Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points as reigning NBA champions the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 100-88 on Wednesday to reclaim top spot in the Western Conference standings.
A low-scoring clash between last year’s NBA Finals rivals saw Denver lead for most of the first half before the Heat edge ahead with a third-quarter rally, only for the Nuggets to regain their advantage.
Denver pulled clear in the fourth quarter, with Reggie Jackson draining a 26-foot step back three with just over three minutes remaining to put the Nuggets 10 points up at 94-84.
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was restricted to just 12 points after a disciplined Miami defensive effort, but that just allowed more space for Porter Jr., who drained five three-pointers in a 9-of-16 shooting display.
Porter Jr. said his impressive performance owed everything to his teammates engineering time and space for him to shoot freely.
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