Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., center, gestures after scoring a basket as New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III, front left, and center Karlo Matkovic drops back on offense in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Wednesday night, on the eve of the deadline, Porter got down to business and showed again just how valuable he can be. He tied a career-high with 39 points on 16 of 23 shooting, hauled in 12 rebounds and dished four assists in Denver’s 144-119 rout of New Orleans. It was the Nuggets’ fourth consecutive win.

The Denver Nuggets have feasted on teams on the second night of back-to-back games, and they will get a chance to add to that dominance when they host the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.