from the offense. Five of Denver’s nine players scored seven points or less.

Game 5 (the first game after Porter’s comments) told a different story and sparked a revival that pushed Denver to its improbable series win. Paul Millsap scored 17 points, leading a Nuggets offense that saw improved ball movement. Jerami Grant and Monte Morris reached double-figures, scoring 12 and 10, respectively, while Porter scored 7 points in the game’s final 1:11.

Harris scored 16 points in a hard-fought, come-from-behind Game 6 win, a contest Denver trailed by as many as 19 in the third quarter. Porter contributed 13 points and Morris chipped in 10, as the Nuggets used a well-balanced attack to suddenly tie the series at three games apiece.

Game 7 would be a high-scoring Jokic affair, right? Nope. Instead, the big-man gobbled up 22 rebounds and handed out 13 assists, which rendered him a hugely impactful player despite scoring just 16 points. Meanwhile, Grant and Harris scored 14 points each as Denver rode it’s third straight well-balanced scoring effort to thump the Clippers in remarkable fashion.

Thank you, Michael Porter Jr., for having the guts to voice the exact concepts Denver so desperately needed to hear said aloud, even if many within the organization silently knew these flaws.

Still, it’s not that simple. Hopefully, Porter speaks to coaches behind closed doors next time he takes issue with strategies, as the delivery was executed poorly. This part is fairly indisputable, as numerous NBA players tweeted disapproving reactions to Porter’s comments.

Yet, the Nuggets are fortunate to have such a player, one who speaks up and takes action, versus withholding his opinion and sulking. Like it or not, Denver’s play dramatically improved after these comments, and now the Nuggets are headed back to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009.

Perhaps this is a story of Porter’s (developing) leadership qualities that will prove vital to this Nuggets team in coming years, instead of the loudmouthed rookie many believe him to be? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, bring on Denver-Los Angeles 2.0. Who would’ve predicted this last week?