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The Denver Nuggets find themselves in a very familiar situation, down 3-1 in a series. After winning the last two series after falling down 3-1, the Nuggets have the Los Angeles Lakers right where they want them. This Nuggets team is like a computer; learning, growing and adapting as it encounters flaws and challenges. Even with that being the case, Michael Porter Jr. might end up being the key piece software Denver needs to battle back yet again.
On the daily Locked On Nuggets Podcast, hosts Matt Moore (HPBasketball) and TJ McBride explain one move that could shift the series back into the Nuggets favor. Enter: Michael Porter Jr.
Matt Moore: The Nuggets are going to need to win the three-point battle, that's just a big part of this. Tonight the Nuggets had the same number of total turnovers as the Lakers. The Lakers had 14 points off turnovers to the Nuggets' 11. So that wasn't a huge issue. The Lakers made 10 threes and the Nuggets made 10 threes. You've got to outscore them there, because, again, they're gonna have all these free throws, and you're not so you are going to have to outpace them. It's time. It's time. I've held off long enough. I think Michael Porter Jr. needs to start for Gary Harris.
TJ McBride: Oh, whoa, I don't disagree, but you do not have your Michael Malone hat on right now. That is not happening. There is no way.
I know it's not happening… I'm at the point where I think you cannot win unless you get more size on the floor. If they're going to start the Dwight Howard you have to give Nikola Jokic some help by adding another crazy-ass rebounder in there. You've just got to help him out. You're just gonna have to help him out with some length and athleticism. I think Gary Harris coming off the bench, especially if you play him when Paul Millsap goes out, and then comes back in helps combat what the Lakers are doing.
What the Lakers are doing in this series and for the postseason is, LeBron and AD obviously start together. Then LeBron plays a little bit without AD and then he plays a little bit without LeBron, and then they both finish out the half. So what they need to get into is they need to be able to attack the times when LeBron is not on the floor. They've lost a lot of those sequences because Davis is carrying them. That's when the Nuggets need to play defense because that Lakers offense without LeBron is garbage and that's when you need to absolutely win. This means you need to have Gary and Paul Millsap on the floor for defensive purposes.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kEOOJGJ3cX5lBvRgtRhB2
