NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets (11-22) have lost their third straight game against the Denver Nuggets (23-12) on Sunday, but they have a chance to beat a Nuggets team without Nikola Jokic. More importantly, Brooklyn had a chance to give forward Michael Porter Jr. a win over his former team, and thankfully, everyone left with a smile on their face.
The Nets beat the Nuggets 127-115 in a game that never really looked close, with Brooklyn leading 92 percent of the game and leading by as much as 22 points. Porter did his part to lead the Nets to victory with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, while forward Noah Clowney also had 22 points and 6 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting.
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Brooklyn got its breakout without having to face Jokic or former Nets forward Cam Johnson, but Jamal Murray powered Brooklyn with 27 points and 16 assists. The Nets can now rest easy as they snap a three-game losing streak and continue a tough month of January. Here are the Nets players’ scores after Sunday’s win over the Nuggets:
Yegor Demin: B+
Deming did a great job of shooting the ball on offense, and luckily, his three-pointer fell in the Nuggets’ favor. It’s worth noting that Deming doesn’t have the ball in his hands much in this offense, but it’s encouraging to see him making simple passes instead of trying to do too much with the ball in his hands at this stage of his rookie season.
Terence Mann: B
Although Mann performed well in this game, he struggled to score, but considering that he spent most of his energy on the defensive end, his inefficiency makes sense. To his credit, Mann did a great job handling the basketball and setting up his teammates, while also being an absolute pest guarding Jamal Murray throughout the game.
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Michael Porter Jr.: A+
Porter returned to the rotation after missing the past two games due to illness, and he didn’t miss a beat as he scored from just about anywhere on the floor. Porter does a great job rebounding and passing the ball, and there are only so many new words that can be said about his impact on this team, but this game was even more proof of his efficiency.
Noah Clooney: A
Clowney has had some ups and downs lately, but this was a game where everything went well for him, especially the 3-point shot. Clowney is shooting a higher percentage from 3-point range this season compared to his career average, but his willingness to absorb contact in the paint has been impressive as he’s gotten to the free throw line multiple times.
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Daron Sharpe: A+
For the second straight game, Sharpe took over from Nic Claxton as the starting center, and he didn’t disappoint, showing off his full repertoire in lengthy minutes. Sharpe was efficient around the basket, got to the free throw line, rebounded well and showed off how quick his hands are on multiple occasions defending passing lanes.
Ziaire Williams: B
Williams appears to have something new going for him as he has been playing his best basketball the past few games with his shooting and tenacity on the defensive end. Even though Williams likely would have scored three more points after his shot late at halftime was ruled out, he still showed off his best form with this team.
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Danny Wolfe: C
Wolff didn’t make much of an impact on either end of the floor, as he wasn’t often looking for shots on offense. Wolfe isn’t seeing the same production he did when he first started playing extended minutes because his 3-point shooting hasn’t dropped yet, complicating his game when trying to get up the floor with the ball.
Cam Thomas: B+
This game was a tale of two halves for Thomas, who was passive with the ball in his hands despite making the right call on most possessions when the Nuggets double-teamed him in pick-and-rolls. In the second half, Thomas turned on the switch and started scoring the way Nets fans know how, which must have been a great sight for the team to see from such a talented scorer.
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Derek Powell: C
Powell was pretty quiet on both ends of the floor for the Nets, and while he had some open looks, he wasn’t particularly involved offensively. Powell is experimenting with what he can do offensively, and in addition to his defensive effort and impact, he should be able to find a spark to start the next phase of his game.
Nolan Traore: C+
Even though Traore didn’t shoot the ball well in this one, it’s encouraging to see him not afraid to miss, especially since he shot the ball well most of the time. Traore can attack the rim more, but he should be able to do that over time as he gets more comfortable with his offensive rhythm and finding scoring opportunities.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets player results: Michael Porter Jr. drops 27 points in win over Nuggets
