Nuggets point guard Monte Morris spoke with struggling teammate Michael Porter Jr. on Saturday night after the 2018 first-round draft pick played one of the worst games of his young NBA career. Porter, posting a career low minus-20 rating while shooting 3-of-11 from the field (1-of-7 from 3-point range), was understandably disappointed. “He expects to make every shot, so on nights that he kind of misses a few that he normally makes, he gets down on himself,” Morris said. However, as Morris played mentor for the second-year wing, it seems Porter turned over a new leaf in his NBA maturation. Porter’s response, according to Morris: “I’m not even really mad about my offense.” “His heart and his mind are on the right path,” Morris said. Porter’s ceiling as an elite scorer is well documented, even this season, with a pair of 30-point games. But inconsistency in other areas — such as defensive missteps and erratic effort — is especially magnified when Porter’s offense slips. The Kings made significant offensive runs Saturday for over 33 minutes with Porter on the floor. Porter’s plus-minus rating also dipped in recent losses to the Lakers (-9) and Spurs (-16). “Sometimes you have to participate in your own recovery. It’s not always the head coach’s job to (say), ‘Hey, I’m going to fix Michael Porter,’” coach Michael Malone said. “It starts with Michael and I have no doubt that he will be better next game. He’s just got to understand, defensively, that’s where we as a team … really need to commit.” Morris, the emotional leader of Denver’s second-unit, has provided similar advice to Porter. “There is more to the game than making baskets,” Morris said. “There is stuff that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet and things like that, and I try to tell him you can bring that on nights that you’re struggling from the field or making shots. I wouldn’t even call it a slump, because all it takes for him is to see a couple go (in the basket) and he can get going. … ...
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Why Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. embraces Nikola Jokic’s tough love: “He just expects a lot from me”
Michael Porter Jr. rose up for a contested 3-pointer against the Bucks — early in the shot-clock, no ball movement, with the Nuggets trailing in the fourth quarter — when Nikola Jokic could no longer hide his frustration. Porter’s jumper predictably clanked off the rim. Jokic hardly chased the rebound, but later ran over to Porter for some direct mentorship. Later that night, following a third straight Denver loss, Jokic said blankly: “I told (Porter) after the game: ‘That’s just a bad shot.’” Brutal honesty, it seems, is Jokic’s preferred leadership style. Porter embraces the tough love. “Me and Nikola’s relationship, a lot of it is him getting on me knowing I can be better,” Porter told reporters this week. “I don’t take any of that personally. I’m my biggest critic. I know I can be better, especially when I have bad games. We’ve got a good relationship on the court. He just expects a lot from me.” The Nuggets’ decision to select Porter with the 14th overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft continues to produce mixed returns. The weeks-long injury absence of shooting guard Gary Harris (thigh) has given Porter a starting audition in four games, entering Sunday’s home tilt vs. the Lakers, with the Nuggets 2-2 over that span. In losses to Sacramento and Milwaukee, Porter shot 30% from the floor with a combined minus-11.5 rating. He scored 8 points in each game. But in consecutive wins over the Cavaliers and Thunder, Porter responded by shooting at a 56% clip — including 5-of-13 from deep — with a combined 34 points and a plus-18.5 rating. Yet his hustle plays were arguably more impressive in a showcase of Porter’s continuing NBA maturation. “I wanted Michael Porter to know, in front of his teammates, that I thought he played a great game (against Cleveland),” coach Michael Malone said. “Mike has had games where he’s put up big numbers, but I thought Michael played a complete basketball game. Offensively, shooting the ball with confidence, spacing the floor ...
Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr: “I got tired of people saying I don’t play defense”
With his million-dollar smile and a finger pointed directly at reporters on the postgame Zoom call, Michael Porter Jr. let loose one of his most candid comments since the Bubble. Asked why he felt more prepared on defense — a comment he’d made just minutes earlier — Porter knew where he wanted to go with it. “I got tired of people saying I don’t play defense,” he said in the aftermath of Denver’s 111-106 win over Portland on Tuesday night. In a team-high 40 minutes, Porter’s offensive numbers (12 points) were modest. But he led the team in rebounds (10), and by Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s estimation, also led the team in shots contested (12). “It’s really just a readiness, knowing your opponent and then instead of reacting when actions are run, it’s more anticipating actions,” Porter said. “… But, yeah, I was tired of people like y’all saying I don’t play defense.” The truth is Porter’s defense has improved this season. Whether it’s simply a better grasp of his defensive obligations, a greater awareness in weak-side help situations, or even just sticking with cutters, Porter has made marked improvements. “I definitely feel better and more prepared and more ready to make rotations and things like that,” he said. Take Our Poll And though his offensive stats didn’t necessarily pop, his plus-8 was the second-best among the starters, better than even Nikola Jokic, who scored 41 points. In the glowing postgame news conference, Malone made a point of praising Porter’s defensive improvements, lauding him for his contests and rebounds. “For Michael Porter to lead us with 10 rebounds, for Michael Porter to lead us with 12 contested shots shows that he’s learning that it’s not just about me scoring the basketball,” Malone said. “… Tonight, I thought it was an all-around game for him. “I just like the place he’s in. I congratulated him. He said, ‘Coach, I just want to help this team win.’ I think he’s definitely growing up, maturing and ...
Whitney Young Jr.: An unsung hero of the civil rights movement
close Video America Together - Black History Month - Family of Whitney M. Young Jr. Whitney Young Jr. may not be as well-known as some of the towering figures of the civil rights movement, but he had just as much impact, if not more. While the 1960s raged with unrest, riots and protests, Young, as head of the National Urban League, took the battle to corporate boardrooms and civic meetings. He was one of the era's unsung heroes: a bridge builder. "He preferred to diffuse situations using humor to find common ground," his daughter Dr. Marcia Cantarella said. BEN WATSON: BLACK HISTORY MONTH – FAMILY AND FAITH CONTINUE TO INSPIRE, SUSTAIN AFRICAN AMERICANS In an interview with Fox News as part of Black History Month, Cantarella talked about how her father worked with former President Lyndon B. Johnson crafting the War on Poverty bill. It was like two buddies getting together. "I'm absolutely sure that he sat with Lyndon Johnson, they told a couple of jokes. They had a shot of bourbon. And they did the work," she said. Young's legacy lives on in his daughter. Cantarella is a corporate executive who later became an associate dean at Princeton University. She considers herself fortunate being born into a family where the focus was always on excellence and high achievement. It's a philosophy Young worked to disperse throughout the entire Black community from the very beginning. SELMA'S 'BLOODY SUNDAY': WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MARCH FOR CIVIL RIGHTS Cantarella, one of Young's two daughters, was born in Minneapolis where her father honed his skills as a powerbroker. Hubert Humphrey was then the mayor of Minneapolis and would later become vice president under Johnson. Young led the local Urban League in the city and as an example of how he preferred a quiet factual approach to change, he studied foot the traffic of African Americans in the major department store. He presented a cost-benefit ...
Beal scores 35, Wizards hold off Bulls 105-101 for rare win
close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for February 8 Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Bradley Beal scored 35 points and the Washington Wizards held on to beat the Chicago Bulls 105-101 on Monday night. Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer, hit three free throws in the final 9.8 seconds. Rui Hachimura added 19 points and a season-high 10 rebounds on his 23rd birthday. The Wizards improved to 6-15 even though they rested Russell Westbrook. And they won for the third time in six games, the victories by four points or less. For a team that was hit hard by COVID-19 issues, it's at least an encouraging sign even if the losses during this stretch were lopsided. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM "I'm not usually fired up about 3-3," coach Scott Brooks said. "But we've gone through a lot. And our guys battled back." Zach LaVine led Chicago with 35 points, though he missed a potential tying layup in the closing seconds. He also got an All-Star endorsement from Beal, who said LaVine should get picked for the first time "hands down." "He's electric," Beal said. "He has a great change of pace, can shoot the 3." Thaddeus Young scored 14 points, but the Bulls lost for the sixth time in eight games. "Just a lot of self-inflicted wounds, I thought," coach Billy Donovan said. TIGHT FINISH The Wizards led 93-84 about 4 1/2 minutes into the fourth quarter before Chicago scored seven straight points, capped by Denzel Valentine's 3-pointer. Beal then drove for a layup. Alex Len hit two free throws and scored on a putback dunk to bump Washington's lead to 99-91. But the Bulls answered with a six-point spurt, pulling within two on LaVine's two foul shots. Beal made two of his own and Len added one to make it a five-point game before LaVine sank two more foul shots to pull Chicago to 102-99 with a minute left. Beal lost his dribble, resulting in a turnover, and Coby White hit a floater for the Bulls ...
