Michael Porter Jr.

The Nets wasted a career night by Michael Porter Jr. and a late lead with a minute to play. And when it was over, they had fallen 106-102 to Phoenix.

Brooklyn Nets (12-33, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (31-16, third in the Western Conference)Denver; Thursday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn is looking to stop its six-game slide with a victory against Denver.The Nuggets are 12-9 in home games. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 28.0 assists per game led by Jamal Murray averaging 7.4.The Nets are 6-16 in road games. Brooklyn averages 14.6 turnovers per game and is 3-11 when turning the ball over less than opponents.The Nuggets average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Nets give up. The Nuggets average 107.8 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 116.0 the Nuggets give up to opponents.The teams square off for the second time this season. The Nets won the last meeting 127-115 on Jan. 4, with Michael Porter Jr. scoring 27 points in the win.TOP PERFORMERS: Murray is averaging 25.9 points and 7.4 assists for the Nuggets. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.Porter is scoring 25.2 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Nic Claxton is averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 55.8% over the last 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 106.6 points, 40.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.Nets: 1-9, averaging 103.0 points, 39.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.INJURIES: Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle).Nets: Tyrese Martin: out (knee), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Noah Clowney: out (back).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Brooklyn Nets (12-33, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (31-16, third in the Western Conference)Denver; Thursday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn is looking to stop its six-game slide with a victory against Denver.The Nuggets are 12-9 in home games. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 28.0 assists per game led by Jamal Murray averaging 7.4.The Nets are 6-16 in road games. Brooklyn averages 14.6 turnovers per game and is 3-11 when turning the ball over less than opponents.The Nuggets average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Nets give up. The Nuggets average 107.8 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 116.0 the Nuggets give up to opponents.The teams square off for the second time this season. The Nets won the last meeting 127-115 on Jan. 4, with Michael Porter Jr. scoring 27 points in the win.TOP PERFORMERS: Murray is averaging 25.9 points and 7.4 assists for the Nuggets. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.Porter is scoring 25.2 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Nic Claxton is averaging 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 55.8% over the last 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 106.6 points, 40.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.Nets: 1-9, averaging 103.0 points, 39.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.3 points.INJURIES: Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle).Nets: Tyrese Martin: out (knee), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Noah Clowney: out (back).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Two days after MPJ was held to nine points in a loss, which was the first time this season that he scored less than 10 points, he was able to bounce back in a big way. He set a new season high for scoring and was hyper-efficient while doing it. Porter has been a fantasy stud and will certainly be on the trade block for the rebuilding Nets ahead of next week's deadline. He'll make his return to Denver on Thursday and look to stay scorching hot.

Brooklyn Nets (12-32, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (27-19, sixth in the Western Conference)Phoenix; Tuesday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn is looking to stop its five-game slide with a win over Phoenix.The Suns are 14-6 in home games. Phoenix is fifth in the NBA with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Mark Williams averaging 3.2 offensive boards.The Nets have gone 6-15 away from home. Brooklyn has a 1-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.The Suns are shooting 45.9% from the field this season, 3.1 percentage points lower than the 49.0% the Nets allow to opponents. The Nets average 107.9 points per game, 3.9 fewer than the 111.8 the Suns give up to opponents.The teams square off for the second time this season. The Suns won the last meeting 126-117 on Jan. 20. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points to help lead the Suns to the win.TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 13.4 points and 4.7 assists for the Suns. Grayson Allen is averaging 3.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.Michael Porter Jr. is scoring 24.9 points per game and averaging 7.3 rebounds for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 6-4, averaging 112.0 points, 44.0 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points per game.Nets: 1-9, averaging 103.3 points, 40.2 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.8 points.INJURIES: Suns: Jalen Green: out (hamstring), Devin Booker: out (ankle).Nets: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Cam Thomas: out (ankle), Nolan Traore: out (illness), Noah Clowney: out (back).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.