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The first-round series between the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers will be an exciting one for the mere fact that it features Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Michael Porter Jr. and CJ McCollum–some of the hottest players right now heading into the postseason.
However, the reality is the Nuggets are the better team–as they have been over the last few years, and they seem to be peaking as a squad this season. For this reason alone, NBA fans should expect the Blazers to receive a massive pummeling. But for argument's sake, let's list down the three reasons why the Nuggets will beat the Blazers in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Nikola Jokic's MVP Year
It's pretty obvious that Nikola Jokic will be the top player for the Nuggets in this series, as well as in the entire playoffs. Analysts have placed him on top of the MVP ladder for most of the season. There are even whispers that he'll indeed be crowned MVP of the league soon. When fans and experts alike say that Jokic is the best passing big man in league history, they're not exaggerating one bit.
Jokic is truly aone-of-a-kind talent and is the one who runs the Nuggets' engine.
With this said, the Trail Blazers will emphasize stopping Jokic in every possession. But all these efforts will go in vain. It's nearly impossible to stop Jokic from finding his teammates. He has seen all the defensive packages thrown at him. What makes him deadly is that the Serbian has a pretty deep offensive arsenal himself. He has a very reliable jump shot and post-up moves, and he can outmuscle and outwit his defenders through a variety of moves.
Once near the rim, he won't dunk it. Instead, he'll utilize his soft touch around the ring for the easy two points.
Michael Porter Jr.'s Coming Out Party
Blazers fans must have been secretly rejoicing when they found out that their team will face the short-handed Nuggets in the first round. Jamal Murray is the second-best player for Denver, and a chunk of Mike Malone's playbook involves the guard. However, one of the fastest rising stars in the league is Michael Porter Jr.
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The 22-year-old has superstar written all over his DNA. He has the smarts, the athleticism, and more importantly, the confidence. He raised eyebrows for his performance in the playoffs last year. In turn, Malone gave him more playing time and even a spot in the starting five.
Porter Jr. is now the Nuggets' second-leading scorer with 19.0 points per game with a stellar 52.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.5 percent from deep. These numbers are ridiculous if you think about it. Blazers fans might say that Robert Covington will shut Porter Jr. down, but this forecast is a foolish underestimation of MPJ's talents. Like Kevin Durant—the player he's often been compared to—the only thing you can do to Porter Jr. is to make him work.
However, you can never stop him from getting to his spots and assault you offensively.
Trail Blazers Are One Of The Weakest Defensive Teams
The fact of the matter is that the Blazers are the second-worst defensive team in the league with a 115.3 defensive rating.
You might think that the Blazers will turn it up a notch in the postseason, but the reality is that Portland won't and can't suddenly become the best defensive team in the league. Not when they're facing one of the most potent offenses in the Nuggets. As such, expect to see several defensive breakdowns by the Trail Blazers. Malone has employed a very fluid motion offense that would confuse the hell out of the Rip City squad.
