Nuggets-Blazers playoff preview: Denver needs Michael Porter Jr. to deliver; Portland must play best defense

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The Denver Nuggets and Portland Path Blazers are set to fulfill within the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. In 2019, the Blazers bested the Nuggets in a particularly thrilling seven-game collection within the second spherical that included a quadruple-overtime final result in Sport 3. The winner of that collection superior to the convention finals. This time round, the winner will solely advance into the second spherical. Nonetheless, if this matchup finally ends up being just like the one in 2019, we’ll be in for a deal with. 

Regardless of the lack of Jamal Murray to a torn ACL in April, the Nuggets have been capable of maintain their place within the aggressive Western Convention and safe the third seed within the convention, thanks largely to the MVP-level play of Nikola Jokic. Equally, the Blazers have been capable of safe the sixth seed regardless of coping with quite a few harm points over the course of the marketing campaign. The 2 groups will now look to finish the opposite’s season. The groups performed in opposition to one another thrice throughout this season, with Denver profitable two out of the three conferences, although Portland gained the latest sport, which came about on the final day of the common season. 

Right here’s a take a look at the collection schedule in addition to three issues to know forward of the collection between the Nuggets and Blazers.   

No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Blazers 

All instances Jap

  • Sport 1: Blazers at Nuggets, Saturday, Could 22, 8:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • Sport 2: Blazers at Nuggets, Monday, Could 24, 8 p.m. | TNT
  • Sport 3: Nuggets at Blazers, Thursday, Could 27, 8:30 p.m. | NBATV
  • Sport 4: Nuggets at Blazers, Saturday, Could 29, 4 p.m. | TNT
  • *Sport 5: Blazers at Nuggets, Tuesday, June 1, TBD | TBD
  • *Sport 6: Nuggets at Blazers, Thursday, June 3, TBD | TBD
  • *Sport 7: Blazers at Nuggets, Saturday, June 5, TBD | TBD 

*If crucial    

The Nuggets had excessive hopes after they chosen Michael Porter Jr. with the No. 14 decide within the 2018 NBA Draft, and he’s shortly turning into the participant they thought he could possibly be. After beginning simply eight video games for Denver as a rookie final season, Porter stepped right into a beginning spot with the group in the course of the 2023-21 marketing campaign and he delivered. Porter doubled his scoring common this season (from 9.3 to 19.0 factors per sport), and he snagged almost three extra rebounds per sport this season (7.3) in comparison with 2019-20 (4.7). 

He’s additionally improved his capturing proportion each from the sphere and from lengthy vary. Final season he shot 50 % total and 42 % from deep. This season he’s capturing 54 % from the sphere and 44 % from 3-point vary. Porter has stepped up much more since Murray went down, too. He averaged 23.9 factors per sport in April and 21.0 factors per sport in Could, as has developed into Denver’s second offensive possibility behind Jokic. With out Murray and in opposition to a group able to placing up main factors within the Blazers, the Nuggets will want Porter to proceed to supply at a excessive stage in the event that they wish to advance. 

2. Portland must deliver its greatest protection to collection

The Blazers are principally a story of two groups. On the offensive finish, they’re elite. They’ve a plethora of stable scorers and shooters, headlined by Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Carmelo Anthony, and consequently they’ve the NBA’s second-best offense this season. They’ll put up factors in addition to any group within the league, they usually can accomplish that shortly. Nevertheless, on the opposite facet of the ground it’s a very completely different story. Portland’s protection was porous over the course of the season, and consequently it completed with the second-worst protection within the league. The Blazers have been capable of have a stable season regardless of their defensive deficiencies, however it’ll come again to chew them within the postseason if they’re unable to enhance. Denver had the sixth-ranked offense in the course of the common season, and over the course of a collection it’ll decide Portland aside if it performs lackadaisical protection. Offense is clearly vital, however within the playoffs it’s a must to deliver it on each ends, or else you gained’t final lengthy. 

3. Jokic must play just like the presumptive MVP

The votes are already in, so what Nikola Jokic does within the postseason gained’t affect his MVP candidacy. Nonetheless, the Nuggets definitely want him to play at an MVP stage in the event that they wish to advance previous Portland. Jokic was arguably probably the most dominant participant within the league this season, particularly on the offensive finish, the place his mixture of measurement, power and imaginative and prescient make him a nightmare for opponents. Jokic averaged 29 factors, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per sport in three video games in opposition to Portland this season, and he’ll want comparable, or higher, manufacturing if Denver goes to advance.  

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