Denver Nuggets: Key battlegrounds in postseason matchup

Battleground #3: Michael Porter Jr. vs. Portland defenders

Michael Porter Jr. stepped up huge in Jamal Murray’s absence, and has seemingly turned the corner in recent months. He’s averaging 22.3 points per contest since the All-Star break while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from 3-point range.

Porter’s scoring talent is undeniable, and his volume-efficiency combination has officially earned the Kevin Durant comparison. However, is he ready to take this next step and score at a high volume in an amped-up playoff atmosphere where opposing defense is at peak level? Denver’s success may depend on it.

Murray teamed with Jokic to run a two-man game that proved very effective in crunch time last postseason. Porter and Jokic have integrated a variation of this attack, featuring less actual dribbling and more dribble handoffs, as Porter moves, cuts and shoots around a facilitating Jokic. The effectiveness of this revised two-man game may be pivotal in Denver’s ability to score throughout the series.

Porter’s primary defender will be Robert Covington, a solid 6’7′” wing who’s known for savvy stopping efforts and boasts a career average of 1.6 steals per game. He’s strong enough to affect Porter’s movement, yet Porter (6’11”) may have the height and athleticism to shoot over Covington.

Porter would have benefitted from the Dallas matchup, as Covington is a well-suited defender for him. Nonetheless, Porter has a chance to impact the series by scoring the basketball and overcoming this tough defense.

He truly oozes with talent and has a bright NBA future ahead of him. Will this year’s postseason be another significant step forward, or is he too green to impact a playoff series?