Michael Porter Jr. pours in 38 in return to Denver, but Nets fall short late

C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News on Jan 29, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Michael Porter Jr. stepped back into Ball Arena Thursday and played like he’d never left. He scored a season-high 38 points, two shy of his career high, with 10 rebounds and seven 3-pointers, nearly dragging the Nets across the finish line before Brooklyn fell to the Denver Nuggets, 107-103, in the clutch.

The loss was Brooklyn’s seventh straight and its 15th in the last 17 games, another narrow result defined by thin margins and a few stretches the Nets couldn’t survive once Porter went to the bench.

The night revolved around him from the opening minutes. Porter scored 11 of Brooklyn’s first 13 points, immediately settling into a rhythm that turned the early portion of the game into a personal duel with Jamal Murray. The two traded baskets before anyone else on the floor found their footing, a back-and-forth that kept the Nets tethered even as Denver began to find shooting elsewhere.

For the Nuggets, that meant Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr., who combined for five 3-pointers in the first quarter. For Brooklyn, it came through effort and opportunism. Day’Ron Sharpe provided instant punch in the paint off the bench, Danny Wolf knocked down an early 3 and Nic Claxton finished possessions with authority around the rim. Even so, the Nets trailed 30-26 after one, almost entirely because Porter refused to let it slip.

The absences were already baked in. Terance Mann was available despite back soreness, but Ziaire Williams, Egor Dëmin, Cam Thomas and Noah Clowney were all out. Jordi Fernández responded by starting Porter, Mann, Wolf, Claxton and rookie Nolan Traoré, the first start of Traoré’s career. Drake Powell moved to the bench after starting eight straight games when available.

That rotation strain showed itself in the second quarter. After Jalen Wilson’s first 3-pointer briefly put Brooklyn ahead, Denver responded with an 11-0 run built on three finishes at the rim and another Hardaway triple. Fernández called timeout with Porter on the bench, but the momentum didn’t slow. Another Hardaway trey in transition stretched it to 14-0.

Traoré did flip the tone with his aggression, slicing to the rim for two straight baskets, but Denver’s shooting kept piling up. Julian Strawther buried the Nuggets’ 10th 3-pointer of the half, and by intermission the Nets trailed 64-49.

Porter had 20 points in 19 first-half minutes. His teammates scored just 29 points on a 12-for-31 clip. Denver went 10 for 15 from deep. It was also Porter’s seventh 20-point half of the season, the most he’s ever had in one year.

The third quarter changed the feel of the building. Porter and Mann opened with 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions. Minutes later, they traded makes again, and Porter’s fifth trey of the night cut the deficit to three. Defense to offense was the theme. Brooklyn surrendered just four points over a long stretch, and Sharpe’s steal led to a Tyrese Martin breakaway dunk that tied the game at 70.

With 3:20 left in the period, Porter was sitting on 31 points. Claxton, the next-highest scoring Net at that moment, had eight. Brooklyn dominated the quarter, holding Denver to 31.2% shooting, but a late Ben Saraf turnover turned into a Strawther layup and sent the Nets into the fourth down 79-76 instead of ahead.

That crack widened quickly. Denver pushed the lead to seven with Porter resting early in the fourth. When he returned, the game flipped again. Porter knocked down his seventh trey immediately, then jumped a passing lane for a steal and a dunk that tied it at 90. Traoré and Powell added timely buckets, and Traoré’s jumper with 6:20 left gave Brooklyn its first lead since early in the second quarter.

The Nets reached 94 points with 3:15 remaining. Then they stalled.

Denver closed on an 8-0 run, capped by Murray breaking down Wolf off the dribble and finishing through contact to give the Nuggets a six-point edge after the free throw. From there, Denver leaned on Murray and the clock. He scored nine of his team-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, while Hardaway finished with 25.

Mann cut the deficit to two with 4.4 seconds left after drawing a foul on a desperation trey, but Denver calmly inbounded the ball and knocked down two free throws to put it away.

As the Nets continue their road trip and inch closer to the top of the draft lottery, they’ll look to stop the skid Friday against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center.