Dependence on Michael Porter Jr. might come with greater expenses for the Nets

Michael Porter Jr. Shines, But Nets Face Reliance Issues

Michael Porter Jr. is having quite a strong season, no doubt about it.

However, the challenge arose when his teammates were merely spectators.

This veteran forward is clearly in his prime. It’s impressive how he hasn’t been just throwing up shots; he’s been playing a more team-centered game. Unfortunately, during the closing moments of Friday’s game against the Mavericks, the Nets fell back into the habit of depending solely on him instead of making the most of his exceptional performance.

This is definitely a pattern they need to avoid moving forward.

“We focused too much on Mike and not enough on the rest of the team, whether they were taking shots or making them,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “If you make a good shot, you can control it, but you can’t control whether it goes in.”

As of Saturday, Porter was ranked in the top 15 scorers in the league, averaging 25.8 points. Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic are ahead of him but have more rebounds than his 7.6. Yet, Fernandez points out that the entire Nets lineup seems to revolve around Porter.

Remarkably, Porter has become the first forward in league history to score 30 or more points in four straight games while also making five 3-pointers. Surprisingly, only five players have managed to pull off such a feat: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Anthony Edwards, and Gary Trent Jr. However, Friday marked the eighth game where Porter scored at least 32 points, and the Nets are 6-2 in those instances. The other 12 games? No wins.

It’s notable that opposing teams, like the Mavericks, are doing everything they can to counteract his influence, especially toward the end of games.

“I didn’t really get the look I wanted,” Porter mentioned. “They started focusing more on me instead of other aspects of the game.”

In terms of teamwork, Porter expressed some thoughts. “We made the right reads and attacked the gaps. [Nic] Claxton can finish or find open players, and I managed to locate teammates when they sent multiple defenders my way. Still, I’ve got to say, I don’t think I’ve consistently shown my best or maintained organization on the court. Sure, we’ve made strides in some areas, but there’s still room for improvement, particularly in the final quarter and the last few minutes.”

On a different note, rookie Ben Saraf missed Sunday’s game against Milwaukee due to illness.

The Nets are also dealing with injuries; Cam Thomas is out with a left hamstring issue, and Haywood Highsmith is recovering from right knee surgery. Meanwhile, they have recalled two-way players E.J. Liddell and Tyson Etienne from the G League, as Liddell was struggling with an ankle problem while with Long Island.