Nuggets HC Michael Malone Defends Michael Porter Jr. After Playoff Loss to Timberwolves…

The Denver Nuggets experienced a disappointing end to their 2024 NBA Playoff journey, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals after seven games. A notable point of contention was Michael Porter Jr.’s underperformance, which led him to accept blame for the early exit. However, head coach Michael Malone strongly defended Porter.

During the series against the Timberwolves, Porter averaged 10.7 points per game and had a three-point shooting percentage of 32.5%, a noticeable drop from his regular season averages of 16.7 points and 39.7% from beyond the arc. Porter acknowledged his struggles and expressed regret over his performance post-series.

“This was a terrible series,” Porter told Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “I felt like I might’ve had one or two good games out of the seven we played.”

“It’s just tough because I know if I would have played up to par with how I normally play, we would have won this series. And there’s a lot of things that could have been different as a team, but I know if I had played my part, we would have won the series. And I’ve got to live with that,” Porter added.

Despite Porter’s self-criticism, Malone made it clear he did not agree with Porter taking sole responsibility for the loss.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I couldn’t disagree with [MPJ] more. I don’t want Michael Porter putting the series loss on him. We win together, we lose together. Michael is a huge part of our team. We do not beat the LA Lakers without Michael Porter’s stellar play, efficient play,” Malone said, according to ClutchPoints’ Denver Nuggets Beat Reporter Rachel Strand.

Malone emphasized the importance of collective effort over individual performance and expressed confidence that the team would come back stronger in the 2024-25 season.

 Nuggets Plan for Future After Playoff Disappointment…

The Nuggets had high expectations for the 2023-24 season, bringing back many key players from their 2023 NBA Finals team and finishing the regular season with a 57-25 record, securing second place in the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic had another dominant season, averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 1.4 steals over 79 games, earning his third NBA MVP award.

Despite Jokic’s efforts in the series against the Timberwolves, Denver struggled against Minnesota’s strong defense, led by All-NBA defenders Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.

Looking ahead, the Nuggets are expected to focus on improving their shooting and frontcourt depth, according to ClutchPoints’ NBA Insider Brett Siegel. Increased support for Jokic and Aaron Gordon could be crucial for Denver’s future success. Maintaining consistent shooting performance from players like Porter and Jamal Murray will also be key.

The 2024-25 season will be a crucial period for the Nuggets as they aim to rebound and pursue another championship.