The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers are all locked up in a 2-2 series tie. Through the first four games, it has been about as back and forth as it could get. Damian Lillard and Nikola Jokic have both anchored their teams, as expected. However, ahead of Game 5, Nuggets young star, Michael Porter Jr. is out to set the tone in an effort to be a difference-maker that the Nuggets need him to be.

“It’s on us as a team, but a lot of it’s on me as well,” Porter said according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “If I’m not getting any actions, I gotta figure it out in transition, on the glass. I can’t let myself be as small of a factor as I was the last couple games, in my opinion.”

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MPJ was marvelous in Game 1, dropping 25 points on 12-21 from the field. He scored 18 in Game 2 and then 15 in Game 3, but in Game 4 he disappeared and finished with a stat line of three points on 1-3 from the field.

With the Nuggets already without starting point guard Jamal Murray, they need Porter to step up if they want to edge the Blazers in the first round.

MPJ has been solid this season, averaging 19 points and 7.3 rebounds the year as the Nuggets secured the 3rd seed in the Western Conference. Still, if they want to escape the series with a victory, he will need to be more involved and be more aggressive, especially on the offensive end.