Porter’s tip-in bucket with 3:16 left to play gave him 39 points but he missed an open 3-pointer that would have given him his 40. When Malone took him out about the two-minute mark, the fans gave Porter a standing ovation. The Nuggets improved to 15-2 all-time when Porter scores 30 or more points.

Porter is a sharpshooter and provides floor-spacing to Jokic, who has great chemistry with the Missouri product. With Jokic's generational passing ability at the center position, having a sharpshooter capable of making high-caliber shots from beyond the arc is invaluable.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the team is "not trading Michael Porter" when asked if he has had conversations with the forward about being in trade talks.