Porter Jr. Shines as Nets Defeat Nuggets 127–115.

Michael Porter Jr. delivered an impressive performance against his former franchise, scoring 27 points while leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 127–115 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday in New York. The win ended Brooklyn’s three-game losing streak. In his first matchup against Denver since being traded, Porter also collected 11 rebounds and handed out five assists. The Nuggets, meanwhile, dropped to 1–2 since losing star center Nikola Jokić, who is expected to miss close to a month with a hyperextended left knee. Denver welcomed back Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun from extended injury absences and received a standout showing from Jamal Murray. Murray totaled 27 points, a career-best 16 assists, and six rebounds. Gordon scored 20 points off the bench after missing 19 games with a hamstring injury, while Braun contributed four points in his return after sitting out 23 games due to an ankle injury. Brooklyn received additional scoring from Noah Clowney, who finished with 22 points. Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe each added 17 points, with Sharpe starting at center in place of Nic Claxton, who was unavailable for personal reasons. The Nets took a 59–52 lead into halftime after a strong second quarter from Porter. Brooklyn then pulled away in the third quarter, shooting 7-of-9 from beyond the arc and outscoring Denver 41–32 to enter the fourth quarter ahead 100–84.

Although Tim Hardaway Jr. briefly cut the deficit to 10 early in the final period, the Nets responded with a decisive 12–0 run, capped by seven straight points from Thomas. Hardaway led Denver with 26 points, but the Nuggets fell to 1–4 on their seven-game road trip. Cam Johnson did not play for Brooklyn due to a knee injury. The Nuggets continue their road trip with a visit to Philadelphia on Monday, while the Nets return home to host Orlando on Tuesday.