Two weeks ago, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was in the midst of one of his torrid 3-point shooting streaks when he flashed the latest tool in his ever-growing arsenal.

Having already buried five 3-pointers against the Raptors, he caught the ball on the wing late in the third quarter and flashed by one of Toronto’s many long-limbed defenders. With two decisive dribbles, Porter split the Raptors’ defense and finished, uncontested, at the rim with his left hand.

The conviction that Porter showed in attacking a seam left Raptors forward Chris Boucher on his heels. In seasons past, Porter might’ve settled into a jumper that, given his height and pristine mechanics, still might’ve dropped. But within the context of Porter’s development, that would’ve been a concession.

Through 77 games, this has arguably been the most complete season Porter’s had as an NBA player. Defensively, teammates and coaches have remarked on his commitment, and offensively, he’s back to the player he was two seasons ago, prior to his third back surgery. Alongside the tandem of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Porter’s 3-point shooting has bent defenses to Denver’s will.

“At this point, we’ve played with each other for multiple years now, so I think that’s just a byproduct of not being the new dude on the block, and more games together,” Porter told The Denver Post. “They’ve just grown to know where I want the ball.”

Asked about his trust level when finding Porter near the 3-point line, Jokic was unequivocal.

“I feel always it’s going in,” Jokic said.

How he arrived here wasn’t by accident.

Following a third back surgery which kept him out almost all of last season, Porter and his long-time skills trainer, Michael Messer, pored over game film from his healthy seasons. They identified areas of improvement (ball-handling, for one) and devised a plan to make him even more dangerous.

“One of your biggest attributes is your shot, your ability to knock down shots, so how do we use that to your advantage to freeze the defender and then blow by with a little bit of change of speed and use your size and length and athleticism to get to the rim?” Messer said.

Porter’s 3-point shooting drills are rigorous. In one, he has to make 50 NBA 3-pointers without missing two in a row.

“You’re no longer allowed to get cold,” Messer said.

In another exhaustive drill that takes nearly 30 minutes, he has to make 250 out of 350 NBA 3-pointers. The first 100 are simple catch-and-shoot 3s from all around the arc. According to Messer, if the whole drill was catch-and-shoot, he’d destroy it.

The next 100 include off-the-dribble moves, which are significantly harder to shoot from, and the type that come into play when defenses are charging at you. Porter said he’s sensed defenses selling out to run him off the 3-point line. A little hesitation one way or the other can have a magnified effect on busting the perimeter defense.

The final 50 shots are about speed and concentration, with Porter not allowed to reset when he’s tired. If he doesn’t meet the threshold (71%), they do it again.

“Everybody in the league now knows he’s one of the best shooters in the world,” Messer said. “Everybody’s scouting report is try to run Mike off the line.”

Porter’s numbers compared to the 2020-21 season aren’t too dissimilar in terms of percentages and where he’s getting his shots from. That season he shot 44% from 3 while finishing 83% of his shots at the rim, according to basketballreference.com. This season, he’s at 41% from beyond the arc and 80% at the rim. And while the numbers don’t suggest a drastic difference, the fact that he underwent one more back surgery, and remains equally as effective, is remarkable.

Assistant coaches who’ve worked with him said they’ve been reinforcing exactly what he worked on in the offseason: attacking the rim. To counter opponents’ scouting reports, they want Porter to be a threat at all three levels.

Like a pitcher mixing in a changeup, Porter’s ability to keep the defense honest has made him more dangerous.

“He’s a lot less predictable,” Messer said.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone has seen the fruits of Porter’s efforts, which have included far fewer mental lapses defensively and a more consistent approach on both ends.

“The thing that jumps out to me, more than anything this year, obviously he’s been a much more engaged and willing and caring defender this year, and his health has allowed him to be more effective on that end,” Malone said. “He’s had the want to, but he also now has the physical abilities to do so. But offensively, what he’s shown to me, it’s really jumped off the screen is, the way he’s played with an attack mindset. He’s not just a pretty jump shooter.

“… So now you’re dealing with a guy that can hurt you from 30 feet out, can put the ball on the floor, can get to the cup, can make his free throws, that’s helping us on defense and is rebounding at a high level,” Malone said. “That is a complete basketball player. I give Michael a tremendous amount of credit because he has taken it personally to improve both offensively and defensively.”

Porter said he’s made a concerted effort to decipher defenses and attack rather than settle.

“It’s more of a mindset,” Porter said at the end of Denver’s latest road trip. “I don’t feel perfect.”

As the Nuggets finished up practice inside of Georgetown’s gleaming basketball facility, Porter sat on a trainer’s table and fidgeted with a brace he’s worn to stabilize his left foot. Despite a consistent season, Porter said the brace has hampered his mobility.

“I’m trying to figure out my brace situation because I’m pretty stuck in certain regards with the brace that I wear,” he said. “I feel like if I can get a different brace that lets me move my foot a little more, I’ll be able to move in more directions, be a little bit more creative instead of so like, shoot or straight line drive. That’s what I’m missing now compared to high school is I could move in so many different ways and create something out of nothing.

“It’s hard to do with the brace I’m wearing. I’m trying to figure out a way to get a more flexible brace right now, and I think that’ll help.”

Porter’s also particular about his footwear. For most of this season, he’s worn Nikes with small white swooshes that would be almost indiscernible unless you were looking for them. But Porter is a Puma brand athlete. He praised Puma’s willingness to be flexible.

“I’m with Puma all the way,” Porter said. “I hope I’m with Puma until the end of my career. The way they took a chance on me, and stuck with me. Most shoe companies wouldn’t let you wear another shoe. They’re like, ‘Mike, we want you to be comfortable, and we’re going to try to make something that you feel good in.’ I’m wearing Nikes, but I’m definitely with Puma all the way.”

There is constant maintenance for someone who’s undergone as many operations as Porter has, but, in the first year of his five-year max contract, Porter has made good on that deal thus far. His availability, as he nears a career-high in games played, has been vital to his team’s prolific offense.

Porter, seated with his feet in a cold bucket of ice water, took a deep breath when asked about what he’d accomplished this season.

“I’m very proud,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s another person out there who could’ve gone through what I’ve gone through and still been here. I think about what I don’t have a lot of times, as far as like my game, like where I want to be. But then when I look back and I’m like, where I am now, it’s still a blessing.”

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