During the 2023 and 2024 playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers could not get over the Denver Nuggets‘ hump. The two teams faced off in the 2023 Western Conference finals and then during the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Nuggets won both series and had an aggregate record of 8-1 during that stretch.
One of Denver’s key players in both series was Michael Porter Jr., whom the teams recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets. During his recent interview with Johnny Manziel on the “Glory Daze” podcast, he talked about playing LeBron James and Co. in back-to-back postseasons.
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“I always had a good series against the Lakers,” boasted Porter Jr. “I don’t know what it was, but I always cooked the Lakers, so I loved playing against them. I just think they didn’t have a guy, a matchup for me that was trying to come off of screens and things like that, and I was able to get off my shots. You know, some of the teams that we played down the road, they kind of had a better matchup for me, but those series against Bron were dope.”
Porter Jr.’s performances vs. Lakers
With Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray going off in the 2023 Western Conference finals, Porter Jr. was the third-best scorer on that team, averaging 15.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He also made 13 out of 44 shots from the 3-point line (42.4 percent).
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The following year, the Nuggets forward was even better against the Lakers, putting up 22.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in their five-game first round series. He shot 48.8 percent from deep while making a team-high 20 out of 41 long range shots.
“Going head-to-head against Bron in the playoffs, he’s the epitome of greatness in sports. And to be able to go into L.A., we swept the Lakers one year, and the other year we beat them 4-1. But that’s just, it was a good feeling. When you have so much respect for somebody, like I do for LeBron, and to be able to go head-to-head and come out on top, it was lit. I’m not even going to lie,” he added.
LeBron gave MPJ his flowers
Some didn’t like Porter’s boasting, but he was actually telling the truth about how good he played against L.A., especially during their 2024 series. Lakers superstar LeBron James even praised Porter during an episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast.
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“Michael Porter Jr. is a fu—ing laser,” said LeBron. “I don’t know if it’s just cuz he sees the Lakers or the gold or whatever, I feel that versus us, that MF doesn’t miss. He does not miss. He literally did not miss. And I was like, you can’t even close the gap, get to his chest. He doesn’t even see you.”
As usual, Jokic and Murray were the Nuggets’ leading scorers in their 2024 postseason matchup. However, Porter Jr.’s 3-point shooting was the biggest difference in that series, and even James admitted that.
Luckily for LeBron and the Lakers, they will no longer have to worry about him now that he is with the Nets.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.