Michael Porter Jr. didn’t want the Nuggets to go back to Los Angeles for Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series. He said it might’ve been spooky if they did.
So on Monday night when Denver faced a third-quarter deficit against the Lakers, Porter took it upon himself to make sure his team wasn’t preparing for another plane ride.
Down by four points, Porter drove to the rim for a layup. Moments later, he had the ultimate green light, catching a pass from Nikola Jokic and draining a corner 3-pointer that cut Denver’s deficit to one.
Jamal Murray’s game-winning jumper secured Denver a spot in the second round and continued the Nuggets’ dominance over Los Angeles. But Porter’s impressive shooting effort, which had been on display throughout the series, helped set Murray up to be the hero in the 108-106 victory in Game 5.
“I was knocking down shot (after) shot. I’ve done that my whole career,” Porter said.
As Denver struggled to find offense in the first round against the Lakers, Porter was a model of consistency. He averaged 22.8 points per game while shooting over 50% from the floor.
Against Los Angeles in Game 5, he scored 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Not only was he a sniper from the 3-point line, he attacked the rim and showcased his entire offensive bag.
“Michael Porter’s offense in this series was incredible,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “Buckets were hard to come by but Michael hit some timely shots. And when he didn’t have his shot, he was able to get downhill and get pressure on the rim.”
Whenever the Nuggets struggled or were in a tight situation, they turned to Porter.
Denver was down by six in the first quarter when Porter’s 3-pointer ignited a 10-0 scoring run that gave the Nuggets a four-point lead at the end of the frame.
In the third quarter, as the Lakers attempted to grow a three-point halftime lead, Porter scored 12 points to push Denver ahead. With 1:35 left in the third, Aaron Gordon found Porter wide-open on the corner, where he buried a 3-pointer to give Denver a 74-69 lead.
In the fourth quarter when Lakers guard Austin Reaves scored a go-ahead basket, Porter answered by knocking down his fifth 3-pointer on the other end.
“Every time we needed a big shot (or) went on a drought, he was there,” Gordon said. “(He’s) so solid.”
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The Nuggets’ two-man game of Murray and Jokic has been a driving force of their success. But in Denver’s quest to repeat as champions, it might require Porter to continue being a microwave scorer.
Up next is a second-round series against the Timberwolves, one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Porter shot 46% from the floor and 38.1% from deep in four games against Minnesota during the regular season. His steady performance against the Lakers offers hope he’s ready to rise to the challenge.
“He settled us (down) all series long,” Gordon said.
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